1797 American Slave Ship Letter Relating To Slaves Being Bought & Sold In Cuba

Croix instructing him on how to avoid French Privateers on his way to Havana, Cuba and informing him of the fact that "slaves fetch a good price" in Havana. The Schooner Fair Lady out of Boston was a privateer commissioned as a gunboat during the Revolutionary War. It was owned by Benjamin Cobb and Benjamin Homer of Boston.

Following the War the Fair Lady carried on a merchant trade along the East Cost and in the Caribbean. This fascinating, American Slave Trade Letter is written by Benjamin Cobb and signed by both Cobb and the co-owner of the Schooner Benjamin Homer. The Letter is addressed to Capt. Joshua Delano / Schooner Fair Lady / St. Croix" in care of "Capt.

The Letter was transported from Boston to St. The Letter is written on the first and second pages of a four page, folding letter sheet of laid paper that measures approx. 7 1/4" by 9" which was folded as a self-folding letter. The letter is dated March 1, 1797 from Boston. There are no postal markings of any kind.

The Letter reads in full. Joshua Delano - Boston March 1, 1797. Sir, this will be handed to you by one of my friends, Capt Barney Cobb. I will inform you that we have wrote by Capt Go.

Whelright who sails this day for Washington & Duplicate by post. Likewise have wrote to Mr Homer by the above mentioned Conveyances, but lest you should have sailed from Carolina before you receive them letters we think proper to advise you of Information that we have received by letters from Havannah that they have made it a free port for to carry in Pork & Hams & Hogs & Lard & Lumber & Hoops & Black Boys & no other articles, therefore if the above Letters should not reach you in time & you should have on Board any of the above kind of Provisions or Boards & Hoops you will do well to carry them down and as produce is low at Havannah. We think if after loading her with Molasses she should not be very deep and the season will be good. You will not be afraid to bring some on deck & give her a good??? We can't help mention to you the danger of going down to Havannah from those French Privateers. From the best information we can get is to run & make Turks Island & from there run down by Hispaniola in the night in order to avoid the French Privateers, we would also inform you that slaves fetch a good price. The last account from Havannah which was from Gardner would recommend to you to be very careful that your Hogsheads be well made & well stowed. We would recommend the most urgent Dispatch of Expedition in your Voyage & wishing you Health & safe return to Family & Friends we remain your friends. The Manuscript Letter offered here is written in brown, iron gall ink on laid paper and is unconditionally guaranteed to be original and of the period. It is guaranteed to be deemed original by any third party authentication service. Obviously the Schooner Fair Lady was deeply involved in the Slave Trade even though their owners were good, Christian New Englanders!

Interestingly, there exists a Ships Passport signed by President George Washington issued on December 17, 1796 for the Schooner Fair Lady (Joshua Delano Master) carrying Staves, Hoops, Shingles, and Flour bound for St. Croix and their transport at least as far as Cuba. It is an amazing piece of 18th century Historical Americana and worthy of a place at the heart of even the most advanced Museum or Institutional Collection related to Slavery in the United States.

This exceptionally rare and historically important, 1797 American Slave Trade Letter is in very good condition. The Letter Sheet is intact and sound and generally clean and crisp with some foxing to the address panel and two short edge tears as well as some light toning at the original folds around the address panel.

The handwriting is dark and bold and very readable with some ink smudges. This Letter was recently discovered as part of a Newburyport, Massachusetts estate and is fresh to the market having never been offered for sale before. The item "1797 AMERICAN SLAVE SHIP LETTER RELATING TO SLAVES BEING BOUGHT & SOLD IN CUBA" is in sale since Friday, September 30, 2016. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\Black Americana\Other Black Americana".

The seller is "walnutts" and is located in Brewster, Massachusetts. This item can be shipped worldwide.