Numerous Confederate soldiers on the way home after the surrender were fed by the Bureau, and in the destitute white districts a great deal of suffering was relieved and prevented by its operations.

The Negroes, dwelling for the most part in regions where labor was in demand, needed relief for a shorter time, but they were attracted in numbers to the towns by free food, and it was difficult to get them back to work.

The political value of the free food issues was not generally recognized until later in 1866 and in 1867.
During the first year of the Bureau an important duty of the agents was the supervision of Negro labor and the fixing of wages.

Both officials and planters generally demanded that contracts be written, approved, and filed in the office of the Bureau.

They thought that the Negroes would work better if they were thus bound by contracts.