Letter from William H. Barnwell, while in jail in Charleston "for an intention to commit a breach of the Peace," to James B. Heyward. Barnwell asks James to post a $5,000 bond for him to secure his release. 3p.
Letter from William Henry Heyward at Clayhall Plantation to James B. Heyward about a recent survey and a misunderstanding concerning the sale of property on or around Myrtle Grove Plantation. 3p.
Letter from William Henry Heyward at Savannah to James B. Heyward at Combahee. William Heyward has come to the conclusion that the destruction of slave labor will prevent them from ever turning a profit again on the scale seen in the past. He claims that the bargaining power exercised by the freedmen "makes the Planter a slave, far worse than his slave used to be." Because of the scarcity and high price of labor he believes that he and James should sell most of their properties and concentrate all their efforts on a few. 4p.
Letter from William Henry Heyward at Whitehall Plantation to James B. Heyward at Hamburgh Plantation concerning dissatisfaction with a recent survey. 2p.
Letter from William Henry Heyward to James B. Heyward. William writes from Montreal about his health and the gifts and commissions he has procured or investigated for James and his wife on his trip north. He claims "Philad. is the place for domestic manufactures" and "N.Y. for imported." 4p.
Letter from William Henry Heyward to James B. Heyward concerning granting power of attorney to satisfy some mortgages while one of the parties involved is in Charleston. Mortgages include several slaves and Fife Plantation. 2p.
Letter from William Henry Heyward to James Heyward about his travels in Rome. He describes the coliseum and St. Peter's Basilica in detail, writes about attending Christmas mass held by the Pope and comments on what news he has heard about secession talk in America. 8p.
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.
Letter from William Heyward to his father from White Sulphur Springs in (now) West Virginia. William writes about the spring's health benefits and comments that he swallowed "thirteen glasses" of the spring water "with the hope that it will carry off any Bile that my stomach may be charged with." He also mentions visiting the natural bridge near Lexington, Va -- "a wonderful and sublime sight." 4p.
Letter from William Heyward to his mother from London. William writes of issues he has had in procuring a passport and describes a lengthy visit to Liverpool. He mentions some of the purchases he has made for the family back home and relays the news that his brother Nathaniel has recently arrived in England from France. 4p.
Letter from William Manigault Heyward at "Pine Land" to his mother, Henrietta Heyward. William thanks his mother for the "box of Hermitage" and asks her to tell his father, Nathaniel, that he is preparing a letter about the saw mills and plantations along the Combahee that he is apparently overseeing. 3p.
Letter from William Manigault Heyward at "Pine Land" to his mother, Henrietta Heyward. William apologizes he is unable to get to the Combahee plantations any more frequently than once in ten days due to excessive heat and comments that the lack of rain has damaged many vegetable crops. He laments missing the social scene in Charleston and claims that reading "is our chief amusement." 3p.
Letter from William Manigault Heyward to his mother. Heyward mentions a drought that has severely hurt his rice crop and writes about hunting, fishing and daily rides with his wife Susan. 4p.
Letter from William Manigault Heyward to his mother while traveling in New Jersey and Philadelphia. Heyward writes about spending time at "Mr. Smiths" in Black Point, New Jersey, arriving just after the departure of exiled Spanish King Joseph Bonaparte from the estate. He comments on the pine barrens of New Jersey and writes of socializing with Charlestonians General George Izard and Ben Huger. 4p.
Letter from William McBurney affirming Thomas B. Ferguson's authority to manage Dean Hall Plantation. He encourages Ferguson to show patience "in dealing with the negroes" and fears that any other treatment "may cause the buildings to be laid in ashes, as was the case in my late brothers place." He informs Ferguson that "Mr. Whaleys negroes have the right to remain on the place until January if he does not remove them before, or they do not remove of their own accord." 2p.
Letter from William McBurney in Charleston to Thomas B. Ferguson at Dean Hall Plantation concerning the hiring of freedmen. McBurney writes that after a survey of other Cooper River plantation owners he finds that most are offering a share of the crop instead of monthly pay "whether from a want of ability to pay wages or because they believed an interest in the crop would secure a more steady course of labor and prevent stealage." McBurney informs Ferguson that he has written up a contract and submitted it to General Scott at the Freedmen's Bureau for acceptance. He fears the general will alter his submitted contract in favor of the former slaves and writes that officials in the bureau think the "freedman and the white northern laborer" are the same. 2p.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson acknowledging that he is granted authority to act in the stead of McBurney and William Whaley on all matters pertaining to Dean Hall Plantation and mentions a controversy over logging that was occurring there. He also mentions that Whaley has had his Edisto property restored to him and wants all his "people to be ready to move." 2p.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson informing him that he is sending "8 Irishmen" to Dean Hall Plantation "with six spades and three long handled shovels." 4p.
