130

RICHMOND COTTON FACTORY A.LS.

Currency:USD Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:NA Estimated At:300.00 - 400.00 USD
RICHMOND COTTON FACTORY A.LS.
<b>130. "NEGRO" BUSINESS IS PLAYED OUT </b>A great A.L.S. "<i>Geo. H. Schley</i>" 4pp. folio, Richmond [Georgia], Dec. 15, 1865, concerning the management of Richmond Cotton Factory during the Civil War. A successful corporation before the war, the net worth of the business was over $30,000 after just sixteen years of incorporation. By the time of the war two of the Schley brothers had an interest in the business: George managed the factory while his brother Henry inexplicably remained away. Henry sought information from other family members, apparently not trusting George's judgment. Finally, George discovered his brother's mistrust through letters found among his dead son's effects after the boy died while serving the Confederacy. He writes in part: "<i>...I received your...two letters to my poor lost son Walker about 10 days ago...will you never rise to the dignity of a gentleman. What earthly excuse can you give to your own selfishness even, for such rude and uncalled for tampering with me...a statement of your affairs...are not flattering...I paid Hall for...6 bales of that scattered cotton...Moore has a hell of a bill amounting to $300.00...and he wants specie. I offered him greenbacks...there was not a lock of cotton made in 1864...and not enough this year...the war wasted all your mules but 4 and someone has stolen one of them...why have you not come out and attended to your business...the negro business is played out and I have gone to work...everything in the country eatable or rideable will of course be stolen...[I] rented your place to Nath. Davis...he is to furnish the labor...and have one half of the crop...no man is broke who keeps a cheerful spirit...may God bless you with a like manly spirit...my poor boy Walker died in camp in the wilds of Louisiana...I know your distrustful disposition and regret it...</i>". An accounting list for the war years indicates that the business gave pork to Southern soldiers, payments had been made to the Confederate government for war tax, negro help had to be hired out, money was used to help clothe the freedmen workers, and that damaged cotton crops all put a strain on the budget. Additionally, a notation indicates that the figures are off because a conversion of assets from Confederate money. A great document showing the downfall of a once-successful Southern factory because of the shattered economy. Minor fold splits with some light soiling and stain, else very good.<b> $300-400</b>