OFFICERS ON DUTY AT HEADQUARTERS. I found on duty at the headquarters of the bureau two majors, five captains, eight lieutenants, and two chaplains. Two of the officers were in the medical department. As there was a great necessity for officers in the interior to act as agents, provost marshals, &c., I determined to reduce this establishment so that it might be conducted by not more than four officers, together with the assistant commissioner, and to send the others to the interior. As I was not long enough in Louisiana to make all the changes desired, I left this matter in the hands of Major General Baird, after sending off some supernumerary officers and employés. COMPLAINTS OF CORRUPTION, Loud complaints had been made by the citizens of New Orleans of the corruption of some of the employés at the headquarters of the bureau in that city. I inquired into the matter, and found that these were not made without some grounds.. Wishing to elevate the tone of morals and to discourage the loose way of transacting business, I dismissed one of the chief clerks for accepting bribes from citizens. I was told that notwithstanding this weakness it would be well to keep him for a while, as he was a very useful man in giving information as to the loyalty and status of citizens who made application for the restoration of property held by the bureau. CONCLUSION. I believe that the freedmen of Louisiana are in a better condition than those in any other State embraced within the operations of this bureau. There is not among them an able-bodied man who cannot get employment and good wages. The planters of the State are very desirous of restoring their fortunes by culti vating the fields. Large profits can be made on the staple crops, and for this reason they can give good wages. The freedmen generally know this fact, and will not, therefore, work for a pittance. More than a majority of them obtained employment last year when but a small portion of the fields were cultivated, and we have but to consider the fact that the most of the planters now desire to raise sugar and cotton to form a judgment of the demand for labor for the coming year. Before the war four hundred thousand (400.000) hogsheads of sugar and an equal number of barrels of molasses were made in Louisiana. This year's crop of cane will not yield over twelve thousand (12,000) hogsheads of sugar and fourteen thousand (14,000) barrels of molasses. Then nine-tenths of the arable land of Louisiana were under cultivation in cane, cotton, and corn; this year there has not been over one-fifth. It was impossible for me to arrive at anything like the proportion of acres that will be planted the next season, but as there is nothing now to fear from the accidents of war, there will be a large increase over the proportion of last year. There is a growing disposition on the part of the planters to act justly and fairly toward the freedmen, and to secure to them the exercise of their legal rights. This may be because they know that their former slaves are now free, and that it will be impossible again to reduce them to slavery in any shape or form; that they are the only sugar and cotton workers that they can at present procure, and that it is necessary to secure for them such rights in order to make them willing and competent workers. They are also showing a disposition to accord the freedmen those opportunities of educating their children which they have not heretofore possessed, for it is becoming evident to them that free labor flourishes best in those places where schools abound. The enmity against the black race in the south comes principally from the poor whites. For those of them who do work fear the competition of black labor, and nearly all of them, having before them the fear of " negro equality," do what they can to oppose their freedom, and the working of the free labor system. But the war has not left enough of this class in Louisiana to exert any considerable influence. It is not true that there are great numbers of freedmen being murdered by the whites in Louisiana. During the month that I remained in the State but one case of this kind was presented to the bureau, so far as I now recollect. This was the case of a freedman who had been shot and wounded by a white man, and the offender when arrested claimed that the freedman had first fired at him. That there are many cases of outrage that are never heard of is most true, but from all that I have learned, I do not believe that society in this respect is more demoralized at present in Louisiana than in some States further north, as represented by the public press. By telling only the bad acts that have been committed, and giving these as an index of society, any large community could be pictured as barbarous. These remarks are not made as in any manner apologizing for that class of whites who have sunk so low in the scale of humanity as to maltreat the black man because he has been made free, and because they hate a nigger. But I cannot make an impartial report of facts unless I show both sides of the picture. We must look at the matter as it exists, and not give ear to one eet of complaints only, nor allow our preconceived opinions and prejudices to blind us and prevent us from correctly exercising our judgment. Free labor will be a success in Louisiana. The only concern the planters at present appear to have on this question is, "will the freedman fulfil his contract for work if we fully and fairly carry out our part of the agreement." They will not work next year as well as we may desire, but better than we have a right to expect. Men who have been suddenly freed, entertaining some false notions of freedom, and in some cases acting under bad counsel of both friends and enemies, are not apt to be at once energetic workers. Gradually the planters and freedmen begin to understand that for the present each is dependent upon the other. The planter must have their labor, and the freedmen must have the planter's wages, until they can procure property of their own. I speak advisedly when say that in five years from now, unless some new element of discord intervenes, the freedmen will work as well and will be in as prosperous condition as any person can desire; and the rich and beautiful plantations of Louisiana will be far better cultivated and more profitable than ever in the past. I Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. S. FULLERTON, Brevet Brigadier General, and Assistant Adjutant General. Major General O. O. HOWARD, Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, &c. A resolution of the House of 5th January, transmitting a statement of the number of men and officers in the regular and volunteer service in the United States. MARCH 20, 1866.-Referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and ordered to be printed. To the House of Representatives: In answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives, dated January 5, 1866, requesting information as to the number of men and officers in the regular and volunteer service of the United States, I transmit a report from the Secretary of War, with the papers by which it was accompanied. WASHINGTON, D. C., March 19, 1866. ANDREW JOHNSON. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, March 19, 1866. In compliance with your instructions of the 6th January, 1866, transmitting a resolution of the House of Representatives, dated January 5, 1866, requesting information as to the number of men and officers now in the regular and volunteer service; where employed; the number receiving pay who are unemployed, or who are without commands corresponding to their rank, and the estimated annual expense of the army, as now organized and distributed, I have the honor to send herewith the Adjutant General's report thereon up to the 27th day of January, containing the information called for. Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, The PRESIDENT. WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, January 27, 1866. SIR: In compliance with your instructions, I have the honor to submit herewith tabular statements of the number of officers and men in the regular and volunteer service of the army of the United States, and where they are employed; the number of officers, volunteer and regular, receiving pay, who are unemployed, or who are without commands corresponding to their rank; and, also, the esti mated annual expense of the army as now organized and distributed; which information is called for by resolution of the House of Representatives dated January 5, 1866. As the number of regular troops is constantly increasing by enlistment, and the number of volunteer troops constantly diminishing by muster-out, January 9 was taken as a fixed date, and the estimated expense of the ariny calculated upon the number of troops then in service. The remarks on the several sheets will indicate, as far as possible, the changes actually made from the 9th of January to this date. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. Assistant Adjutant General. THIRTY-NINTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION. CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, January 5, 1866. On motion of Mr. Morrill, Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to this House, if not incompatible with the public interest, information as to the number of men and officers now in the regular and volunteer service of the army of the United States, where employed, and the number of officers, volunteer and regular, receiving pay, who are unemployed, or who are without commands corresponding to their rank; and also the estimated annual expense of the army as now organized and distributed. Attest: EDWARD MCPHERSON, Clerk. By CLINTON LLOYD, Chief Clerk. CONTENTS. Exhibit of the number of troops, volunteers, and where employed. Exhibit of the number of general, staff and retired officers, regular army. Exhibit of the number of officers and enlisted men. not included in foregoing statements. Exhibit of the number of general, staff and Veteran Reserve Corps officers who are still on duty, showing where and how employed. Exhibit of the number of officers unemployed. Statement of the number of officers, regulars and volunteer, who are without commands corresponding to their rank. Recapitulation. Estimate of annual expenses. E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant General. |