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Very respectfully
Your obt servt,

Bvt Col & A.A.G.

Office Assistant Commissioner
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen
and Abandoned Lands
Montgomery Ala.
Sept 21st 1865

Chaplain S.S. Gardner
Asst Supt. Selma. Ala

Sir,
An officer eminently competent to take charge of a home colony will be here next month and unless some emergency should meanwhile arise will be sent to Selma for that purpose.
The difficulty of securing officers by detail is not confined to Selma, or new to this State. How to secure a corps of reliable Citizen Agents is now under consideration and until a system is promulgated Chaplain Gardner is authorized to make such arrangements as he can with reliable persons. Instructions from Gen Howard require that such Agents act without compensation.
The action of Mr. Nott has been presented at Washington by letter and telegraph and other measures are being taken which will effectively exclude him. It is not designed to compel any one to make a contract. But a planter who does not do so will not be aided by any Agent of the Bureau in case the freedmen leave him or refuse to work. If they stay and [[strikethrough]] refuse [[/strikethrough]] work and he refuse to pay them to their satisfaction he will be subjected to an arbitrary settlement.
Proper details are required to be made by General Orders No 102: Warr Dept to which reference should be made in the application.

Many such statements of outrages as are cited, have been cleared up by investigation, but troops will be out whenever each investigation discloses provable ground. If necessary, an application for the troops will be made from this office.
Very respectfully,
Your obt servt,

Brig. Gen & Asst Com'r

Office Assistant Commissioner
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Montgomery Ala
Sept 21st 1865

Lt O.S. Abbott
Asst Supt &c
Gainesville Ala

Sir:
Your communication of Sept 14th is received.
Most of your questions are answered by enclosed orders and circulars.
Employers threatening to shoot or otherwise maltreat their employees can be proceeded against before a civil Magistrate and you as Agent of this Bureau can direct that their crops be not moved until the employees receive their dues.
As soon as possible, "Colonies" will be established for old and disabled freedmen. Rations should be issued to such if they are in a suffering condition.
Very respectfully,
Your obt servt,

Brig Gen & Asst Com'sr