Letter from James B. Heyward at Combahee to his wife Maria Heyward. James was unable to travel to Savannah as planned due to skirmishes at "Coosahatchie." He mentions the death of an "Edward" at the "Church Creek encampment" and bemoans his inability to get news on local troop movements and battles writing "Sunday night the enemy made a raid on the other side of Combahee and I never heard of it until Tuesday. I fear sometimes they may capture me in bed." 6p.
Three receipts for confederate bonds issued to the holder under the "Act to reduce the Currency." All of the receipts are notarized on the reverse and two of them are, in return, transferred to pay taxes. 6p.
Christmas day letter from James B. Heyward back at Combahee to Maria Heyward in Columbia. In his letter, James is reflecting on the dire situation and the bleakness of their future believing soon "it will all be over and we shall be reduced to a poverty irretrievable." He struggles with what to do with his slaves given the eventual "scarcity of food" and "depreciated currency." He intends to leave the majority at his plantation but expects to bring up to Columbia "John's wife so as to take from him that temptation to running off." He writes that he will also bring "Mary if she will leave her daughter Molly...I don't value Mary so much as to saddle myself with the support of Molly." 10p.
Letter from William Henry Heyward to John P. Meau concerning the assessment for the Confederate Tax of 1864. Letter includes an exhaustive inventory of slaves, acreage, types of crops, etc., for several Heyward plantations including Fife, Myrtle Grove, Rotterdam and Hamburgh. On one unnamed Heyward plantation in St. Peter's Parish, William Henry Heyward writes, "in consequence of the proximity of the enemy the greater portion of this land has been abandoned." 4p. September 24, 1864.
Letter from James B. Heyward in Columbia to Dr. D.W. Ray, trustee for the late owner whose land James had verbally agreed to rent. James is anxious to move his slaves there for safekeeping but is worried the trustee had no knowledge of the agreement between James and the recently departed owner. James also mentions that he must hasten back to the low country "as my property there is in peril from the proximity of the enemy." 2p. December 19, 1864.
Letter from Sarah Myers to James B. Heyward replying to his note of the same date. Myers consents to the use of "present currency" for that years' rent and indemnifies him should another interested party later object. For the next years' rent she states that she will only take currency if others are still using it. 1p. October 31, 1864.
Note written by James Heyward's attorney, H. W. Fickling, seeking Bond of Indemnity for James B. Heyward if Heyward should pay his rent to Mrs. Myers and not the actual trustee, Mr. Myers. 1p. October 19, 1864.
Letter from James B. Heyward to Dr. James H. Boatwright concerning rent for the house occupied by James. James accepts the offer of $8000 to rent the house owned by Boatwright, but asks him to put in writing that it is okay to pay in Confederate currency adding, "difficulties with other parties must be offered in excuse for requesting what may otherwise seem to you to be so unnecessary a stipulation." 2p. November 14, 1864.
Kate Ferguson, wife of Samuel Wragg Ferguson, writes to her husband's godmother. This undated letter was apparently written after Samuel Ferguson's promotion to brigadier general in the Confederate army. She relates how "Ferguson's command is now resting from his last terrible raid" and that "Capt Nugent and William Barker have not yet returned from Deer Creek." 4p.
Letter from H.L. Elliott to James B. Heyward concerning an ongoing disagreement between Heyward and Frank Myers about payment of rent in "present currency." At the time the agreement was made "little distinction was made between confederate currency and Bank Notes." 2p. March 10, 1864.
Letter from Frank Myers to James B. Heyward reminding him that only he should receive the rent for the properties Heyward is leasing. 1p. September 7, 1864.
Letter from Frank Myers to James B. Heyward informing Heyward that he cannot accept a clause Heyward wants inserted in their rental agreement. 1p. October 3, 1864.
Letter from James B. Heyward at Combahee to his wife Maria Heyward. James has traveled back down to his Combahee plantation from Columbia with the hope of being able to check on the condition of his Fife Plantation near Savannah, if the news of the enemy is favorable. He apparently enjoys being back on his own plantation writing "it is delightful here." 3p. December 6, 1864.
Letter from James B. Heyward to Frank Myers informing him that he most likely will rent his property again but wants time to look for another place "where I may have greater hopes of health and profit." 2p. September 18, 1864.
1864 Letter to Mr. James B. Heyward from F.M. Fickling, representing Mr. Frank Myers, concerning rental payment for property that Heyward is leasing from Myers. The letter references the ongoing dispute between Heyward and Myers concerning the use of Confederate currency to pay the rent. 2p.
Letter from H.L. Elliott to James B. Heyward concerning an ongoing disagreement between Heyward and Frank Myers concerning payment of rent in "present currency." 1p. March 9, 1864. (on Planters Bank of Fairfield stationary)
Note of Bond between Frank Myers and James B. Heyward. The bond, dated March 13, 1963, is at the center of a dispute between Myers and Heyward over the use of Confederate Treasury notes to pay for Heyward's rental of Myers' trust property. 1p.
