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Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands,
Office Sub-District of Sidney,
Richmond, Va., April 2nd 1866.

Lieut H. S. Merrell.
Supt. 3rd Dist Va

Lieutenant

In compliance with instructions contained in letter of instructions No 6. dated Hd. Qrs. Asst Comr State of Virginia January 29th 1866. I have the honor to submit the following report of the condition of the Freedmen in the Dist. for the month of March 1866.  By reason of the approach of the agricultural season, contracts with the farmers for work are being made more frequently than hitherto, and I am happy to say to the entire satisfaction of both parties in most cases.  A noticeable and agreeable fact, is the diminution in the issue of rations, which is solely attributable to the growing disposition on the part of the Freedmen to maintain themselves and advance their interests.

I cannot discover any differance [[difference]] in the feeling and expression of feeling in taking advantage of the Freedmen by not making written contracts with

Transcription Notes:
Confirmed name from staff list ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-23 12:02:28 "diminution" not "derivation"; "attributable" not "attributed" Corrected typos and missing punctuation