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Office Asst. Sub-Asst. Commissioner
Bureau R.F. & A.L.
Aiken S.C. April 7th 1868.
Bvt. Maj. H. Neide
A.A.A.G.
Charleston S.C.
Major, 
In compliance with instructions contained in communication of the 4th inst from Head Quarters Assistant Commissioner, I have the honor to submit the following statement showing the exact process by which the legal rights of refugees and freedmen are defended or secured when complaint is made of assault or outrage as far as the practice of this office is concerned.

In this statement will be reported the practice of this Office since the Provost Court was established for the Military Post of Aiken by Special Orders No. 21 Head Quarters 2nd Military District dated April 18th 1867 of which Court I was appointed President. 

When the Provost Court was first organized, whenever a freedman would make a complaint of an assault or other outrage upon him, his affidavit was taken setting form the necessaey facts as would have been done by a Civil Magistrate.