Civil War Letter about Enslaved Workers* Stolen from a Confederate Officer

Description

Civil War Letter about Slaves who were Stolen from a Confederate Officer
Civil War Letter about Enslaved Workers* who were Stolen from a Confederate Officer
Description
Civil War Letter about Enslaved Workers* who were Stolen from a Confederate Officer
Letter sent to Josiah Nichol, Esq. at Washington, Arkansas notifying him of three enslaved workers* who had been “stolen” and would soon “be lost” if taken across the [Ouachita] River into Union held territory.
Written by J. N. Embres (Embrie).
Tates [Bluff], Arkansas: Jany 25, 1864.
This letter on blue lined paper measures 7” x 9.5” unfolded. It is franked with a pair of 5-cent blue Confederate stamps (Scott #7-Richmond printing) and cancelled with a circular “Camden Ark” postmark dated Jan 26. The stamps and letter are in nice shape with a few spots of light foxing and a small tear at the wax seal where it was opened.
In a rather frantic tone, the letter-writer informs Nichols that:
“I wrote Maj Peay to inform you in regard to 2 Negro Boys that were stolen from Maj. John Easton & a girl from Mrs Williams. . . . I am fearful the letter was not put in the PO. The thieves are about here & I have no doubt the negroes will all be lost. . . .  The girl is gone now. The Boys of Eaton are on this side of the River & placed with some woman who is instructed to keep them as her own if no one calls for them – But I fear they will be taken away unless you come for them without delay.”
By 1864, the Union Army controlled much of Arkansas, and the state’s Confederate government had established its capitol at Washington. Tates’ Bluff was located on the Ouachita River about twenty miles north of the Camden, a Confederate stronghold. No doubt, Embres feared that whoever had stolen the enslaved workers* (likely members of the Underground Railroad) would soon spirit them across the river to Union territory and their freedom. Nichol’s relationship to the enslaved workers’ owners is unstated, however, docketing on the letter notes that it is “concerning Agnes.” Perhaps, he was a friend of Ms. William and “Agnes” was either her first name or, more likely, the name of her girl enslaved worker*.
Although written after the heyday of the Underground Railroad, this letter gives testimony that even late in the war, Southern abolitionists were risking their lives to lead enslaved workers* to freedom as the Union forces advanced.
Civil War Confederate letters discussing enslaved-worker* stealing are extremely scarce. Also, the two stamps that frank this letter are very scarce as most of this issue was printed in England, and the British printings out-number those made in Richmond by a factor of nine to one.
As of 2017, although OCLC identifies a handful of letters that mention runaway enslaved workers*, none reference enslaved worker*-stealing, and none have been written from a Southern perspective fear they were about to be spirited away to freedom. Nothing similar for sale in the trade and no auction records on file at ABPC, the Rare Book Hub, or Worthpoint.
#8890
*Sorry for the repetitive use of the phrase "enslaved worker" but eBay finds the actual term to be offensive.
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