Viewing page 274 of 285
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
[[preprinted]] 536 [[/preprinted]] Bureau Refugees Freedmen &c Hd Qrs Asst Commissioner Raleigh N.C. Mar 15th 1867 Howard Maj Genl O.O. Commissioner Washington D.C. General I have the honor to transmit the following report of the operations of the Bureau in the State during the month of February 1867. Although the issue of rations is but a trifle greater than it was the previous month it does not indicate the increase of destitution as reported to these Head Quarters. Many of the cases of suffering cannot be reached by the Bureau, but they have in a measure been provided for by donations from the North. A conference with the Executive of the State shows that at a very low estimate there are at least 6000 persons in North Carolina suffering from want of food, of which number two thirds are white. The Southern Relief Commission of N.Y. City sent during the month 3000 bushels of corn which has been forwarded to points where the greatest destitution prevails, where is being distributed under the joint supervision of the State and Military authorities. The distribution by the Bureau of Government rations was as follows - To Hospitals | 6486 "[[ditto for To]] Orphan Asylums | 1715 "[[ditto for To]] Destitute Whites | 10958 "[[ditto for To Destitute]] Blacks | 113421 Total in February | 32,578 No Outrages of Blacks against Whites have been reported while on the hand nine cases of aggravated Outrages have been reported of Whites against Blacks. Several of these acts were the work of bands of so called "Regulators" who for some time past have infested certain portions of the State. The Civil Authorities being either unable or unwilling from fear or other causes to act the Military Authorities have taken the matter in charge and it is hoped will soon effectually break up the organization. In Fayetteville a colored man while in custody of the Sheriff [[end page]] [[start page]] [[preprinted]] 537 [[/preprinted]] and his posse, and while en-route from the Court House to the jail to be held for trial for an alleged rape, was shot and instantly killed. All this in broad day light and in the open street. Several witnesses before the Coroners jury swore positively as to the murderer, but they returned a verdict "that the shot was fired by person unknown". The matter is now receiving the attention of the Military Authorities. No arrest have been made during the month by Bureau Officers. This is not however the result of a society so well regulated as some have been lead to think but arises from the fact of there being no authority so to do until the entire routine of Civil remedies have been exhausted in vain. The work of Education still continues to present the same interesting feature of this Department from all points the most gratifying reports are received of the great progress among pupils and an increasing interest in its welfare. In this report we are enabled to record the largest number of persons under tuition at any one time since the organization of the work in this State. There are now in successful operation 145 schools with 152 teachers and 11714 pupils, showing a gain over last report (January) of 15 schools 18 teachers and 1753 pupils. The Claim Branch of this Bureau deserves more than ordinary notice in consequence of its benefits to discharged soldiers or to the heirs of those who died in the Service. Since January 1st 1867 the work has been as follows - Claims for US Bounty &c Made up & forwarded | 49 " " " "[[dittos for Claims for US Bounty]] Collected and paid | 10 " "[[dittos for Claims for]] Retained State Bounty made & forw'd | 98 " " " " "[[dittos for Claims for Retained State Bounty]] Collected & paid | 72 Amount Collected for Claims US Bounty | $2680.16 " " " "[[dittos for Amount Collected for Claims]] Ret'd "[[ditto for Bounty]] | 7116.64 Total Amount Collected | $9796.80 Beside the above work much work has been done in revising papers and claims of various kinds for the benefit of the class of persons for whom this
