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Bureau of Refugees, Freedman and Abandoned Lands.

Head Quarter Asst. Commissioner State of Va.
Richmond, Va. 15th June 1865

Circular Letter.
Sent to Superintendents

Having been ordered to report to this Bureau for duty, you are hereby appointed Superintendent of Freedmen for ------ District. On assuming this charge, you will be at once, divide your district into a suitable number of subdistricts and appoint an Officer as an assistant superintendent over each.

You will, as soon as possible, take a census of all colored people within your District in accordance with the accompanying form marked A. 

Your duties will be to protect the negroes in their rights as freemen, to see that in their present state of helplessness, they are not oppressed or injured by their former masters by false charge, unjust punishment or otherwise.

You will aid them, by your advice, in making contracts for their services, if such contracts are liable to be injurious to their interests. In all other cases, leave them free to make

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