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28
FREEDMEN'S AFFAIRS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE

BUREAU REFUGEES, FREEDMEN, AND ABANDONED LANDS,
STATE OF TENNESSEE, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, 
Nashville, Tennessee, February 11, 1868.

GENERAL: For a report of bureau affairs for the State of Tennessee for the month ending January 31, 1868. I have the honor to submit the following extracts from the reports of the officers in charge respectively of the four sub-districts into which the state is now divided. 
Captain Samuel Walker, sub-assistant commissioner, sub-district of Knoxville, reports:
The extreme cold weather during the month has caused considerable suffering among the freedmen and poorer class of whites, particularly at this point and Chattanooga, owing to the miserable houses or huts in which many of them live. As fuel and provisions are cheap and plenty, however, I am of the opinion that if the citizens and municipal authorities will only half do their duty no assistance will be needed from the bureau.
No outages of any kind have been reported, and from all I can learn the freedmen are doing better than ever before since the war. 
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Quite a number of pieces of abandoned property embraced within the provisions of circular letter of the Commissioner, of November 5, 1867, are still borne upon the records of this office. As they are scattered very much, and generally at a great distance, one from the other, and as they are taking possession of them under the provisions of the above circular would not only be attended with considerable expense–more I fear than could be realized from rent–but in some cases, I fear, opposed by force, I would respectfully ask for special instructions on the premises.

Captain George E. Judd, sub-assistant commissioner, sub-district of Pulaski reports :
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STATE OF FEELING, ETC.

The rebel element is as bitter as ever; if there is any change it is for the worse. Union white and negroes are hated with a terrible hatred. The Kluklux Klan operate largely in the counties of Giles, Marshall, and Maury. Numerous instances of outrages committed by them have come to my knowledge. They seem to make no attack upon the whites, but confine themselves to the negro population, whom they drag out at night and whip, and otherwise maltreat, making them take an oath never to vote the radical ticket, and threatening to kill them if they do. It seems almost impossible to have the villains arrested and punished, unless they be caught with their disguise on, for no person can identify any one as being of the parties who commit the outrages. I have urged the magistrates to use their utmost efforts to break up this infamous organization. They all promise to do so, but say they can never find anyone who belongs to it. I believe the people would take the matter in hand and break it up if troops could be stationed over them for a while. The organization is certainly composed of sons of the first families; otherwise they could not procure horses to ride about country nights.
There is no great amount of suffering among the colored people, although there is general complaint of unfairness on the part of the employers. All who wish can get work, but they never will succeed until they quit working for part of the crops. Their contracts are so made that they have no chance. The power is all in the hands of the employer. Those who work for monthly wages come out all right, unless they work for some irresponsible man from whom nothing can be obtained by law. If all laborers would demand wages the whole difficulty of obtaining a fair settlement would be obviated. 

Michael Walsh, sub-assistant commissioner, sub-district Nashville, reports: 
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There has been considerable excitement in this country (Humphreys) among the colored people, about a lawless band calling themselves "Yellow Jackets," "Red Caps," and other names. They go through the country in the night time, and warn the colored people to leave the country, or else they will kill them. Also taking all the arms they find. On the 22d January, 1868William James, a colored citizen of Henry count, came to this office to attend to his bounty claims; subsequently visited an old fellow-servant who lives in Big Bottom settlement with John Warren; while there, a party of six or seven men came to the house in the night-time, and inquired of Mr. Warren if he had any niggers in his house. He replied that he had some. They then said they wanted to see them. Mr. Warren told them he would not open the door. They then tried to force it, when James, (colored,) thinking they wanted to kill him, made his escape through the back door, and ran. When they called upon him to halt he kept on running, when they commenced firing on him some 15 or 20