The Harsh Business of Slavery

The harsh business of slavery is the subject of this letter from Mrs. N. C. Battle to her daughter (GLC09039). Battle bluntly writes about a massive slave sale organized in 1860 after a relative's estate was apparently willed to several family members. The auction netted the family over $23,000, which would be the equivalent of over 3 million dollars today, and sparked familial infighting that arose over the division of the money [1]. Documentation uncovered by the Georgia Archives reveals that a wealthy sibling named Curran Battle was the estate's executor [2]. According to N.C. Battle, Curran was cheating the family by selling the "family Negros." The letter mentions her pleading her case to the court and traveling to the auction to repurchase slaves the she felt were her rightful inheritance. Although the letter does not state the number of slaves sold, broadsides within the Gilder Lehrman Collection indicate that sales ranged from $75 to $1000 per person. Mrs. Battle had a low opinion of many of the slaves she chose not to spare from the sale reasoning that they were unappreciative of her hospitality and generosity: "all the negros that are of any value we have them after Curran aggravated them as much as he pleased." Another intriguing aspect of the letter is revealed in the rather joyful announcement of many births on the plantation, including a set of triplets. This letter opens a window into the mind of a slave owner and exposes the norms of an era in which people were viewed as property.

Krista Rupe, Special Project Manager
Gilder Lehrman Collection

GLC 09039, Autographed letter written by N.C. Battle to her daughter,
10 June 1860.

For more information or to obtain copies, contact Ana Ramirez-Luhrs at reference@gilderlehrman.com or call (212) 787-6616 ext. 209.

My very dear & absent Child

Knowing your anxiety to hear from home &The sales of the negroes I concluded to day so write you: in a few words I went to Town & bought all the negroes except Charity mamma & Charity, four youngest Children Roanna in the lot, your Uncle Lucian brought a bye bidder from North Carolina Dave Williams he hid the Lot off for the Boys. they are now very anxious to sell them your Par intends to get [inserted: them] but wants to hold on a while Mamma is down at Watsons very much pestered she never would say before the sale who she wanted to buy her but now she is brought to her senses Daughter I am not much grieved about either Cha[r]y or Charity they both have acted the Lady ever since they came in my possession & I have been the slave now let them see the difference between me & other [2] people. I think it will be a real advantage to all hands the whole sales amounted to $23000 — 95 dollars those that I bid off to $2295, Your Par recovered your & Love’s interest from Lucian by stratigem he refused to pay it that is he never intended to pay it he intended to cheat you out of it charged you ten per cent on the little he gave to you he made Bills will himself the sum was $2500 after taking the 10 per cent out it left you $220l & something he charged you every cent the law would allow him the stratagem was, he gave Lucian a Draft on M.P. Stovall [Storall?] base it arranged with Stovall Lucian presented the Draft to Stovall he refused it suffered the Draft to be protested Lu was on his way home had to return to Warrenton worse off than he was 13 years ago he & Fed & Watson were the worst pestered men you ever saw Curran had [inserted: the] Negroes & the Bill of Sales & they had nothing what to do they knew not, they would not come to see, me but they came then mighty quick, that night Lucian agreed to pay over your part, he did not think that [3] he could recover one cent from Curran then until he sued it out he was the worst frightened man you ever saw perfectly humble to Curran Curran cursed him for every dammed rogue & theif he could think of Lucian took it all, Daughter to tell you the truth he is afraid of your Par & saw & heard it with my own eyes & ears all the negroes that are of any value we have them after Curran aggravated them as much as he pleased & recovered your interest) [inserted: he then paid them cash $9,995)] which was all that he wanted at first this is only a brief sketch of the proceedings when Love & your Par comes on they will give you a full history your Pardy says he will write you before he comes. As for my comeing Daughter I will give you an idea of the situation of my family & leave it for you to say whether I can come or not, first in answer to your question Lucys Babe is a Boy & a very pretty child, last Saturday the 9th - Adaline gave birth to 3 boy Children they were very large fine Children Dr Hubert had to crush one the last to save the mother they were all three alike the other two are doing first-rate to use the expression Hyman I make her stay with Ad all the time & wait upon her night & day [4] Jack is now sick & Cora [Sib?Lib?] will be confined in a few weeks if they live the plantation will be filled with Babies, now with all this do you think I can leave & am so anxious to see you Miss Sarah says to Love you have grown to be quite a tall young Lady do not have your hair cut any more send your likeness as soon as you can Sister Fl[ow?ew?eur] is teething which makes her very unwell Lovey says the Negroes have all come back & he has got his play boys again sends his love but not a kiss Julia says she will write next week & sends her love she is making herseff a pretty quilt for the Sparta Fair Love joins me in love to you & says tell Miss Sarah she will write to her next week & give her a description of the Picnic; Mrs Roberts & your Pars which will be at Mr Swains Shool house your Uncle [J]ack & Aunt Netty will be here Aunt [illegible] will not be able to be here I do not expect to go & did not attend Mrs Roberts & feel so thankful to my heavenly Master for delivering [struck: her] me from on through my troubles that I do not feel like dancing & feel like I want to praise & thank him the balance of my life your Par presented me the day of the [inserted: (sale with)] a splendid set of China a full set six day plates 180 pieces in the set without cups or sugar dish or Tea pot
NC Battle

[Postscript on top of page 1]:

Give my love to Rebecca all are well at Amondes
I was there yesterday Betty has gone to Hancock to [Cousin] Masons wedding married to Wm Tom Jones be as equinomical about your clothing as possible always refer to Mrs Wood & my love to all of the Family. What kind of Fruits would you like for me to put up in air tight-Cans for you what would be most rare with you also be neat in your clothing my Child
Your Par has gone to his Mill in the [K? illegible]woods the whole Family join me in love to you & Rebecca write as early as possible
Your Mother as ever
N.C. Battle
first & second leaves of Cotton for Mr. Tinkhorn

[Additional postscript begins on top of page 3 and continues on top of page 2]:

Daughter I went to the Court-House myself Amanda with me & bid off the Negroes saved your Par its said $7000 The Negroes were so proud when they saw me ran & cried & begged me to buy them.

Davis, David Brion, Inhuman Bondage : The Rise and Fall of Slavery in the New World. New York: Oxford University Press, USA, 2006.

Foner, Eric and Brown, Joshua, Forever Free : The Story of Emancipation and Reconstruction. New York: Knopf, 2005.

Gilmore, Glenda Elizabeth, Gender and Jim Crow: Women and the Politics of White Supremacy in North Carolina 1896-1920. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1996.

Horton, James Oliver and Lois E, Slavery and the Making of America. New York: Oxford University Press, USA, 2004.

Kolchin, Peter, American Slavery: 1619-1877. New York: Hill and Wang, 2003.