A handwritten, two-page letter from Susan Alston to her father, Charles Alston, in which she informs him of his ability to send enslaved people inland on the railroad for half-price, mentioning a specific person (Sancho) who she wants Charles to send to her. She also mentions a recent Civil War skirmish in South Carolina.
A handwritten, four-page letter from Emma Alston to her husband, Charles, in which she discusses her troubles finding affordable lodgings and food in Greenville, South Carolina. She also offers recommendations on the management of enslaved people such as Prince, Morris, Fred, old Molly, young Molly, Tenah, Jim, and Tony Ward.
A handwritten, four-page letter from Susan Alston to her father, Charles Alston, in which she describes life in Greenville during the Civil War and expresses her concerns regarding the Union Army's actions in South Carolina and Mississippi.
A handwritten, two-page letter from Emma Alston to her husband, Charles, in which she discusses the order to send enslaved people to Charleston, urging Charles not to send any as they will escape to the Union Army.
A handwritten, four-page letter from Emma Alston to her husband, Charles, in which she encourages him to provide the enslaved people with milk, meat, tobacco, molasses, and sugar to dissuade them from escaping. She also discusses the general state of their newly acquired farm in Greenville and requests him to send enslaved people to fix it up. On the back of the envelope, a list of names and "by Hands by Charleston South Carolina" is written.
A handwritten, two-page letter from Emma Alston to her husband, Charles, in which she shares her fear for the future of South Carolina, specifically Charleston and Georgetown, amid the Civil War. She also mentions the impact of the war on enslaved people and the Middleton family.
A handwritten, four-page letter from Emma Alston to her husband, Charles, in which she reports on life at the new farm in Greenville, shares her concern for the Union troops' advancement in Georgetown, and advises him on the management of enslaved people.
A handwritten, three-page letter from Emma Alston to her husband, Charles, in which she discusses the high prices for food and supplies in Greenville and briefly worries about the outlook of the Civil War.
A handwritten, three-page letter from Emma Alston to her husband, Charles, in which she requests a list of food and supplies to be brought from their plantation in Georgetown to the new farm in Greenville.
A handwritten, two-page letter from Emma Alston to her sister, Elizabeth Smith, in which she describes the situation at the Alstons' new farm in Greenville.