ned to duty in the War Department as Commissioner of the
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, under the act
of Congress entitled 'An act to establish a bureau for the relief
of freedmen and refugees,' to perform the duties and exercise all
the rights, authority, and jurisdiction vested by the act of
Congress in such Commissioner. General Howard will enter at once
upon the duties of Commissioner specified in said act.

"II. The Quartermaster General will, without delay, assign and
furnish suitable quarters and apartments for the said bureau.

"III. The Adjutant General will assign to the said bureau the
number of competent clerks authorized by the act of Congress.

"By order of the President of the United States:

"E. D. Townsend,
"_Assistant Adjutant General_."

Gen. Howard entered upon the discharge of the vast, varied, and
complicated duties of his office with his characteristic zeal,
intelligence, and high Christian integrity. Hospitals were founded for
the care of the sick, infirm, blind, deaf, and dumb. Rations were
issued, clothing distributed, and lands apportioned to the needy and
worthy.

From May 30, 1865, to November 20, 1865, inclusive, this Bureau
furnished transportation for 1,946 freedmen, and issued to this class
of persons in ten States, 1,030,100 rations.

"Congress, when it created the bureau, made no appropriation to
defray its expenses; it has, however, received funds from
miscellaneous sources, as the following report will show:

"In several of the States, Virginia, North and South Carolina,
Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas,
Missouri, and the District of Columbia, the interests of the
freedmen were under the control of military officers assigned by
the War Department previous to the organization of this bureau.
Their accounts became naturally absorbed in the accounts of the
bureau, and the following report embraces all the receipts and
expenditures in all States now under control of the bureau since
January 1, 1865:"

RECEIPTS.

Amount on hand January 1, 1865, and received since, to October
31, 1865:

From freedmen's fund $466,028 35
From retained bounties 115,236 49