The Dr. Howard P. Green Collection of Confederate States Covers continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. AMONG THE TWO OR THREE FINEST COVERS WITH THE 20-CENT ENGRAVED STAMP USED TO PAY THE 40-CENT TRANS-MISSISSIPPI EXPRESS RATE. PHENOMENAL QUALITY FOR THIS TYPE OF USAGE.

The Mississippi River and inland waterway routes were essential lifelines within the Confederacy. Early in the war, Federal naval strategy focused on control of the Mississippi, and, by the spring of 1862, key port cities were captured by Federal forces, giving them control of the river. With the Southern states divided between East and West, the Confederate government was forced to devise special measures to maintain transportation and communication along the trans-Mississippi routes. Surreptitious traffic across the river was carried on by private and government couriers, and the post office was authorized to appoint agents to ensure that the mail lines remained open. In April 1863 the Confederate Congress authorized a "preferred mail" across the Mississippi River and established a 50c rate per half-ounce. The act was revised to create an "express mail" without a fixed rate of postage, but instead limited to no more than a dollar per half ounce. By October 1863, Postmaster General Reagan secured a contract to have mail carried across the Mississippi at the rate of 40c per half ounce. Meridian and Brandon, Mississippi, were chosen as the eastern terminal points. Shreveport and Alexandria, Louisiana, were chosen as the western terminal points.

No more than twenty covers with a pair of the 20c Green paying the 40c Trans-Mississippi Express rate are known (see The Trans-Mississippi Mails After the Fall of Vicksburg, Richard Krieger). Of these only five or six are in reasonably clean and sound condition, the majority is heavily stained and damaged. This cover is indisputedly one of the two or three finest of its kind.

Listed in Krieger as E59 (page 56). (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. ONLY THREE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI EXPRESS COVERS ARE RECORDED WITH THE JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, POSTMARK -- THIS IS THE FINEST OF THE THREE AND ONE OF THE CHOICEST TRANS-MISSISSIPPI EXPRESS COVERS EXTANT.

The Krieger census (and Confederate Philatelist Nov.-Dec. 1986 update) lists one West-to-East and two East-to-West covers postmarked at Jackson Miss. In the case of the West-to-East cover, it was carried across the river and deposited at the Jackson post office. The condition of this strip and cover is far superior to the other two. (Image)

VERY FINE. AN UNUSUALLY CLEAN AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE CUSHING TRANS-MISSISSIPPI EXPRESS LABEL.

E. H. Cushing, publisher of the Houston Daily Telegraph, commenced his express service after New Orleans fell to the Federals in April 1862. In an effort to improve communications between Texan regiments in the East and their relations at home, as well as secure safe lines for news transmission, Cushing established routes with pony riders and other means of conveyance necessary to cross the Federal lines. Cushing's agents affixed labels to the backs of envelopes carried by express. These were intended to inform patrons and advertise the service. Approximately 20 examples (of all varieties) are believed to exist. (Image)

FRESH AND EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF OF THE FINEST OF THE EIGHT RECORDED COVERS WITH EDEY'S EXPRESS LABEL, OF WHICH HALF ARE AFFIXED TO THE BACKS. EDEY'S EXPRESS OPERATED BRIEFLY FROM AUGUST UNTIL LATE OCTOBER 1862.

Arthur H. Edey provided mail service between members of the 5th Regiment, Texas Volunteers, serving east of the Mississippi and their correspondents back home. Our records contain eight examples of Edey's label, including a few heavily stained or defective covers. This is the finest in terms of overall condition. Another cover in similar condition with the label affixed to the front realized $10,000 hammer in our Sale 787 (lot 4323).

Illustrated in Shenfield book (p. 80). (Image)