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used in the Army were given employment. They were hired by Officers - employed as Company Cooks, teamsters and pioneers, and in this way  goodly number were provided for. There were hundreds of able bodied men that could not get work, and thousands of old, indigent and infirm of both sexes, encumbered with large families who were perfectly helpless, and were a most uncomfortable burden upon the Army, and must have been particularly annoying to the General Commanding. The Army was about to move and did move on or about the 1st day of December 1862 leaving behind the surplus negroes - those who had no legitimate employment with the Army.

Col. Eaton, at that time a chaplain, was the person selected by Genl Grant to take charge of and provide for these helpless and destitute people as best he could. Subsequently Genl Grant issued an order, dated at Oxford, Miss. placing Chaplain Eaton in charge of all the colored refugees within the limits of his Army. Col Eaton continued in charge of the colored people at La Grange and other points 'till the return of the Army early in January 1863. Col. Eaton accompanied Genl. Grant down the Miss. river and had general superintendence and charge of the colored refugees that congregated in and about the Army until the fall of Vicksburg July 4th 1863, soon after which he was promoted to a Colonelcy and given the entire control and management of the freedmen throughout the