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Buildings owned by others

One owned by African M. C. church school, Memphis..
One owned by Rev. E. O. Tate, U street, Memphis...
One owned by Baptist church, Main street, Memphis...
One owned by M. E. church school, Washington street, Memphis.

Total loss of buildings used for schools....

$300

1,500

4,000

7,000

25, 300

This estimate does not include books, apparatus, or private property of teachers. Number of schools broken up, 12; number of teachers thrown out of work, 25. School-houses have also been burned at Tullahoma, Shelbyville, Athens, Knoxville, Decherd, Brentwood, and several near Columbia. In nearly all of those places schools have been re-established, larger and better than before.

It is believed these outrages have been committed by a few violent men and are condemned by the large majority of the people, and that a change for the better has taken place in the popular feeling toward colored schools.

Politicians and Christians are discussing their duty towards the freedmen in this respect. Sabbath schools for them are beginning to be opened in the white churches, and a home missionary work carried on by a few. Some business men have provided school facilities for their employés, and more are canvassing the propriety of following their example.

As for the freedmen, they are wide awake, and evince the greatest eagerness for an education, considering their long night of ignorance from which they are awakened.

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.

The following dispensaries and hospitals were in operation or organized during the year :

Dispensary at Chattanooga, organized December 18, 1865; discontinued June 30, 1866. Dispensary at Murfreesboro', organized December 4, 1865; discontinued May 31, 1866. Dispensary and hospital at Nashville, organized December 25, 1865; discontinued June 30, 1866. Dispensary and hospital at Memphis, organized January 10, 1866; discontinued June 10, 1866.

In Kentucky-Hospital at Columbus, in operation March 1, 1866. Hospital at Camp Nelson, in operation May 31, 1866. Dispensary at Louisville, January 2, 1866; discontinued May 31, 1866.

Under the charge of Surgeon Swartzwelder, chief medical officer, the following acting assistant surgeons were employed by the bureau:

In the month of November, 1865, 3; December, 1865, 7; January, 1866, 8; February, 1866, 8; March, 1866, 7; April, 1866, 8; May, 1866, 8; June, 1866, 6; from the 27th of September, 3; in the month of October, 3.

The number of cases treated in the above hospitals and by the surgeons employed were as follows:

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No hospitals have been maintained for refugees, but such aid as they required has been furnished by the medical officers.

Medical attendance, medicines, and supplies have been furnished hospitals maintained at various times by benevolent associations at Chattanooga, Murfreesboro', and at Columbus and Louisville, Kentucky. Similar assistance has also been furnished the freedmen's orphan asylums at Nashville and Memphis. The civil authorities, except at Memphis, have done very little for the sup port of the sick and destitute freedmen. In June the assistant commissioner donated one thousand dollars to the city of Memphis, in aid of the sick and paupers, and since that time the city and county authorities have nobly done their duty toward that unfortunate class. In July a similar donation was made the county of Davidson, namely, one thousand dollars. The county has, it is true, admitted colored paupers into the poor-house, but it is a miserable institution, and they cannot provide for more than a dozen at best. This county has done little else for the sick and poor, except provide medicines during the cholera epidemic. It is believed, however, that we are in a fair way to have a hospital established under the auspices of the medical college, into which freedmen will be admitted. Although we may thus avoid the necessity of establishing a hospital, it will be necessary to open a dispensary, where medical prescriptions may be filled and medical attendance furnished. A donation of $500 was also made to the city of Clarksville and county of Montgomery. The authorities were heavily burdened by the expenses incurred during the ravages of small-pox, and have exhibited a more liberal spirit than elsewhere. Although some counties have complied with the State law admitting colored paupers to the poor-houses, yet, in most counties of the State, the accommodations provided even for whites are very meagre and inadequate.

In all sections of the State, and especially about the towns, there will undoubtedly be many cases of suffering and disease uncared for during the winter, but I do not think there will be such general necessity as will require the bureau to establish any hospitals or homes for the entire and permanent care of

freedmen.

The State asylum for the insane now provides for colored as for whites, and all, it is believed, can be provided for. The deaf and dumb and blind are still dependent on the county authorities and general charity, the State institution not having been revived.

SUBSISTENCE.

Rations have been issued during the year ending October 31 to destitute refugees and freedmen as follows:

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In addition to this there were issued by Major Tracy from the commissary department at Chattanooga, Tennessee, without consultation with the assistant commissioner, and specific returns of which have not been received at this office, the following:

To destitute whites...
To destitute freedmen.

Total

77, 538 rations.

7, 048 rations. 84, 586 rations.

Of the issue to refugees by the bureau, 23,000 rations were issued in May last under special orders from the War Department. All the issues in Kentucky were to freedmen; and in the months of November and December, 1865, and January, February, and March, 1866, most of them to freedmen in camps then existing in that State.

The issues in this State for the last month (October) have been to 85 children and attendants in the orphan asylums (colored) in Nashville and Memphis, 1,472 rations, at a cost of $269 55; and to 106 adults and 56 children, (en route to Liberia,) under instructions from the office of the Commissioner, 4,020 rations, at a cost of $804.

I have nothing to add to my September report in regard to the further issue of rations. The harvests are sufficient, and ought to support the whole people, but in many isolated cases, and especially about the towns, there are and will be cases of destitution and suffering that can be relieved only by the issue of rations by the bureau.

ISSUE OF CLOTHING, ETC.

A considerable quantity of clothing, shoes, &c., was issued by General Fisk in the months of December, January, and February last, but there are no reports nor record of such issues on file in this office. It is believed that if we can furnish transportation for such contributions as may be obtained from the charitable associations in the north, nearly a sufficient supply may be thus obtained for the coming winter without further distribution from the government. Transportation has been furnished to destitute refugees and freedmen under General Orders No. 138, series of 1865, Adjutant General's office, as follows:

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I have the honor to submit the following extract from report of John Lawrence, superintendent Davidson county and chief of claim division: Number of pension claims forwarded to Washington—

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Number of these claims collected ...

Number of back pay and bounty claims forwarded to Washington.
Number of the above claims collected....

Number of commuted ration claims forwarded to Washington

5

340

3

128

All the above have been allowed, and seventeen of them have been cashed. Number of claims collected for labor on fortifications, Nashville, (cashed in the city,) average of 40 per month.

Independent of the foregoing, numerous private claims have been collected, legal advice has been daily given, and suits of freedmen continually prosecuted in the civil courts.

The claim department of this office, until within a few months past, since the abolishment of the freedmen's courts, was in the hands of inexperienced officers, while the blanks furnished both to the sanitary and bureau agencies were very defective. We consequently found things in a very bad condition, but at length have succeeded in setting matters to rights; and although but few returns have yet been made, the business will compare favorably with any private agency. We are now endeavoring to get widows, orphans, and all others entitled to bounties, &c., to come forward at once and make application, while several hunared discharged soldiers are awaiting our instructions to file claims for additional bounty. Full instructions having been received for the collection of this last class, a large number will be made up and forwarded as soon as practicable. Special attention will be given to the collection of these claims, as otherwise the freedmen are sure to be fleeced by attorneys and claim agents.

* 162 en route to Liberia.

ABANDONED PROPERTY.

On assuming charge of affairs I found this department considerably mixed. The former owners of property still on our books are quietly in possession, either themselves or by their agents, and the bureau is exercising no authority over it. Much of the property is rented to irresponsible occupants, and rents cannot be collected. The revenues had dwindled to a very small sum. No reports had been made, and it was work of weeks to straighten the business up. I have had prepared complete reports as follows:

I. Report of all property on our books as in our possession September 30,

1865.

II. Report of all property seized or taken up during the year ending September 30, 1866.

III. Report of all property restored during the year ending September 30, 1866.

IV. Report of all property on hand September 30, 1866.

A consolidated report of the above in figures shows the amount of each kind of property, as accounted for in said report, as follows:

Consolidated report of abandoned property in the State of Tennessee.

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Now that we know how this property stands on our books we hope to soon ascertain its exact condition, and make such disposition as will make it more profitable.

Much of this property is in such anomalous condition as to require further instructions from the commissioner-namely: There is much of it that has been long on our books, and over which the bureau has never exercised any jurisdiction. On inspection by Lieutenant Groesbeck, the owners are found in possession; they have the President's pardon, or have taken the amnesty oath. In many instances General Fisk directed that an entry be made in the books as follows: "Not under the control of the bureau." But no order has ever been issued restoring it, nor any papers filed on which such order can be issued.

When Major Fowler visited this office in September, a list of written questions was placed in his hands for solution, and I was assured special instructions regarding this property would be sent me immediately. They have never come to hand. I have the honor to forward a duplicate, herewith enclosed, with request for instructions.

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