Freedmen's Bureau Records: W. Storer How to Orlando
Brown, October 5, 1865
Summary:
How recounts his organization of his sub-district, and gives a general evaluation
of the condition of former slaves, including their developing relations with
whites.
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Sixth District Virginia
Colonel O. Brown
Assistant Commissioner
Richmond, Virginia
October 5t 1865
Staunton, Virginia
Colonel
I have the honor to report that this District is now organized and officered as follows:
Sub-District "A" comprises the counties of Rockbridge, Botetourt, Alleghany & Bath; Lieutenant C.J. Tubbs 58 Pennsylvania Volunteers Assistant Superintendent, Office at Lexington, Rockbridge County Virginia.
Sub-District "B" comprises the counties of Augusta & Highland, Mr. F. S. Tukey Assistant Superintendent, Office at Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia.
Sub-District "C" comprises the counties of Rockingham, Shenandoah & Page. Lieutenant D.A. Smith, 193 New York Volunteers Assistant Superintendent, Office at Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia.
Sub-District "D" comprises the counties of Frederick, Clarke and Warren; Mr. J. H. McKenzie, Assistant Superintendent, Office at Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia.
Sub-District "E" comprises the counties of Jefferson & Berkely; Lt. John Olmstead 193d New York Volunteers Assistant Superintendent, Office at Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia.
I have had personal interviews with the several officers commanding the [unclear: military] districts and sub-districts
embracing the counties assigned to me, and received assurances of their
assistance and co-operation in the promotion of the objects of this Bureau, and
arrangements have been made for the distribution of troops
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in the
best manner their limited numbers would allow, for the support and protection of
the Assistant Superintendents.
The Freedmen are generally at work, and for able bodied men, the demand exceeds the supple. Women with 3 or more little children find it difficult to obtain employment and there is no authorized system of apprenticeship by which such children might be permanently provided for, and the mother disincumbered, be able to support herself. Cases of this kind are comparitively infrequent, but difficult to meet when they occur, because there are no vacant habitations accessible in this District and the cases are distributed on a [unclear: territory] which from its extent and difficient communications render relief establishments impracticable.
There will be numbers of infirm and helpless freedmen, besides some among them who were called "free negroes" for whose support some local provision must be made, and I again respectfully suggest that the local authorities, as overseers of the Poor may be made to take care of them -- as they best can for the inhabitants will then have a personal interest in the matter and permit the use of vacant cabins, which they would now rather burn than have them occupied under the auspices of the "Freedmens Bureau" --.
The Freedmen are rapidly becoming familiar with and accustomed to their new
relations to the whites, and give encouraging evidence that with facilities for
education, and unobstructed entrance into fields of labor and business
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they will soon cease to be regarded as an incubus upon the state or as
subjects for the tutelage and guardianship of everybody, particularly those whom
they already surpass in patriotism.
I am Colonel
Very Respectfully
W. Storer How
Captain and Assistant Quartermaster
Superintendent 6th
District Virginia.
