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Office of the Asst Supt. Bureau R.F. & A.L.
4th D. Va. Louisa County Court House Va
February 28th 1866

Capt. James A. Bates A.A.A.G.
Richmond Va

Sir-
I have the honor to report that the condition of Bureau affairs in this Sub-District are in a very unsatisfactory state. Not more than One third of the Freedmen as near as I can gather from Observation and inquiry have been properly recompensed for their work during last year. It is only the bolder ones who bring their grievances to the notice of the Bureau Agent, the others are overawed and intimidated by the whites. The consequence of this is a very lamentable one - stealing, Barn burning, and injury to cattle and crimes of similar nature are becoming very common; and though I believe that much of it is done by [[strikethrough]] poor [[/strikethrough]] whites, yet I fear that the Freedmen, activated by a spirit of Revenge are generally the guilty parties.

Unfortunately the Agent has no means at his disposal to inquire into and better this condition of things- A single man, in a community whose white population is unanimously hostile to him, and whose Black population is powerless to aid him, he is unable to protect himself from insult

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