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FM - 3 - 5 - 10 Dt 1866

Bureau of R.F. &. AL. 
Office Supt 10th Va Dist.
Fredericksburg Va. March 8th 1866

Respectfully forwarded to Colonel O. Brown Asst Comr State of Va. 

James Johnson 
Major V.R.C Supt. 

One (1) Enclosure

[[strikethrough]] Col Neide [[/strikethrough]] 

File

[[stamp]] STATE OF VIRGINIA. BUREAU OF R. F. & A. L. *** RECD. HD. QRS. ASST. COMMISSIONER. MAR 9 1866 [[/stamp]]

Reports between 3000 & 4000 freedmen in his district. Most of them in a "sorry" condition some have taken land and it is thought they will get along if their just dues are allowed by the whites. The freedpeople are sober peaceful and industrious. 
A bitter hatred exists on the part of the whites to the Bureau because "the Bureau is fast enlightening the negroes and pointing a sane way of them to take care of themselves"
States it as his opinion that "were the Bureau closed, the Freedmen would be in a worse state than ever they were in Slavery." 
The Freedmen are willing to work and do so cheerfully at low rate of compensation. 
Many whites hired help last year and turned their laborers off at the end of the year without compensation. 
The contract system has been started, and thinks it will be generally adopted with good success.