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|    | received back this day without comment- Does Major Preston intend to give the information asked for in endorsement hereon, from this office, of Jany 5th prior to declarations for bounty in these cases being made up anew?
Geo. S. Smith
Bt Major Sub Comr |

| Scully J W. Capt R & DO 18. | Endorsement on Com from Capt J. W. Scully R. & D.O. returning a/c of John Otlay
S-3-F.B.D.C-1867.

Bu RF&AL Office Sub Comr
Columbus Miss Feby 6" 67

Respectfully returned to Capt J. W. Scully R & D.O. for information whether Genl Orders No 19. Office Asst Comr State of Miss, Augt 31" 66, and Circular No 1. Office R. & D.O. Sept 1" 66, excludes the payment of this account
Geo. S. Smith
Bt Major Sub Com'r |

| Preston A W Maj & AAAG 19. | Endorsement on Communication from F. J. Tedford, Agt Bureau Aberdeen, relative to sending fatherless children to charitable Institution.
T-3-F.B.D.O-1867.

Bureau RF&AL Office Sub Comr
Columbus Miss Feby 11" 67.

Respectfully forwarded to Major A. W. Preston for his information and orders in the premises.
Geo S Smith
Bt Major Sub Comr | 

|   | Endorsement on communication from J. P. Bardwell Agt Schools complaining of improper treatment of some one at Aberdeen claiming to be an Agt of Bureau
B-2-F.B.D.O-1867.

Bureau RF & AL, Office Agent Monroe & Chickasaw Counties, Aberdeen Miss Feby 9" 67

Respectfully returned to A W Preston A.A.A. Genl District of Miss, with the information that the complaints set forth in the enclosed letter of J. D. Backenstore are found upon investigation to be false in substance and detail. The facts pertaining to the course pursued by myself since entering upon the duties of my Office as Agent of the Bureau for Monroe & Chickasaw Counties, are as follows, viz, To ascertain from personal knowledge the true condition & acquirements of the freedmen. Whether they have been paid for last year's services, & if not, to assist them by advising them what steps to take to recover pay for their services- In a few instances I have ordered the delinquents before me and compelled them to make fair and honorable settlement with their Employees, and am happy to state that my effort in this respect have been attended with beneficial results- When I came to this City & found some six to eight hundred freedmen of all ages & conditions living in a state of concubinage, the most of whom were opposed to making contracts or to work in any honorable way for support- As an Agent of the Government, & a friend to the freedmen, I at once set earnestly to work to reform the deplorable state of things- My first step was to visit Mr Condalls School to assure him of any sympathy & support and to request him to send to my office at his earliest convenience a full report of the school under his charge, I again called a day or two after for the same purpose & on the 29" day of January learning that some unauthorized person had been threatening to break up his school I wrote him a letter of which the enclosed is a true copy- I positively deny ever having had freedmen sent to the Calaboose for refusing to make contracts, and I furthermore deny ever having made a contract for a | 

Transcription Notes:
Calaboose = jail