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258 Through the Adjutant Generals Department in addition to the usual correspondence and returns, there have been forwarded during the year past for gratuitous collection, one hundred and eighteen claims for the bounty and back pay of soldiers, and the result transmitted. Through the same office, a supervision of the different Bureau Agencies throughout the State has been maintained, and the condition of the freedmen known. During part of the year, twenty three of the Agencies have been maintained, ten of which have recently been closed, and five new ones established. Stations are now in existence at the following named places under charge of the gentlemen designated. Huntsville Bvt. Brig. Genl. John B Callis V.R.C. Taladega James F McGogy Tuscaloosa Robt. Blair Demopolis Bvt. Maj. C.W. Pierce V.R.C. Selma 1st Lieut Geo. Shorkley, 15th U.S. Infantry Montgomery John C. Hendrix Opelika Robt. T. Smith Eufaula William E Connelly Greenville Saml. S. Gardner Mobile Captain James Gillette 15th U.S. Infantry. Greensboro H.C. Claus Eutaw G.A. Farrand Girard J.B. Healy These gentlemen by faithful service and the earnest kindly spirit of their work have laid me under obligation, and have rendered the freedmen invaluable service. Bvt. Maj. Geo. H. Tracy Captain 15th U.S. Infantry, late in charge of the station at Mobile died at his post on the 17th of September, of yellow fever. An Officer of rare capacity and promise, his talents had not caused to be more admired than he was beloved for his fine qualities of heart and manner. Remaining at his post and "faithful unto death" it is hoped he has ere this received his "crown of life". The following named Officers compose the present staff. Bvt. Lt. Col. Chas. J. Kipp, Surgeon in Chief Bvt. Lt. Col. Edwin Beecher, Disbursing Officer 259 O.D. Kinsman (late Bvt. Lt. Col.) Actg. Asst. Adjt. Genl. W.C. Arthur (late Bvt. Lt. Col.) Commissary of Subsistence Rev. C.W. Buckley (late Chaplain U.S. Vols.) Superintendent of Schools. Lt. L.J. Whiting, 45th U.S. Infantry, Chief Quartermaster The fidelity and courtesy for which I am indebted to these gentlemen have greatly enhanced both the pleasure and the usefulness attending the discharge of my own duties. The reports of the several stations at the close of last year showed innumerable cases of refusal or of inability to pay freedmen the balance of wages due for the year. The failure of the crop had much to do with this but yet there was a general disposition to regard the freedmen as fair subjects for fraud. The most frivolous pretexts and most oppressive methods were resorted to to make the laborer quit before his year had quite expired, or to afford occasion for driving him away. His patience under all this was remarkable scarcely a case of violent resistance coming to my knowledge. As many of these cases as they could were taken up and remedied by Bureau Officers, and an attempt was made to prevent their recurrence by legislature enactment. A bill creating a lien for agricultural laborers upon the product of their labor for its dues passed through the Senate, and was reported and certified as having passed the House at the last day of the session, but on examination of the journals was found not to have become a law. For want of this, and from the bias of the inferior courts against the freedmen, very many cases have gone unredressed. Tor this years labor, many freedmen were able to secure land to work upon their own account, and the facilities for doing so by purchase or by lease are constantly increasing. Those who worked as before quite generally contracted to receive a portion of the crop "and found" in lieu of money wages; an arrangement preferred by the laborers as more secure, and by the planter from his inability to pay until the crop was prepared for sale. Throughout the close of last year and the first of this, much hardship was experienced by freedmen from unfair application of the law giving authority to Probate Judges to apprentice minor children who from orphanage or poverty of parents
