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Bureau of Refugees Freedmen &c
Hd Qr Asst. Commissioner
Raleigh N.C. July 19" 1865

Teal Capt. Asa
Asst. Supt. of Greensboro
/31

Your letter informing me of your detail for duty in this Bureau is received.  I enclose copies of Circulars &c. from Genl Howard which will give you a better view of the work of the bureau than I could present in a single letter.  I will either visit you in person or send an office, in a few days.  Your vist. will for the present comprise the following counties, viz Caswell Allamance Rockingham Guilford Randolph Stokes Forsythe.
As soon as you can procure a sufficient number of officers, I will appoint a Superintendent for the entire district of Greensboro ^[[the Western District]] and then subdivide into smaller districts.
For the present do the best you can with your large territory & get all the help you need by asking for temporary details.  Genl. Carter I am sure will afford you every facility.
One great object is to organize industry by advising and assisting the Freedmen in making contracts for labor.  Another object is to assist the absolutely helpless with rations.  Please forward as soon as practicable an estimate of the amount of rations needed for the present quarter ie from July 1st to Sept 30th 1865, - and I will have it approved and ordered so as to cover the issue.
Another object is to protect the Freedmen from Abuse & Cruelty, Cir. 6". Par VII gives you the authority to do this.  Let it be known throughout your district that you are the freedmans friend, and that the military forces will sustain you in demanding for him just treatment.
Another object is to encourage education.  We cannot sustain schools but we can assist the Agents of various "Aid Societies" in finding quarters for Schools & teachers, and can give them moral support.
Be very careful in giving transportation, large numbers are crowding this way, not knowing where they are going.
I shall be very glad to hear from you often.

Very Respectfully
E Whittlesey
Col. and Asst. Commissioner

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27

Bureau of Refugees Freedmen &c
Hd Qr Asst. Commissioner
Raleigh N.C. July 20" 1865

Carleton Chas A.
Asst. Adj't. Genl.
10" A.C.
24/51

I have the honor to request that the Comdg. Officer at Hillsboro be directed to arrest the parties charged in the enclosed Memoranda with cruelty to Freedmen and to bring them before me for examination, in accordance with Circular 5 Par. 7 Bureau of Freedmen &c. War Dept. May 30" 1865
Similar complaints come to me every day, and some action is necessary to protect the colored people.

Very Respectfully
E Whittlesey
Col. and Asst. Commissioner

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[[stamped]] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [[/stamped]]

28

Bureau of Refugees Freedmen &c
Hd Qr Asst. Commissioner
Raleigh N.C. July 22d 1865

Emery Chas. Capt & Supt.
6/70

In answer to your communication of July 18" 1865, I am directed by the Asst. Commissioner to make the following reply:
Let application for ^[[your]] assignment be made immediately if not already done.  The Col. will visit your district or send some Officer as soon as possible.  I enclose Circulars & orders received since the last letter was sent you.
In a letter recd. from Genl. Howard, he states, that authority is not given this Bureau for sustaining Schools;  but you may assist any teachers or agents of northern Aid Societies, in finding situations for Schools and organizing them.  In cas you wish teachers and can find accommodations for them, they can be sent from here.

Very Respectfully
By order
Fred H. Beecher
Lt. & A. Asst. Adjt. Genl.

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Transcription Notes:
I've reviewed and made minor edits. The instructions in the TC ask that the markup ^[[text]] be used for handwritten text in typed pages. Volunpeers have previously been advised by the Transcription Center to use [[insertion]] text [[/insertion]] markup to indicate a latter insertion into hand written text. Hope this helps. -@siobhanleachman The Asst. Commissioner's name is Col. Eliphalet (Eli) Whittlesey. The name was incorrectly transcribed on the example page. This has been corrected.