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Headquarters District of Florida,
Bureau Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands,
Jacksonville, Florida, February 5th 1868.

[[stamp]] The National Archives of The United States [[/stamp]]

Circular,
No. 3.

Citizens of Florida who have cleared lands under fence, are invited to take into consideration the expediency, as well as the necessity, of locating Freedmen living in the vicinity of their homes.
The mutual advantage to be derived, both to the citizen and the Freedman, must be manifest, without detailing them in this Circular. Any Freedman who will, within the next sixty days, satisfy the Assistant Commissioner, Colonel John T. Sprague, or the officers hereinafter designated, of his destitution, and that he has within his control not less than ten acres of tillable lands, under fence, and is living upon it, shall receive weekly, until the 1st day of September next, the following rations, viz: To those over twelve years of age, one peck of corn or corn meal ; three pounds of pork ; one quart of syrup. To others, under twelve years of age, half rations.

The officers charged with the details in pefecting this arrangement, are as follows: Bvt. Maj. Gen. T. Seymour, U.S.A., Maj. 5th Artillery.-Counties of Santa Rosa, Escambia, and Walton ; Headquarters at Barancas.
Capt. G.B. Carse, 45th Infantry.--Counties of Leon and Wakulla; Headquarters at Tallahassee.
Bvt. Maj. J.B. Rawles, U.S.A., Capt. 5th Artillery-County of Monroe; Headquarters at Key West.
Capt. F.E. Grossman, 7th Infantry.-Counties of Suwanee, Columbia, Hamilton and Bradford ; Headquarters at Lake City.
First Lieutenant J. E. Quentin, 45th Infantry.-Counties of Madison, Taylor and Lafayette ; Headquarters at Madison.
Capt. E. R. Ames, 7th Infantry.-Counties of Alachua and Levy; Headquarters at Gainesville.
Capt. J. H. Durkee.-Counties of Duval, Clay, Putnam, Volusia, Orange, Brevard and Dade ; Headquarters at Jacksonville.
Maj. J. A. Remley.-Counties of Marion and Sumpter; Headquarters at Ocala.
Capt. A. B. Grumwell.-County of Jefferson; Headquarters at Monticello.
Lieut. M. L. Stearns.-Counties of Gadsden, Liberty and Franklin ; Headquarters at Quincy.
Bvt. Maj. Richard Comba, U.S.A., Capt. 7th Infantry.-Counties of Hernando, Hillsboro, Polk and Manatee ; Headquarters at Tampa, Ft. Brooke.
Capt. D. J. Connolly.-Counties of St. Johns ; Headquarters at St. Augustine.
Capt. D. M. Hammond.-Counties of Nassau and Baker ; Headquarters at Fernandina.
Maj. W. J. Purman.-Counties of Jackson, Calhoun, Washington and Holmes ; Headquarters at Marianna.

The Agent of the Bureau, in receiving applications for rations will require a satisfactory paper from the owner of the land, that he guarantees to the freedman, in good faith, the occupation of not less than ten acres of his land, tillable and under fence, for at least the period of one year. A book will be kept by the Bureau Agent, in which he will enter the names of heads of families, together with the ages and number of the children, and a minute description of the location, as well as, the name of the present owner of the land. The Agents of the Bureau, Military and Civil, will inspect their locations personally, as far as practicable ; when this cannot be done, commissioned officers will be employed ; in their absence, intelligent non-commissioned officers from the nearest U.S. Military Post will be selected to perform the duty, which inspection will be made monthly and the result reported to the Assistant Commissioner. Rations will be issued monthly at convenient points by the Agents of the Bureau.

Freedmen who are found indolent, and neglecting their grounds and homes, will be deprived at once of rations. Citizens of the State are earnestly invited to interest themselves in what is here proposed, and thus secure homes for Freedmen and their families who are willing to work, and by this means secure an abundant supply of provisions throughout the State, in the coming season, which will ultimately insure to the land owner, the sale of his tillable fields, now unoccupied and becoming a barren waste.

The advantages to be derived from this system, if faithfully carried out by all parties, are great, and a heart co-operation of citizens, owners of lands, will aid materially in accomplishing a successful result

As soon, after the 1st day of March as practicable, the issue of rations will be commenced to all such Freedmen as have complied strictly with the foregoing requirements.

The provisions of this Circular, will apply equally to Freedmen occupying lands acquired under the Homestead Law, or by purchase.

By Order of Colonel John T. Sprague:
Asst. Commissioner,
Allan H. Jackson,
Lieutenant 7th Infantry, &. A. A. A. Gen.
Official: 

Lieut. 7th Infantry, & A. A. A. Gen.