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25
No 54

Bureau of R.F. and A.L
Hd Qrs Sub Div. 3rd Sub Dist
Beaufort N.C Sept 23rd 1867

Moore Lt Col S. VRC
Sub Asst Commr

Colonel.
In Obedience to instructions from your office dated Sept 18th 1867, I have the honor to respectfully submit the following Report of the Operations of the Bureau in this Sub. Div for the year ending Sept 15th 1867.

[[underlined]] Rations [[/underlined]] issued in Obedience to Cir letter dated Hd Qrs Asst Commr State N.C. Decr 10th 1866

Destitute Whites  27740

" [[ditto for Destitute]]  Colored  29967

" [[ditto for Destitute]] Freedmen in Hospital  1801
   
559508.

[[underlined]] Congressional Rations [[/underlined]] issued in accordance with Cir No 10. C.S dated Hd Qrs Asst Commr State N.C

Total Amount received.  Corn  56000 lbs  Pork.  8000. lbs

" " [[ditto for Total, ditto for Amount]] issued  " " [[ditto for Corn]]  49000 " " [[ditto for lbs, ditto for Pork]]  7000 " [[ditto for lbs]]

Balance on hand  7000 " " [[ditto for lbs, ditto for Pork]] 1000 " [[ditto for lbs]]

Amount of [[underlined]] Monies received from Abandoned Property. [[/underlined]]  $105.85/100   This amount has been forwarded to [[underlined]] Bvt Lt Col T P Johnson Chf QM and DO [[/underlined]] Bu RF and AL. State N.C duplicate receipts received for the same one copy of which was forwarded to [[underlined]] Bvt Brig Genl Geo W Balloch.[[/underlined]] Chf DO Bu. RF and AL Washington D.C

[[underlined]] Clothing [[underlined]] gratuitously issued in the Sub Div consisted of 22 Hats - 16 prs Trousers - 13 flannel Coats - 24 Shirts - 8 prs Drawers 3 Great Coats - 7 blankets and 49 prs Negro Brogans.

No of [[underlined]] Indentures cancelled [[/underlined]] in accordance with Cir No 5. C.S. Hd Qrs Asst Commr State of N.C. in this Sub Division   123
The larger number of the above cancelled in Onslow County.  All with

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26.
Very few exceptions were turned over to their parents or to the nearest of kin without any trouble on the application to the parties having the children bound to them.

[[underlined]] Contracts for Labor [[/underlined]] in this Sub Div for the year were 110.
Approved by the Asst Sub Asst Commissioner

In addition to the above there were a large number who [[underlined]] contracted on Shares of the Crop. [[/underlined]] they receiving one half of the Crop for their labor and the owner of the land supply in Team feed and seed this is the best method for the Freedmen to Contract under as he then can employ his whole family to work. The owner of the land or some Merchant supplying him with rations and clothing taking a lien on his part of the Crop. When such Contracts are approved by me I require the party having the lien to furnish the Freedman with a Pass Book. in which are entered all items he receives. This prevents disputes in settlement. [[underlined]] The 110 Contracts [[/underlined]] were by the month at an average of $12 00/100 per month with rations and Quarters. When Freedmen apply to this Office for Approval of their Contracts they have no difficulty in getting their pay  Otherwise there is continued trouble. Many Freedmen leave their Employers through the inducement of other employers offering them higher wages. This is a great evil and should be remedied by imposing a fine of $50- on the party who would induce a Freedman to break his contract and the Freedman should be compelled to go back to his employer when no evidence exists that the employer violated his part of the contract. [[underlined]] The breaking of Contracts[[underlined]] has the following bad effects. it often causes the Negro to forfeit the wages due him and the planter has no security that the hands will remain with him through his crop, it also causes the Negro to have a bad name thereby not alone injuring himself but alone his family, he is fully protected as far as the agreement of the employer is towards him provided he applies to the Office of the Bureau for approval of the Contract. Stability in the Freedman is a great thing needed for the advantage of both races.

I am happy to say that very little crime exists among the Freedmen of this Sub Div since all Civil and Criminal Cases

Transcription Notes:
(T P "Johnson" a misspelling of "Johnston")