Edgar M. Gregory

General Gordon Granger issued a proclamation in Texas that slavery had come to an end, but that the "freed are advised to remain at their present homes, and work for wages." In Washington County, an Army official advised African Americans not to take a day or two to celebrate their freedom.[16] Blacks in Texas faced violence by gangs of white gunmen or desperadoes if they tried to leave the state or to prevent them from leaving. There were also blacks were forcibly taken to Texas to work the crops, and there were committees that were formed to prevent blacks from returning to their families in other states. Other African Americans stayed in Texas on the promise of cotton plantation owners that they would be paid a share of the crop at the end of the year. Freed people were also kidnapped to be sold in slave countries Brazil or Cuba.[16]

He was appointed to a position with the Freemen's Bureau after the war. He was made assistant commissioner responsible for the state of Texas. In September 1865, he took over operation of the Galveston custom house.[11] A staunch abolitionist,[16] and due to the state being in "great peril" he was chosen for his fearlessness.[16] He toured plantations in eastern Texas to assess the treatment of blacks. He found that blacks were treated the same as they had been under slavery. He found incidents "ranging from downright murder, savage beatings, merciless whippings, hunting men with bloodhound, through all the lesser degrees of cruelly and crime."[16] He was the only assistant commissioner in Texas who was a radical abolitionist and many whites were angry about his proclivities towards blacks, who Gregory saw as respectable people, with good morals, and deserved the right to live free. He also saw himself as superior to African Americans.[17]

Gregory spoke to white and black people about post-war emancipation, which white Texans thought arbitrary and unlawful, and reconstruction in the evenings, after the end of the work day.[16][17] He and another assistant commissioner stated that African Americans "must show by their industry and perseverance that they were worthy of freedom." They dispelled rumors by stating that blacks would not receive land from slaveholders or the government to work their own farms.[16] He handed out sample labor contracts to black and white people.[17]

He managed the labor problem by establishing labor contracts between freedmen and their former slave owners, including making the contract a lien on the crops worked by the freedmen, and he appointed local agents to manage disagreements. He oversaw labor contracts, relief work, and relevant litigation.[11] He had Army troops patrol near plantations and enforce the contractual agreements.[17]

John Townsend Trowbridge, Picture of the desolated states; and the work of restoration. 1865-1868, 1868. An image that portrays establishing educational opportunities in the Reconstruction era

He oversaw the construction of numerous schools and churches.[18] Gregory was removed from his position in January 1866, based upon attacks by David G. Burnet that Gregory was inciting anger of the freedmen for their employers. Gregory received a commendation for his service, was promoted to inspector general, after which he left his position on April 13, 1866.[11][17] Major General Joseph Kiddoo, who "conducts matters on the white man principal", replaced Gregory.[16]

He was the commissioner of Maryland in 1867, the year in which illegal apprentices, where children were bonded to previous masters, were coming to an end. Apprenticeship arrangements made it difficult to enforce civil rights and emancipation for bonded children.[19] It also made it difficult to ensure that black children were obtaining an education; former masters wanted the children in the fields. It was estimated that as many as 10,000 children were held under apprenticeships between 1864 and 1867. Under Gregory's leadership, apprenticeship was effectively destroyed in Maryland by 1868.[19] The Bureau provided funding for construction and repair of buildings for schools, as well as educational materials, for black children. Teachers were provided by religious and civic organizations.[19]