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Office Supt. "Refugees, Freedmen and Aban'd Lands."
Dist. No.1. State of Virginia,
Fort Monroe. Va. July 12th 1865.


In accordance with Special Orders No.12. Head Quarters Asst. Commissioner, State of Virginia, July 1st 1865, I have the honor to report as follows.

I. In answer to the questions, "Are they at work, and willing to work for their former Masters "?," and do they work with spirit and energy?," I would say, that, in the lower Counties of the Peninsula, there are very few who are at work for their former masters, nearly all being employed in cultivating lands hired from the Government, oystering, fishing, wood-cutting, working for the different Departments of the Gov't. (Qr. Mr., Subsistence, Ordnance and Engineer) and some have engaged in those pursuits which the wants of a community render necessary, such as shoe-making, Black-smithing, &c &c.  But in the upper Counties large numbers are at work for former owners, and as far as I can learn, do so, not only willingly but, with spirit and energy. In Accomac, Northampton, and the five Counties of this District, South of the James, nearly all who work for their former owners, (and there are many,) do so from choice, but labor indifferently. This evidently grows out of the doubt in their minds, as to whether they will receive a fair equivalent for their labor.

II. "Do their former masters treat them kindly and do they practically acknowledge their freedom?"

A few complaints of ill-treatment have been brought to the notice of the Officers of this Bureau, which were promptly attended to, I am happy to say however, that ill-treatment is the exception rather than the rule, and the appeals to reason and interest, are taking the place of harsher measures as incentives to labor. In answer to the latter part of this question, I would say, "Former masters" do practically acknowledge

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