Office Sub Asst Com Bu.R.F&A.L
Tampa, Florida
May 31st 1867
Lieut.
Cha F Laraber
A.A.A.G
Lieutenant of FLA
Sir
I have the honor to make the following report upon the
condition of Freedmens for the month ending May 31st 1867.
During the month I have made a tour through Hernando &
Sumpter Counties. The freedmen for the
most part are working well and in Hernando County the crops are now in a fine
looking condition and I thing are doing well although the people complain that
they are not doing any thing. They think
the freedmen ought to do much better but I am inclined to thing it would be
hard pleasing them as they wont never be satisfied.- The great injury to the
freedmen in the sale of liquor, two places being kept open at Brooksville, one
by the Sheriff of the County. They
become intoxicated there at the stores and threaten the lives of the citizens
as well as their own people. The Sheriff
does not arrest them for he is the author of the trouble himself, it is doing
great injury to the colored people and if they could e closed up it would be a
great benefit to all, both white and colored.
The drunkenness of the freedmen is about all that can be complained of
in Hernando County. A few cases of
disagreement in setting wages have been referred to me but those were adjusted
to the satisfaction of all parties. The
Freedmen School at Brooksville closed a short time ago on account of the
failure to procure my assistance from the State but I have got a new School
started with a white teacher (Mrs. Hagler) she informed me she would teach if
the freedmen would pay for it. I talked
to the freedmen and they seemed to be willing to pay in advanced if
desired. They feel quite interested in
their school there are at the present time 10 male scholars and adult female in
daily attendance. The school is kept six
hours a day. The prospects are that the
school will flourish and become of great –?– to the colored people. They also have a Sabbath School where they
are instructed by their minister (a white man) every Sunday morning in reading
and spelling for one hour, were it not for the evil officials of intemperance
now drifting into their midst, they could be called in as fine a condition as
any in the State or County. I am in hopes
something can be done to remedy this.
The freedmen had greatly improved during the last month and many are
trying to assist them, not that I think it is any very good will they
bear them, but it is for some political end.
They are using all their influence to promise their votes at the coming
elections but they will find them freedmen are enlightened enough not to cast
their votes for their enemies or those who are at best lectured with
secessionisms. They say they are going
to vote the Republican Ticket and have some good firm Union men for candidate
men who were in our Service and men who will give them their rights as
citizens.———- In Sumpter County they are doing quite well but few
complaints come from that County, the crops look well but are rather small. The plants of both Counties have planted
largely in corn and but very little Cotton.——- I have a case just reported
to me of the shooting of a freedmen in Hernando County by two men supposed to
be of a family of Hodges of Sumpter County.
The man was shot through the leg and is at Ocala. I have not been able to learn the particulars
but will go there and investigate the case in a few days.—- Also another case
of a freedmen who is kept under limited arrest at Crystal River where he is
charged with water packing Cotton but as I can find no conclusive proof of his
having done so it being only a supposition and if true more the fault of the
owner then the employed. I ordered his
immediate release or I would see the party holding him in arrest sued for
damages for false imprisonment. I have
not yet heard what has been done. I
consulted legal Authority and they say no criminality can be attached to the
case and that the party imprisoning are liable to a suit for damages.
The freedmen of Sumpter County like those of Hernando have
selected a good Union man as their candidate he was also in our service during
the rebellion.— There are no freedmen’s Schools in this county.— As there
is no civil agent for the Bureau in this County. I requested Wm M Christian to take it he consented
to do so. I wont therefore recommend him
to you as agent for the Bureau as he is a good Union man and one I thing would
be of great benefit to the freedmen of that County. I also think a small compensation should be
given to the agent of that County for his services.— I have not received any
orders in regard to the registration of Voters but would recommend to you the
following persons for Sumpter County. Wm
M Christian and Robert Hayes for Hernando County Samuel Pearce and Matthew
Pones (and if a colored man is also to be selected) Morgan Chapman (col)—
some of the worst Rebels in Sumpter Co are at work among the freedmen trying to
persuade them to vote for them but it will amount to nothing for the freedmen
look to the Union men for counsel and I think there is no doubts but what all
understand the importance of their putting good Union men into power to frame
good laws for their government. Mr E
Stanley seems to be their leader and to whom they look for advice he is a firm
Union man having left his property here at the south during the War and went
north and joined our service.
It has been reported to one that certain parties of
Hernando County named Thompson Clardy are or have been cutting cedar for market
off of Government Land in Anteligu Hammock and selling to parties in New York
this has been first brought to my notice.
I will investigate the case and if true will seize the cedar and report
the facts to you for further Action
I am Sir
Very Respectfully
Your obs Sevt
Wm G Vance
2nd Lt and Bvt V.R.C.
Sub Asst Comm Bu.R.F&A.L
**This letter shows the work of the Freedmen’s Bureau in Hernando County. There were few complaints regarding the freedmen in 1867 as they prepared for the first election, which included the freedmen, many tried to persuade the freedmen’s votes to their advantage because of the large number of votes they would be casting.
