Personnel Records
setName: label: See more items in
content: Records of the Assistant Commissioner for State of Virginia, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1869
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAAHC.FB.M1048, Series 11
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Four series of records relate to personnel of the Bureau in Virginia: (1) station books and rosters of officers and civilians on duty; (2) unbound returns, rosters, and reports of changes of officers, enlisted men, and civilians; (3) muster rolls of enlisted men on detached duty at the headquarters of the Assistant Commissioner; and (4) applications for positions with the Bureau in Virginia.

Three volumes of station books and rosters of officers and civilians on duty, January 1, 1867–May 1, 1869, are arranged by year and thereunder by type of record. The volumes for 1867 and 1868 are similar in format and each is divided into four sections. Section 1 lists all personnel by name; rank, and command (for military); station, duty, and order assigning to duty; and monthly remarks noting transfers and assignments to duty. Section 2 is a roster of all Bureau personnel as of January. In addition, the 1868 volume has a similar roster as of July 1. Each roster gives the name, rank, and duties or occupation of the employee; duty station; salary; service dates; name of employer; former command (for military); date of assignment order; and related remarks. Section 3 consists of monthly lists of changes in personnel assignments. Section 4 consists of monthly lists of civilian agents and clerks employed by the Bureau. In the 1867 volume the lists begin with June; in the 1868 volume the lists cover the entire year. The lists in both volumes, subdivided into sections for agents, acting assistant surgeons, and clerks, give the same kind of information as the general list of personnel. The volume for 1869, arranged somewhat differently, contains monthly rosters of all officers and civilians on duty, January–May.

The unbound returns, rosters, and reports of changes of officers, enlisted men, and civilians, July 1865–December 1868, are arranged chronologically by month and thereunder by district. For the period January 1867–December 1868, consolidated monthly reports prepared by the Assistant Commissioner are filed at the beginning of each month. The consolidated reports give the name, rank, and regiment (if military) of the employee; name of person ordering the detail; date of detail; place and nature of employment; and related remarks.

The muster rolls of enlisted men on detached duty at the headquarters of the Assistant Commissioner, August 1865–February 1869, are arranged chronologically. The muster rolls give the name, rank, and company of each enlisted man; information as to place of enlistment, length of enlistment, name of enlistment officer, and last payday; and remarks, usually relating to the duties performed at headquarters.

Applications from private citizens and military officers for positions as agent, teacher, or superintendent of education with the Bureau in Virginia, May–November 1865, are arranged chronologically and thereunder alphabetically by name of applicant.