2 pg. letter, approx. 7-7/8" x 9-7/8", dated at
"Shirley opposite Bermuda 100, Jany 18th 1865", from Hill Carter (the proprietor of Shirley Plantation), to Col. Ordway, Commanding the Post of Bermuda Hundred, Virginia. Includes the original envelope, hand-carried to Col. Ordway, addressed to: "Colonel Ordway, Commandant of the Post, Bermuda Hundred".
A scarce Civil War date letter from Shirley Plantation, the oldest family-owned business in North America, dating back to 1614. At least 8 generations of the Hill-Carter family have occupied the Plantation house since 1738, among them, Anne Hill Carter, the mother of Robert E. Lee. She was born at Shirley plantation and married "Light Horse Harry" Lee in the mansions parlor in 1793.
The writer of this letter, Hill Carter, (1796-1875), was a cousin of Robert E. Lee (there is a great 1840 letter from Lee to Hill Carter, which can be found online). After the end of the Civil War, in 1866, he was forced to retire and divide his estate after he lost the use of the free labor of Slaves. During the war, Shirley also served as a field hospital for Union soldiers.
Great content, in which Hill Carter writes Col. Ordway, (Albert Ordway, 1843-1897, Brevet Brigadier General), commanding the post at Bermuda Hundred, asking him to endorse the permit he had to take corn from Shirley Plantation to be ground at the mill at Harrison's Landing. He writes that his wagon was stopped by the guard at the mill that day because the permit was out of date. He points out that General Benjamin Butler had given him a permit in June, 1864, which he enclosed with the letter to the Colonel (the permit is no longer present), and urges that "Having a good many persons to feed, we have to send to the mill every week" (the "good many persons" included, of course, the many slaves on Shirley Plantation).
The letter is in Fine condition, normal folds.
The letter reads:
"Col. Ordway
Commanding Post
Bermuda Hundred
Dear Sir,
I will be very much obliged to you to endorse the enclosed permit to send my corn to mill at Harrisons Landing & date it at this time. The reason for asking this favor of you is, because my waggoner was stopped today by the guard at the mill, who said the permit was out of date, and he had to go to the head quarters of the Commandant at Harrisons Landing before he was allowed to get his corn ground. General Butler gave me a permit to send to mill in June, 1864, & I have gotten a permit from the Commandant of the Post, Bermuda 100, to save the trouble of sending Genl. Butler's, which is in reply to a letter from me, & would be troublesome for a guard to read. If you will be so good as to read Genl. Butler's permit, & that of the Commandants of the Post which I enclose, you will see the object. Having a good many persons to feed we have to send to mill every week. Please return me Genl. Butler's permit after you read it.
Most Respectfully Yours,
Hill Carter
P.S.
Dear Sir,
There is a rumour that you are about to become Provost Marshal Genl. of the Army of the James, & that Major Edmonds is to be the Commandant of the Post at Bermuda 100. If so, please to get him to read the enclosed permits to see the object, & to endorse the permit as Com. of the Post. As the old one is nearly worn out, perhaps it would be as well to have a new one written out.
Most Respectfully
Your Obt. Svt.
Hill Carter
N.B.
Please return me Genl. Butler's permit"
COMBINED SHIPPING FOR MULTIPLE ITEMS.