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Elizabeth City N.C.
Jan 3d 1866

Capt F.A. Seely
A.Q.M. & Supt
E. Dist

Captain
I have the honor to transmit the following report of the month of Dec. and also the Contract and Indentures of Apprenticeship for the same month.
In consequence of one of the Steamers of the Peoples line being break, I was until the following Sunday Night at 11 O clock (after I left New Berne) getting Home, the next day was Christmas Day and the next 11 also. you will see by what I send you that the Freedmen were very backward in contracting for Labor until the Christmas Holidays were over. While since the first of the present month they have come in faster.

When I found that Soldiers had been sent here, I took occasion to speak to a large number of Negroes at the Church last Christmas forenoon and explain why the Soldiers had been sent here.

They seem to think it was very foolish to send Troops to look after them, as they said they thought to much of their Liberty