CS Tentsmith James Butler and Company, R.E. Lee Tent

[arkangel33]

Here is from the file of James T. Butler and Company. They were Tent makers in the Richmond Virginia area. They also sent some tents out towards Nashville early in the war. I will add more as I transcribe the file it is over 70 pages worth of invoices and receipts. As far as Tentage goes they made around 10,000 at least of all types.

James T. Butler & Company

Date Total Item
8-Aug-64 Repairing Yankee tent and making fly out of same plus furnishing Poles, Pins and Ropes for Gen. R.E. Lee
9-Aug-64 recd. Richmond CS Quartermaster $25

[Hank Trent]

Re: CS Tentsmith James Butler and Company, R.E. Lee Tent

Oh, is that the same James T. Butler that was a grocery and commission merchant on Cary St. before the war? He used to have the business with Thomas Tinsley, then Tinsley died and Butler took in his brother John as a partner.

Here's a little drama that occurred around Butler's business in 1864.

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch, Sept. 23, 1864:

At the last term of the Hustings Court a negro named Ben, slave of John H. Gentry, was convicted of burglary and sentenced to be hung on the 21st of October. Since his trial, he has made a full confession of his guilt, giving the manner by which he entered the store, what he obtained, the disposition he made of the goods, &c. Ben's exploits were not confined entirely to the robbery of Mr. Butler's store; [other news stories clarify it was James T. Butler's store on Cary St.] but he has been engaged so extensively in the business that it is said he has accumulated a considerable fortune thereby. The police who arrested him say that his house is stocked with the finest furniture and the most sumptuous collection of groceries, composed in part of the choicest liquors and cigars. Himself and wife both sported a gold watch and other jewelry.

Ben was indeed hanged for the burglary at Butler's, along with another robber. It was a public and particularly dramatic hanging, and the full story is here: The story is here: http://dlxs.richmond.edu/cgi/t/text/...1;size=25;hi=0

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[arkangel33]

Re: CS Tentsmith James Butler and Company, R.E. Lee Tent

Hank,
Thanks for posting that. It makes the invoices for Soap and a few other items on a few of the QM receipts make more sense now. I have been putting on the blinders just getting the stuff transcribed into something readable. Some of the handwriting is well, not good. A couple times I have printed it off so I can trace over the letters to try and figure it out.