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Hd Qtrs Sub Dist "A" Bureau of
Refugees Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Lexington Va March 1866

Bt Major. W. Stover How

Major 
I have the honor to report that during the month of February I investigated upwards of fifty cases, of which many [[strikethrough]] of them [[/strikethrough]] were of considerable importance.

Some of assaults made upon the Freedmen were in regard to nonpayment of wages for services rendered &c &c

The great difficulty seems to be caused by the whites not being willing to pay for the labour after they have agreed to do so

I find some cases in which the former owners of these people have taken the whole amt of last years hire from the parties to whom they hired their slaves during the hireing season of 1864 and 1865 — In all cases where I have found this to be the case I have ordered that payment be made to the Freedmen from the 10th day of April 1865, at the same rates for which they were hired previous to the surrender, many of the contracts at that time. "ie" previous to the surrender, were made payable in grain and I have invariably caused grain to be paid or its equivilent-

An Ex member of the Virginia state Legislature, drew half of last years hire for one of