Report of the General Superintendent of Freedmen, Department of the Tennessee and State of Arkansas, for 1864 (Volume 1) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1865 Excerpt: ... Government; they were, in my view, among the most hopeful and encouraging of my district. PLAN OP CAPT. RUSCH. "The plan was simple, and claimed no great advantages, except that all the interests of the colored people were kept combined in the hands of one set of officers; and that all the branches of industry and improvement were carried along together, without the sacrifice of any. The gain from wood-cutting was expended in building houses, supplying tools, etc. Capt. Rusch has not materially changed the manner of conducting this business. His Superintendent merely causes the hands to cut as much wood as possible, and the teams to haul it. He has not added a team, nor sought to increase the amount of wood. He is simply using the means of these poor people; and his policy has driven away all private enterprise, and lessened by one-third, the amount of wood cut. Negroes used to cut and haul wood on their own account, with their own teams, for $3 50 per cord; he allows them but one dollar; and of course the intelligent seek some other business and are lost to this. To supply their place he has sent many white refugees who hate the negroes; and some of whom arc rebels, too cowardly to fight. They crowd out the negro and take possession of the hut which he built, forcing him and his family to unsafe plantations, where the pretentious refugee will not work. They hire only the able-bodied, in order that the yard may pay; and this leaves only the disabled in charge of the Superintendent of Freedmen; and they even go so far as to refuse us the use of the teams they have seized, to draw rations for the destitute from the landing to the storehouse. They pay one dollar per cord for cutting, and about twelve dollars a month for hauling--deducting cost of rations and f...