Sale 1316 — United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 19-20 March, 2024
Category — Confederate Stamps on Cover thru Flag-of-Truce and P-O-W Mail
5c Green, Stone 1 (1). Three ample to large margins, clear at top, tied by "Wilmington N.C. Paid 5 10 Dec." integral-rate circular datestamp on yellow cover with red 12-Star Confederate Flag, Cannon and Verse Patriotic design (CN-1C, Verse 39), addressed in blue to Judesville N.C., some faint toning at right
EXTREMELY FINE AND COLORFUL CONFEDERATE PATRIOTIC COVER with 12-star flag, cannon and verse.
Ex Moody and White.
5c Green, Stone 1 (1). Horizontal pair, Stone 1 Positions 11-12 noted on back, large margins all around, left stamp tiny nick in margin at lower left, tied by "Tuscaloosa Ala. Sep. 1?" circular datestamp on cover to Lynchburg Va., Extremely Fine
10c Dark Blue, Hoyer & Ludwig (2b). Large margins to clear, tiny corner crease top left, cancelled by clear Tuscaloosa Star fancy cancel, "Tuscaloosa Al. Mar. 1" circular datestamp on small cover to Dunnsville N.C., minor soiling, still Very Fine
10c Blue, Die A (11). Large margins, rich color, tied by blue "Columbia S.C. Oct. 10" (1864) circular datestamp on brown cover with "Southern Express Company Telegraph" printed frank to Mrs. C. E. Winsmith, Glenn Springs S.C.
EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE SOUTHERN EXPRESS TELEGRAPH USAGE IN PRISTINE CONDITION.
The sender was Capt. John C. Winsmith, who commanded Company H of the First Regiment (Hagood's) of the South Carolina Voluntary Infantry. He was wounded at Sharpsburg on Sep. 17, 1862 and was wounded again in the charge on Fort Harrison in Virginia on Sep. 30, 1864. This was probably sent by him from General Hospital No. 4 in Richmond. The telegram would have been sent from Southern Express Company's Richmond office to their office in Columbia, which was their closest office to Glenn Springs.
Ex Judd and Monroe. Illustrated in Monroe book on p. 49.
10c Blue, Die B (12). Large margins, tied by "Tuscaloosa Ala. Sep. 17" circular datestamp on gray and white wallpaper cover with floral pattern (on back), addressed to General Joseph R. Anderson at Richmond, minor soiling, Fine
10c Blue, Die B (12). Margins to touched at bottom, tied by indistinct circular datestamp on folded cover to Chappell Hill Tex., original enclosure headed "Fort Bankhead Sunday Dec. 25th 1864" from a soldier of the 20th Texas Infantry, celebrating Christmas ("It would take Barrels to hold the Whiskey that has been swallowed down on Galveston Island during the past two days"). He writes, "Co. 'B' paid the Yanks another Call on last Monday...We went out the farthest vessels and had a good look at home. The sea was very ruff otherwise we would have had an opportunity of going aboard of the Yanks vessels and getting apples, oranges newspapers, etc. Steamer Termigant ran in to this port Thursday night. She reports that the Triton was lost at sea, on her 'outward' trip from Galveston all on board are suppose to be lost." etc., he also notes that a J. R. Crockett "has been detailed a Soldiers Express Line, and will run on the Allytown Road." etc., some minor bleaching spots, still Fine and desirable content
20c Green (13). Large margins all around, tied by "Goldsborough N.C. Jan. 14" circular datestamp on blue cover to Murfees Station Va., manuscript "Official", missing top flap, some edge faults, stamp with scuff at top left, otherwise Very Fine, Scott value $1,250
20c Green, Diagonal Half Used as 10c (13d). Two bisect covers from Galveston Tex., mailed on the same day to the same recipient, first top left diagonal half with small margins touching, creased across point near edge of cover, well-tied by "Galveston Tex. Mar. 17" double-circle datestamp on blue cover to Dixie Tex., tiny bleached specks, otherwise Fine, ex Kohn, Matz and Keeling, second cover complementary bottom right diagonal half, full margins other sides, well-tied by "Galveston Tex. Mar. 17" double-circle datestamp on cover to same recipient in Dixie Tex., cover tear at top right, slightly reduced at right and some soiling, otherwise Fine, with clear 1982 C.S.A. certificate, a nice pair of Texas covers using complementary bisects on the same day to the same recipient-- although the two bisects do not come from the same stamp — accompanied by an article from Texas Postal History Society Journal about the bisects and biographical information, Scott value without regard to the Texas use
10c Blue, Die A (11). Three huge margins, full at right, tied by "Richmond Va. Jul. 3" (1864) circular datestamp on homemade cover to "Capt. J. L. Kirby, Trans Miss Dept, Care Genl. J. B. Magruder, Shreveport La., Via Brandon Miss.", manuscript "Due 30" making up 40c Trans-Mississippi Express rate
EXTREMELY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED TRANS-MISSISSIPPI EXPRESS COVER WITH "DUE 30" AND PART PREPAYMENT BY STAMP FOR 40-CENT RATE.
This cover is not listed in the Krieger book on Trans-Mississippi Express Mail, but a few covers to Capt. J. L. Kirby are recorded by Krieger, most of which are completely unpaid and were presumably carried by courier. This cover was uprated to express service.
Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 107). Signed Brian Green. Ex Hall, Murphy and Walske.
Union Blockade Squadron, "From the U.S. Frigate Colorado, Blockading off Mobile, June 3rd, 1863". Manuscript origin notation at top left of cover bearing horizontal pair of 3c Rose (65) cancelled by "Paid"in frame with red "Boston Mass. Jun. 15" double-circle datestamp where it entered the mails, addressed to Mount Holly N.J., cover with few trivial edge tears of little significance, also incl. original enclosure containing 26 pages of letters dated between May 23 and June 3 written by Commodore John R. Goldsborough who was the Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Colorado to his wife, fascinating content of letters covers a variety of topics such as other ships in the area (U.S.S. Kennebec and U.S.S. Sam Houston), various individuals such as Farragut, Lee, McClellan and others, recent battles from newspapers such as the Battle of Chancellorsville where he states "never in my life I read of such slaughter" and the ongoing fight for Richmond, potential targets such as Fort Morgan before ironclads arrive saying "everybody is anxious to have a dash at it and all seem ready for the fray", price of booze, receipt of postage stamps, and much more, Very Fine
Blockade-Run Cover from Wilmington N.C. to Newark N.J. via Nassau. Cover addressed to Miss E. P. Stephens in Newark N.J., carried by blockade runner from Wilmington N.C. on Dec. 3 (see Sale 1154, lot 2457), arriving Nassau with "Nassau DE 7 63, Paid" circular datestamp, carried to New York where 3c Rose (65) (faults) tied by "STEAM/SHIP" handstamp, blue crayon "Due 2" at top left for ship captain's fee, red crayon "4" (British rate) crossed out, cover with tear at top left, otherwise Fine, with 1972 P.F. certificate
New York to Charleston via Havana and Mobile Ala. Cover docketed New York Apr. 24, 1864 to Mrs. Marie C. Otis, care of Messrs. John Fraser & Co. at Charleston S.C., carried by blockade runner Denbigh from Havana on Apr. 27, arriving Mobile on Apr. 30, manuscript "Examined at Mobile by Thos. Cox, a.a.g." censor marking on back, with 10c Blue, Die B (12) for prepaid postage to S.C. (carried inside another cover so no ship fee indicated), stamp with large margins to touched and tied by "Mobile Ala." dateless double-circle datestamp, May 8 receipt docketing
VERY FINE AND RARE CENSORED BLOCKADE-RUN COVER FROM NEW YORK TO CHARLESTON VIA CUBA AND MOBILE. THIS IS THE LAST RECORDED BLOCKADE-RUN COVER THROUGH MOBILE.
On May 26, 1861, the U.S.S. Powhatan initiated the blockade of Mobile, which was at the head of a large bay formed by barrier islands and protected by two forts at the opening of the bay. With only one ship channel, however, it was more easily blockaded. The first arrival by a steamship was on June 29, 1862, from Havana. Some incoming blockade-run letters, including the example offered here, were carried under cover to a Mobile forwarder, who paid the ship postage on the outer envelope and then posted them in Mobile with only 10c postage. Fewer than ten incoming blockade covers through Mobile are recorded in the Special Routes census, with this cover the latest recorded. Union naval forces captured the barrier island forts and occupied Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, which ended blockade running through that port.
The Denbigh was nicknamed the "Mobile Packet" and was one of the most successful blockade runners, with 26 trips to and from Havana.
Special Routes census no. BI-Mob-9. Ex Walske.
Fort Delaware, Delaware City. Cover to prisoner-of-war Willie D. Postlethwaite, transferred under local flag-of-truce from Fayette to Natchez, brought aboard the river gunboat U.S.S. Chillicothe (off Ft. Adams, 40 miles below Natchez) and censored onboard "Examined Geo. P. Lord Act. Comg U.S.S. Chillicothe", carried up-river by the U.S.S. Pierce and entered the U.S. mails with 3c Rose (65), tied by target cancel and "Cairo Ill. Dec. 31" (1864) double-circle datestamp, inconsequential light soiling mostly confined to back
VERY FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE MISSISSIPPI RIVER LOCAL FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER. A FASCINATING COVER.
According to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, two U.S. surgeons were sent via flag-of-truce from Natchez to Fayette, Mississippi, on November 30, 1864, to care for a captured and wounded U.S. scout. They picked up this cover at Fayette and returned to Natchez on December 2. With the Union in control of the Mississippi River, occasional local flag-of-truce exchanges were made with U.S. naval gunboats patrolling the river, though covers demonstrating this practice are extremely rare. Such mail was examined on the gunboat and forwarded to either New Orleans or, in the case of this cover, to Cairo, Illinois. Since it was handed to the doctors who brought it to Natchez, it never entered the C.S.A. postal system and thus has no Confederate postage or markings (nor a discarded outer cover).
Willie D. Postlethwaite was a private in Co. A, 9th Louisiana Cavalry. He was captured near Corinth Miss. on Oct. 5, 1863, and was sent to Alton Ill. on Oct. 6. He was transferred to Fort Delaware on Feb. 29, 1864, and exchanged on Mar. 7, 1865.
Ex Birkinbine and Walske. Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 81)
Libby Prison, Richmond Va. Inner cover from prisoner-of-war Lt. Otis Fisher to Trenton N.J., manuscript "Soldiers Letter Prisoner of War" and "Asst. Adj Gen" at top, in between these endorsements in another hand is the signature of fellow prisoner, Captain "William D. Wilkins," censored with bold manuscript "exd HW." by Captain Henry H. Wirz, later of Andersonville Prison infamy, "Washington D.C. Sep. 12, 1862" double-circle datestamp and matching "Due 3" handstamp, minor staining spots
VERY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE COMMANDANT HENRY WIRZ'S CENSOR MARKING ON A FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER FROM LIBBY PRISON.
Henry H. Wirz took command of Libby Prison beginning in late 1862. In March 1864, he was assigned to Andersonville (Camp Sumter). After the war, Wirz was charged with conspiracy and murder by Federal authorities. His trial was held in the Capitol building in Washington and was presided over by Union General Lew Wallace. A number of former prisoners testified on conditions at Andersonville, many accusing Wirz of specific acts of cruelty (some of these accounts were later called into question by historians as exaggerated or false). The court also heard from Confederate officers and considered official correspondence from captured Confederate records. Wirz presented evidence that he pleaded to Confederate authorities to try to get more food and maintained that he tried to improve the conditions for the prisoners. Wirz was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to death. On November 10, 1865, he was hanged in Washington at the site of the current Supreme Court building—the only Confederate official to be tried, convicted and executed for war crimes resulting from the Civil War.
Ex Walker. Accompanied by biographical information for Lt. Otis and Captain Wilkins.
Libby Prison, Richmond Va., Covers from the Capt. Leonard B. Blinn Correspondence. 26 covers sent by Captain Blinn of the 100th Ohio Infantry to his wife in Ohio, most originate as a prisoner-of-war from Libby Prison in Richmond Va. from Sep. 1863, a few in late 1864 are from prison in Charleston S.C. after Blinn was transferred, most with Old Point Comfort Va. double-circle datestamps and due handstamps, all but five are accompanied by a photocopy of the original letter, with lots of good war content, typical faults to be expected but the vast majority are Very Fine and collectible condition, only about five are defective
A FASCINATING GROUP OF COVERS FROM A UNION PRISONER AT LIBBY PRISON, RICHMOND VA.
Leonard Blinn was a captain in the 100th Ohio Infantry when he was captured at Telford Station in September, 1863. He was sent to Libby Prison and the covers to his wife offered here begin the same month. In May 1864 he was transferred to Macon and then to Charleston and Columbia S.C. During his captivity he escaped three times, being recaptured twice and finally making it to Union lines after the third escape. This lot includes a photocopy of a letter written by Blinn in 1922 at age 82, two years before his death, describing his capture and captivity and stating that his first two escapes resulted in his being "recaptured by the dogs and men". After his successful third escape, Blinn made it to Washington D.C. and witnessed the assassination of Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater.
Richland Jail, Columbia S.C. Adversity cover made from a printed math table with strikes of Columbia S.C. Provisional "Paid" in circle and "10" handstamps, sent by prisoner-of-war to Dennysville Me., endorsed "Lt. John P Sheahan, Prisoner of War, Columbia S.C.", manuscript censor mark "Exd RD Senn, Capt Post Guard", carried out of the prison by an exchanged prisoner with "Politeness of Capt Sherman U.S.A." endorsement, "Washington D.C. Dec. 17 '64" double-circle datestamp and "Due 3" handstamp, provisional "PAID" in circle handstamp overwritten with "C.S.A." by U.S. postal clerk, some edgewear and backflap partially split
VERY FINE. A WONDERFUL PRISONER-OF-WAR ADVERSITY COVER CARRIED BY AN EXCHANGED UNION SOLDIER FROM THE RICHLAND JAIL IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.
John P. Sheahan enlisted in Company K, Maine 1st Cavalry Reg., on Aug. 23, 1862. He was commissioned an officer in Company E, Maine 31st Infantry Reg., on March 11, 1864. His unit was involved in numerous engagements during 1864, including the Battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor and the Crater. He was listed as a prisoner at Richland Jail in The New York Times, December 23, 1864. This envelope was prepared with provisional C.S.A. postage, but it never entered the Columbia S.C. post office, thus has no datestamp. It was carried across the lines by Capt. Sumner U. Shearman, who was unexpectedly exchanged.
Ex Walske.