This letter, from a former slave to his old master, must be, if authentic, one of the most remarkable documents I’ve ever come across. It’s well worth a read, and was simply too fascinating for me not to flag up. I especiaally like the line ”Say howdy to George Carter, and thank him for taking the pistol from you when you were shooting at me.” To be honest, though, I’m in two minds about what I think of him asking for his back-paid wages: on the one hand, I think he had every right to do so, but on the other, it does seem a tad cheeky, but perhaps that’s just me being a bit British.