US, NARA, Freedmen's Bureau, Officer's Manual - I, Book Keeping and Official Correspondence



This article contains a transcription of a portion of an officer's manual published by the War Department in 1866. The manual was published "...for the information and government of the Officers of this Bureau." The manual identified the records, forms, reports, etc. bureau agents and other personal were required to create and use in the day to day operations of their offices. Sample images of bureau forms begin on page 29 or image 40.

Section I
Each Assistant Commissioner, or other officer or agent of the Bureau, having charge of an office, will preserve an accurate record of his official acts, and to secure that end, the following names and descried books will be opened and kept.

1st. A Letters Received, for the record and entry of all papers received at the office. [see also Registers of letters received.] 2d. An Endorsement and memorandum Book, all endorsements on papers entering and passing from the office, or a record taken of executive action on cases presented for consideration. 3d. A Letter-Book, in which will be recorded all letters sent from the office [see also Registers of Letters Sent] 4th. A General or Special Order Book or Book of Circulars Issued, for the record of instructions issued from the office in that shape. 5th. A Station Book giving the station, duties, and a memorandum of the order of assignment, or appointment of each officer or civilian on duty or employed n a district or sub-district. 6th. A Series of Books, [Abandoned or Confiscated Property] in such order as may be necessary to preserve a record of all pieces of abandoned property in possession of the Bureau, and the action of the Bureau with reference thereto. 7th. A Series of Books [Financial Transcriptions], in such order as may be necessary to record the financial transactions of the office. 8th. A Transportation Book, giving the date of issue, number of the order, name and number of persons, places from which and to which transportation is given, with any explanatory remarks that may be necessary. 9th. A Book of Cases Tried, will contain the names of parties to suits, date of arrival, complaint, a synopsis of the evidence and the decision.

The attention of Assistant Commissioners is invited to the instructions for keeping the books of the office, issued by the Adjutant General of the Army, for the information of the Officers of his Department, which will be found to contain all requisite instructions for keeping the above, but, to insure uniformity where the instructions of the Adjutant General cannot be had, the following memoranda are published for the information of the Officers of the Bureau.

Section II
The attention of the Assistant Commissioners is invited to the instructions for keeping the books of this office, issued by the Adjutant General of the Army, for the information of the Officers of his Department, which will be found to contain all requisite instructions for keeping the above; but, to insure uniformity where the instructions of the Adjutant General cannot be had, the mollowing memoranda are published for the information of the Officers of the Bureau.

Memoranda
Letters Received, or Endorsement Book -- These two books may be kept separately, or combined under one cover as shown below. The latter method is considered the most convenient, and is recommended for adoption throughout the Bureau.

Section III
When a communication is received, the date of receipt will be marked upon it, and the entry commenced in the book, the date of receipt being entered in the column under head of "when received;" the name and official title of the writer, under the head of "name and rank of writer," and the substance of the letter will be entered under the head of "date and purport of letter," care being taken to enter in this column, as nearly as possible, a transcript of the briefing on the paper itself. The action taken on the communication will then be recorded under the head of "endorsement and memorandum."

Section IV
Should the paper be sent from the office, the name of the person to whom it is forwarded or referred will be entered in the marginal column of "page 2." When the paper is retained in the office it will be marked "filed" in red ink, and the same entry will be made under the heading "endorsement or memorandum." The office marks are taken from this book, the same being given to and contained on, all papers pertaining to the same subject, showing concisely their mutual connection, and preserving this record intact. The book under examination is paged under thee different letters of the alphabet, each letter having an appropriate number of pages. The communication when received, is entered under the initial letter of the writer's name and the letter, together with the number of entry under it, is made the office-mark, or distinguishing mark, of the paper in question.

To show the year in which the paper is entered, or more readily to trace it, if more than one volume is used in one year, the date of the year and the number of the volume should also be added to the office marks. All office marks must be made in red ink, at the top of the first fold of the paper, the date of receipt being marked art the bottom of the same fold, also in red ink. When there are several enclosures, the number of them must be noted, in red ink, on the wrapper, and the office marks of the original or entry-paper be given to each enclosure, across the middle fold.

Section V
All communications on being received, will be folded as follows, and will receive the marks as indicated above;-- letter size, three times across the paper, and fools-cap four times same direction, viz.

Section VI
When a letter is written having reference to a communication received at the Bureau a note will be made in the "letters received," in red ink, of the page in the "letter book" on which the letter is recorded, and a similar memorandum in the "Letter Book," referring to the subject in the "Letters Received" or "Endorsement Book." This system of notation will be continued through all the books of the office that preserve a record of the same transaction. The Letter Book and General or Special Order and Circular Book need no special explanation.

Section VII
The Station Book will be prepared and kept as shown below: Name, Rank, Comm'd, Station & duty, Remarks (by month).

Section VIII
The entries as required by the headings of the columns on page No. 1 can be made without explanation, further than a reference to them. Under the column marked with the month of the year and on a line carried out opposite each officer's name, a record of the order assigning such officer to duty in the Bureau, or relieving him from duty, should be made. If, during the month instructions should be issued affecting his station of duties, a record of the same should also be made under the appropriate heading. It will be observed that the book is designed to cover one year. As the number of officers on duty in a district (usually a State) is not large enough to require a very large Station Book, it is considered best to have that book kept so concisely that easy reference can be had to the record of each officer's station and duties. At the end of the year this book may be filed away, and a new one opened. In sub-districts a few sheets of foolscap paper, neatly stitched together and covered, when ruled as shown above, will answer for the necessary Station-Book.

Section IX
In the Transportation-Book will be kept a record of all transportation issued by the Assistant Commissioner, giving date of issue, number of the order, name, and number of persons transported, places from which and to which transportation is given, with any explanatory remarks that may be necessary. Orders issued for freed people will be recorded separately from those issued for refugees, officers, or stores. The form recommended for this book is that indicated by the "Report of Transportation." {See Section 6, Article vii, Bureau of Regulations, Form 65,} The right-hand page of the book will be reserved for remarks.

Form 65
Report of Transportation. The Report of "Transportation Orders," issued upon the orders of the Assistant Commissioner, is made in the form prescribed by the Regulation of the Quartermaster Department.

Section X
The book of "Cases Tried" will contain the names of parties to suits date of trial, complaint, a synopsis of the evidence and the decision.

Section XI
All official communications forwarded to the Bureau will be addressed to the Commissioner; those referred to the officer for whom they are intended; but no officer under the rank of Assistant Commissioner will forward papers directly to the Commissioner. All communications must pass through the regular military channels, and each officer, before forwarding papers in a case, will examine them closely, and in addition to his endorsement of transmittal, furnish whatever information he may have or that may be on record in his office in the case, for the consideration of the reviewing and deciding authority,&mdash; but this paragraph does not sanction the reference of papers other than through the proper channels of official communication.

Section XII
Communications addressed to the Commissioner of the Bureau will be confined to the consideration of one subject, a separate letter being written in each case. But where periodical reports of the operations of the Bureau, or special reports called for by the Bureau, are rendered, which of necessity treat of several subjects, marginal briefs will be made, so that the attention of the Commissioner may be attracted at once to the respective branches of the report. This requirement does not do away, however, with a full brief on the folds of the communication of the subject-matter contained within.