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16
Office Sub Commissioner
Dis of Meridian, Meridian Miss Apl 19,/66

Commanding Officer
Post of Meridian
Sir
The bearer George has been directed by Maj Knox to find what negroes he could that were idling around this place, and send them to this office with the intentions of making them work for a living, he was doing so this morning when he was taken by some of the detachment of the 15th Inft. stationed at this Post and flogged or horsewhiped, your attentions is respectfully invited to such proceedings, and it is requested that the soldiers be punished

Very Respectfully,
Your obb svt
J H Chapmann
Capt VRC and Asst Sub Commissioner

Office Sub Comm'r
Dis of Meridian, Meridian Miss
April 19th 1866.

Henry Col
Sir
The bearer Adeline has again reported that injustice has been done to her by your refusal to pay her son his last months wages. Your Grandson told me Tuesday evening that you intended to pay William as soon as his month was up. The mother is able to prove that you hired him previous to the death of her Husband, and by the month, and you having no written contract with him would indicate he was so employed. I do not want to cause you any trouble about it, but it is my duty to here complaints. Please return this communication with your intentions endorsed hereon. Very Respectfully,
Jno. J. Knox
Bvt Maj and Sub Commr
Dis. of Meridian

17 
Office Sub Commissioner
Dis of Meridian,Miss April 21st/66

Hardy J. D.
Garlandsville Miss
Dear Sir
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication stating that my endorsement on "Alex" contract had caused a good deal of dissatisfaction amongthe Freedmen working on the Plantation of Messrs. Tatum and Chamblis, and requesting me to visit you and certify [[?]], that it is all right. You tell me that the Freedmen are to havehalf that is made on the plow. Had this been expressed in the contract I could have understood it but if I read the contract correctly no such provision appeared and at the end of the year advantage might be taken of this omission. I do not think anything of the kind was intended, but thought it was the fault of the one that wrote the contract. Now if the Freedmen are to have one half and you work 16 1/2 hands they are entitled to sixteen and a half shares, which would be equal to one half of the whole should the Freedmen not be satisfied you had better let one of them come  here and bring all the contracts and I will fix them agreeable to your letter of explanation. As I told you, no contract is valid without a revenue stamp. These presented here had none, but if you think it necessary to stamp only one you had better exchange with the Freedmen, then they will be secure so far as the legality of the contract is concerned
Very Respectfully
Your most obt. svt
Jno. J. Knox
Bvt Maj and Sub Commissioner
Dis of Meridian Miss

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-06-24 18:08:44 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-06-24 18:15:22 Removed "preprinted" bracket notation. Per TC instructions, this is not to be used for Freedmens Bureau transcriptions