Special Collections and Archives recently made a major acquisition with help from the History Department and the library administration: a letter from Jackson, a slave belonging to John Howard Furman, to his master, written (or likely dictated) in October 1864. Jackson and several other slaves belonging to Furman (son of Samuel Furman, who was a faculty member at the Furman Theological Institution when it was located at the High Hills of Santee, SC in the 1830s, a nephew of James C. Furman, and a grandson of Richard Furman) were requisitioned by the Confederate Army to build defenses for over a year from 1863-64. Jackson reports from James Island, S.C., on his and other Furman slaves’ conditions and sends regards to his wife and the Furman family. Letters by enslaved people are incredibly rare. Jackson’s letter to John Howard Furman is part of the library’s new digital collection, “Furman’s Legacy of Slavery,” which includes primary and secondary sources related to the legacy of slavery at Furman University as identified by the work of the Task Force on Slavery and Justice in 2017-2018. Read the Report of the Task Force.
Transcribed letter:
James Island, S.C.
October 24th 1864
Dear Master,
I wrote to you a few days ago but as yet have received no reply supposing you have not received my letter I have decided to avail myself of the present opportunity to inform you that Bob and I are well and getting along as well as circumstances will admit. Mr. Pugh’s boys are well or were a few days ago except Renty who was taken sick soon after he arrived on the island. Anthony and Ned were sent to Charleston two or three days ago to work on a Battery in the city. Mr. Ric’d Furman’s boy is also well and in fact all the negroes from the neighborhood. I am told that we will be sent home next week. Please remember me to my wife &c.
Your servant,
Jackson
P.S. Renty Pugh is at the hospital sick with the chills & fevers.