Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about several recent visitors to the convent, including one woman, a mother of a boarder at the academy, who has come to retrieve her daughter. The mother, Madame Baptiste writes, has been "implicated for running off negroes to the yankees" and Madame Baptiste fears that both "may be hanged." January 15, 1864. 3p.
Letter from Francis Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch discussing the seizure of the blockade runner "Minnie", the shipment of cotton bales to Nassau, and his hope that an ailing Pope Pius IX remains alive long enough to see the Bishop who is on his way to Rome. June 15, 1864. 2p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch suggesting that the Bishop vacate a certain property and move his slaves there elsewhere. The property has "accommodations for 40 or so negroes, besides the dwelling", and may prove more profitable to rent out "as a place of refuge" for lowcountry residents fleeing the war. January 18, 1864 (2nd letter of same date). 1p.
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 John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch detailing the departure of one of the Bishop's overseers and the transfer of slaves among the plantations, and attempts by John to rent out one of the Bishop's properties. 1864. 2p.
John Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch that a load of corn and peas purchased for the one of the Bishop's plantations is at the depot awaiting a car and suggests to the Bishop that it be turned over to the local quartermaster as payment for taxes if the car should not arrive by tomorrow. He also writes of an offer for $400 to hire out one of the Bishop's slaves. January 21, 1864. 2p.
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 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.
