American Historical Ephemera and Photography

Letter from "Lt. M. I. Higgins, Comd'g Sullivans [sic] Island, S.C." Sullivan's Island, SC, 28 February 1865. Addressed to Captain Joseph Wright Dickinson, 21st United States Colored Troops. In full: "I have the honor to report that nothing unusual has occured [sic] within the last 24 hours. In making a muster of the Inhabitants of the Island, I find there is [sic] 165 Souls 28 men and the rest women & children. Most of them are in a very destitute condition both in regard to food and clothing." Docketing to verso includes an inscription from Dickinson in Charleston dated 1 March: "Respectfully referred to Capt. Fowler Post Commissary, who will cause the Rice to be forwarded to Sullivans Island for us of destitute inhabitants," along with Captain Fowler's answer dated the same day.

Letter from 1st Lt. E. Harris Jewett, 55th Massachusetts Volunteers. Charleston, SC, 5 May 1865. Addressed to Mr. G. H. Williams. On Headquarters Northern District, Dept. South, Assistant Adjutant General's Office letterhead. In full: "The Brig. General Comd'g directs that you turn over to Mr. G. Pillsury General Supt. Freedmen the following articles for use of the colored Refugees on James & Johns Ilds. as seed. / (50) Fifty bushels Shelled Corn."

Letter from Reuben Tomlinson of the Freedmen's Bureau. Charleston, SC, 9 May 1865. Addressed to Capt. Leonard B. Perry, Assistant Adjutant General. In full: "I have the honor to request that you will direct Mr. Williams to issue to me fifty (50) bushels of (seed) Corn for the use of the Freedmen on Johns Id."

Letter from Captain Leonard B. Perry, Assistant Adjutant General. Charleston, SC. 18 April 1865. Addressed to Mr. G. W. Williams. On Head Quarters, Northern District, Department South, Assistant Adjutant General's Office letterhead. In full: Please issue to the bearer R. Thomlinson [sic] (50) fifty bushells [sic] rice and (50) fifty bushels corn for the contrabands just arrived from Georgetown."

General Orders document signed by 1st Lieutenant Henry A. Batterson, 127th New York Infantry Regiment. Head Quarters, United States Forces, Charleston, SC, 20 February 1865. In part: "I. All rice heretofore in the keeping of the city Government will at once be taken possession of by the United States Military Authorities...III. Hon. William Aiken Geo W. Williams, Esq Dr. George Mackey and Mr. C Anne [?], are appointed a committee of citizens, who will distribute this rice to the poor of the City. By Order of Col. A. G. Bennett Commnd'g / Sgd Henry H. Jenks, Capt 52 Pa. Vols A.A.A.G."

Reuben Tomlinson, a Quaker from Pennsylvania, travelled to South Carolina in 1862 in order to educate formerly enslaved persons residing on the Sea Islands under Union control. Once the Confederate Army surrendered, Tomlinson was appointed superintendent of education by the Freedmen's Bureau in Charleston. He was later elected to the state legislature, where he formed an alliance with the national Liberal Republican faction calling for an end to the military occupation of the South. Tomlinson was nominated in the 1872 South Carolina gubernatorial election by a breakaway convention, running as an Independent Democrat, but he only received a third of the popular vote.