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Bureau R F and A L
Office Asst Supt York Co. Va
Yorktown, Va June 22d 1866

General:

Pursuant to instructions dated Hd. Qrs. Supt. 9th Disct. Va. Fort Monroe, Va. June 5th 1866. I have the honor to forward herewith the report of rations issued to destitute "Freedmen" in the County of York, State of Va. By reference to report of rations issued in this County in "January," (the month which I was placed in charge) it will be seen rations have been stopped to one hundred and thirty four (134) different persons. It has been the policy of this office to afford assistance of this character to only those who are actually in distress and are unable to support themselves, or have no near "kin" to render them relief, for it is certainly a proved fact that the more the "Freedmen" are helped, without being helped to labor the worse is their condition for the simple reason it saps their self reliance. I would add in this connection that a number of able bodied women have been cut off from rations by the orders recently received relative to the removal of all to the counties to which they properly belong, and, it may result in great suffering: the reason they give for not accepting the opportunity offered by the Government for their removal are fears of their former masters and many of them have crops in the ground