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[[Stamp]]
Bureau Refugees Freedmen and Abandoned Lands Office Ass't Com For Ky, Tenn, and North Ala.
Nashville, Tenn, Sept. 18 1865

Circular
No. 6.

The following Circular is published for the information of all concerned:

War Department
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Washington, September 12, 1865

Circular
No. 15
I...Circular No. 13, of July 28, 1865, from this Bureau, and all portions of Circulars from this Bureau conflicting with the provisions of this Circular are hereby rescinded.
II... This Bureau has charge of such "tracts of land within the insurrectionary  States as shall have been abandoned, or to which the United States shall have acquired title by confiscation or sale, or otherwise," ad no such land- now in its possession shall be surrendered to any claimant except as hereinafter provided.
III.... Abandoned lands are define in Section 2, of the Act of Congress approved July 2, 1864, as lands. "the lawful owner whereof shall be voluntarily absent therefrom, and engaged either in arms or otherwise in siding or encouraging the rebellion."
IV....land will not be regarded as confiscated until it has been condemned and sold b decree of the United States Court for the District in which the property may be found, and the title thereto thus vested in the United States.
V....Upon its appearing satisfactorily to any Assistant Commissioner than any property under his control is not abandoned as above defined, and that the United States has acquired no title to it, by confiscation, sale, or otherwise, he will formally surrender it to the authorized claimant or claimants, promptly reporting his action to the Commissioner.
VI....Assistant Commissioners will prepare accurate descriptions of all confiscated and abandoned lands under their control, keeping a record thereof themselves, and forwarding monthly, to the Commissioner, copies of these descriptions in the manner prescribed in Circular No. 10. of July 11, 1865, from this Bureau.
They will set apart so much of said lands as is necessary for the immediate use of loyal Refugees and Freedmen, being careful to select for this purpose those lands which most clearly fall under the control of this Bureau, which selection must be submitted to the Commissioner for his approval.
The specific division of lands so set apart into lots and the rental or sale thereof, according to Section 4, of the Law establishing the Bureau, will be completed as soon as practicable, and reported to the Commissioner.