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Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands,
Headquarters Sub-Division, Third Sub-District of N.C.
Beaufort, N.C., January 17 1868.

Bvt. Lt. Col. J.F. Chur
A.A.A. Genl. Bu. R.F. & A.L.
Raleigh N.C.

Colonel
I have the honor to respectfully represent that this Sub Div. is in a very destitute condition, owing to the great failure of the crops last year and the very low prices, particularly for cotten which composed the largest part of the crop of this Div. last year. If government aid is not furnished great destitution and suffering will exist. At this Season Planters generally employ their hands, but owing to their impoverished condition they are not able to provide rations for them. In consequence few hands are employed, in consequence of the inability of planters to work their farms. They would be willing to rent them to freedmen and poor whites (many of the later in this Sub Division, were Soldiers of the Union Regiments of No. Ca.)

Instead of issuing rations gratuitously as heretofore

over