Confederate States

EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB STAMP ON AN IMMACULATE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT COVER, ADDRESSED BY CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Although Executive Department envelopes were addressed by a variety of individuals, the distinctive hand of President Davis is evident in the words "David", "Athens" and "Georgia" in this address. (Image)

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND DESIRABLE COVER SENT BY JEFFERSON DAVIS AS A PRISONER AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE CIVIL WAR.

Jefferson Davis was captured at Irwinsville Ga. on May 10, 1865. He was brought to Fort Monroe and held for two years before being released, having never been brought to trial

THE ONLY RECORDED COVER ADDRESSED BY ROBERT E. LEE WITH A CONFEDERATE LITHOGRAPHED ISSUE, AND THE EARLIEST OF ALL KNOWN CONFEDERATE-PERIOD COVERS ADDRESSED BY LEE. AN OUTSTANDING ITEM OF GREAT HISTORICAL INTEREST.

Charlotte Lee was General Lee's daughter-in-law and one of his most beloved family members. Charlotte was married to William Henry Fitzhugh Lee, whose capture and imprisonment in 1863 caused her such grief and distress that an illness later in the same year led to her tragic death.

While Lee still held the rank of General in April 1862, he was not in command of an army at this time. Early in March 1862, President Davis called Lee to Richmond to serve as an advisor in military operations. In June, after General Joseph E. Johnston was wounded in the Battle of Seven Pines, Lee assumed command over the army that would eventually become the famous Army of Northern Virginia. This cover, posted on April 27, 1862, is addressed in Lee's distinctive hand, but he did not sign the envelope, as became his custom after taking command of the Army of Northern Virginia. Because postage was required on all mail (other than official post office business), General Lee affixed the 5c Hoyer & Ludwig stamp for the proper 5c rate. Remarkably, this is the only Lee cover recorded with the lithographed issue (Scott 1-5). It is also the earliest Confederate-period cover addressed by Lee.

Accompanied by an article and letter from Van Dyke MacBride, in which he concludes "this is a remarkable cover, unique in many aspects, and one of the truly great pieces of Confederate postal history."

AN IMPORTANT EARLY WAR-DATED LETTER FROM FAMOUS CONFEDERATE GENERAL JUBAL EARLY, OFFERING HIS SERVICES TO VIRGINIA GOVERNOR JOHN LETCHER.

The letter reads: "Active attention upon my duties in the convention and as a member of the Military Committee has prevented me from offering my services to the State before. And now the conditions in which I have left my own private matters and important business of others which was intrusted to me renders it necessary that I should repair to my home for a time, but desiring to contribute as far as I can to the defence of the State if it shall be invaded, I offer myself for any service with the troops that have been or may be called into the field which I may be thought competent to perform. My address is Rocky Mount, Franklin County. Very Respectfully, Your Obt. Servt. J. A. Early"

Receipt docketing on back. In excellent condition