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[[preprinted]] 18 [[/preprinted]] 39 Bureau of Refugees Freedmen &c. Hd Qrs Asst. Commissioner Raleigh NC July 27" 1865 James Capt. Horace Supt Eastn Dist 34/45 Before sending forward petitions for restitution of property I shall be obliged to endorse them with approval or disapproval, Genl. H. says that my recommendation will be a sufficient guarantee for his action in any case. But I cannot recommend the restitution of property without a full knowledge of facts in each particular case, i.e. as to antecedents of claimants, and the use now being made of the property. You will need some intelligent person in New Bern to take the matter in hand. I will try to get for you Mr. Clark, now clerk for Mr. Wood Treas. Agt. He will do you good service either in the business or some other. As to the Nixon place it is clear that some change should be made soon. Mr. B.R. Moore son in law of Mr. Nixon has gone to Washington to day to lay the case before Genl. Howard. He requests that no change be made until his return & then wishes to have the plantation rented to Mr. Nixon himself in case it is not returned to him. If you think that advisable I have no objection. If not I think Mr. E Smith correspt of the Tribune would undertake its management, or I will write to by brother to come on at once. I referred to you sometime ago a paper from Genl. Howard requiring the counties [[strikethrough]] drsire [[/strikethrough]] ^[[&c.]] which all the plantations &c are situated. As you are preparing a list of property in & about Wilmington to send to Washington it may be well to send with it a complete list of all in & about New Berne NC. Very Respectfully E Whittlesey Col. and Asst. Commissioner [[line across page]] 39 Bureau of Refugees Freedmen &c. Hd Qrs Asst. Commissioner Raleigh NC July 28" 1865 Cilley Maj. Clinton A. Asst. Adj't. Genl. 34/41 Sir I have the honor to State that I have given directions to the Supt. of the Eastern District to remove the Freedmen from Roanoke Island as fast as homes can be found for them elsewhere. The great majority there are families of enlisted men in the U.S. Services. Very Respectfully E Whittlesey Col. and Asst. Commissioner [[end page]] [[start page]] [[preprinted]] 10 [[/preprinted]] 41 Bureau of Refugees Freedmen &c. Hd Qrs Asst. Commissioner Raleigh NC July 28" 1865 Cilley Maj. Clinton A. Asst. Adj't. Genl. Dept of N.C. 40/44 Sir In accordance with G.O. no.110 A.G.O. Washington June 7" 1865 I have the honor to request that all military officers in this Department be ordered to turn over all abandoned lands, tenements, mills and other property now in their possession to Capt. H. [[footnote 1]] James, Financial Agent of the Bureau of R. F. & A. L. whenever the said lands tenements mills &c. are not needed for military purposes. Very Respectfully E. Whittlesey Col. and Asst. Commissioner [[footnote 1]] Capt. H. James [[stamped]] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [[/stamped]] [[line across page]] 42 Bureau of Refugees Freedmen &c. Hd Qrs Asst. Commissioner Raleigh NC July 28" 1865 Boyd Col. J.F. Chief C.M. Dept of U.G. Sir In reply to your communication of the 27" inst. respecting a steam mill new Newbern I have the honor to state that I have requested [[footnote 1]] the Dept. Commander to order all such property to be turned over to Capt. James, Financial Agent of this Bureau, whenever it is not needed for military purposes. Thanking you for directing my attention to this matter I am Very Respectfully Your Obt. Servt. E. Whittlesey Col. and Asst. Commissioner [[footnote 1]] Capt. H. James [[line across page]] 43 Bureau of Refugees Freedmen &c. Hd Qrs Asst. Commissioner Raleigh NC July 28" 1865 Teal Capt Asa Asst Supt. 38/61 In reply to your communication of the 27" inst. I have the honor to state that children may be bound to service, with the consent of their parents' only. In law parents' have a right to their children. The principle is an important one, though in exceptional cases, its application may work badly. Children who have no parents may be bound out, (for the present) with the consent of an officer of this Bureau. The old forms of indenture are sufficient. Freedmen who have helped to cultivate & lay by a crops are certainly entitled to pay, for their labor, either in money, or in kind. You can request such men as are charged with dismissing their laborers, without pay to appear before you and make a proper settlement, if they refuse ask for a sufficient mil. force to arrest them & have them tried for violation of Gen. Echofields Order No.46 and for defrauding freedmen. In common law every workman can collect pay for his work. Very Respectfully E. Whittlesey Col. and Asst. Commissioner
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The Asst. Commissioner's name is Col. Eliphalet (Eli) Whittlesey. The name was incorrectly transcribed on the example page. This has been corrected.
