Louisville, Tenn., Oct. 27, 1872.
Sir: Don't you worry about old Eneas. He came here in or about '70 with a grey mare,
a long-legged race horse, a young wife and three children, and give out that he was a minister of the Gospel. They stayed on my place and there were four children when they left. He was a preacher all right, cause I heard him time and again, but all the same he was the biggest liar in Tennessee at that time, and that's a great record for any man. Major, if half he said about you and your place is true, you ought to be President. You must have owned all the niggers in Georgia, and your home must be spread over all three of them counties he has been looking for ever since freedom. About that Lightning colt—he certainly looks it. Eneas slipped him into a free-for-all up here and him and a strange white man about busted the county. I offered him $500 for the colt, but he said your price was $20,000. Considering you had never seen him, I thought that a little high and him and
me didn't trade. Next day he was gone. Oh, you Eneas! Say, Major, if he ever gets back, and he will, for you can't lose that kind of man for good, better nail down everything movable—including them twelve fountains.
Yours,
Tom Johnson.
P. S.—I say; twelve fountains!
P. S. S.—Forty-four rooms! Gosh! is the Legion still with you?
Washington County, N. C., Oct. 20, 1872.
Maj. George E. Tommey, Louisville, Ga.