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Liverpool, England to Petersburg Va. via Hamilton, Bermuda and Wilmington N.C. June 3 1864 folded letter datelined at Liverpool and addressed to Messrs. Thos., Branch & Sons, Petersburg, Va.--carried on Cunarder Africa, departing Liverpool June 11, 1864, arriving Halifax June 22, then by the Alpha, departing Halifax June 23, arriving Bermuda June 28--forwarded from Bermuda with "Forwarded by R.S. Musson & Co. Commission Merchants, Bermuda" oval stencil-style handstamp, carried through the blockade from Bermuda to Wilmington N.C., "Wilmington N.C. Aug. 16" arrival datestamp and manuscript "22" cents rate (double 10c plus 2c ship fee)VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR BLOCKADE-RUN COVER FROM LIVERPOOL TO PETERSBURG VA. WITH THE RARE MUSSON & CO. BERMUDA HANDSTAMP.
The Special Routes census lists only one example of the R. S. Musson handstamp, on a blockade cover traveling in the opposite direction, to London via Hamilton. This cover was unknown when the census was published. It is one of only two examples recorded and is an outstanding artifact of Civil War postal history. Ex Pitts
Paris, France, to Charlotte C.H. Va. via Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Bermuda. "Wilmington N.C. Feb. 19" (1864) circular datestamp with manuscript "12" (10c plus 2c) and pencil "Due" on small inbound blockade-run cover addressed in the hand of Commodore Samuel Barron, writing from Paris to his family in Charlotte C.H. Va. (letter no longer accompanies), envelope style is typical of French stationery, carried by Cunarder Arabia from Liverpool on January 23, 1864, arriving Halifax February 4; then by branch line Alpha on February 5 to St. Georges, Bermuda, arriving February 10; then from Bermuda by the blockade-runner Advance, departing February 13 and arriving Wilmington on February 18, opening tears along top and reduced at right, still Fine and desirable incoming blockade-run cover, ex Walske, Special Routes census no. BI-Wm-60
Liverpool, England to Macon Ga. via Bermuda and Wilmington N.C. Cover originating in London on Jan. 23, 1864 (original Fraser Trenholm & Co. letter no longer accompanies), addressed to Confederate superintendent of armories in Macon Ga. on "Official" (business), carried on Cunarder Arabia from Liverpool on Jan. 23, arriving Halifax Feb. 4, then by Cunard branch line Alpha to St. George's, Bermuda arriving Feb. 10, endorsed "Ad Vance" for the blockade runner Advance, departing Feb. 13 and arriving Wilmington Feb. 18, "Wilmington N.C. Feb. 19" circular datestamp and manuscript "12" rate for 10c to Macon plus 2c ship fee, Feb. 26 receipt docketing, Very Fine, ex Walske
Wilmington N.C. to Heidelberg, Germany via Bermuda, England and France. Outbound blockade-Run Cover from the Watson correspondence, sender's directive on back "via St. Georges, Bermuda/Calais/Strasburg", "St. Georges Bermuda MR 9 1864" circular datestamp on back, transit datestamps applied at Calais (Mar. 30), Paris (Mar. 30) and Heidelberg (Mar. 31), framed "GB/2F__" Anglo-French accountancy handstamp, various rates for transit to Germany, Mar. 31, 1864 receipt docketing on backVERY FINE. A RARE AND UNUSUAL BLOCKADE-RUN COVER TO GERMANY VIA BERMUDA.
Sailing records show the following trips: blockade-runner Caledonia (Wilmington 3/1, St. Georges 3/7), Cunarder Alpha from St. Georges to St. Thomas, RMPS Atrono (St. Thomas 3/15, Southampton 3/29).
Henry Watson Jr. was a lawyer and planter in Greensboro Ala., during the Civil War he relocated to Europe, his papers (including the letter carried in this cover) can be found in the Duke University Libraries (http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/rbmscl/watsonhenry/inv/ )
Mobile Ala. to London via Havana, Cuba and St. Thomas. Blue folded cover addressed to Rothschild & Son in London, docketed "1862 J.L. Grunn? 29 Oct" with additional pencil "Mobile" (which is probably non-contemporary), carried from Mobile by blockade runner, possibly the Cuba, which departed Mobile Sep. 29, 1862, likely mailed as an inner cover as no C.S.A. postmarks are present, from Havana it was likely carried to St. Thomas where it entered the British mails as an unpaid letter, the RMSP Atrato departed St. Thomas Sep. 29 and arrived Southampton Oct. 13, matching the "Southampton Packet Letter OC 13 1862" rimless circular datestamp, "London B6 OC 13 62" arrival datestamp and "6d" due handstamp, minor bleaching along file fold, still fresh and Very Fine, extremely rare, very little blockade-run mail went through the port of Mobile Alabama and all of it was carried to or from Havana, the Special Routes book records only five such Mobile outbound blockade-run covers (this one not listed)
Havana to Uniontown Ala. via Mobile Ala. 10c Blue, Die A (11), huge margins on three sides, full at top, tied by "Mobile Ala. Aug. 24" (1863) double-circle datestamp on small cover to "E. Emile Le Blanc, Care of J. D. B. DeBow, Mobile, Ala." with Mobile crossed out in another hand and redirected to Uniontown Ala., the back of the cover with manuscript "Examined JWH jr.", small cover tear at right does not affect the stamp, minor cover staining, Very Fine, while this cover in the past has been interpreted as a Louisiana Relief Committee cover originating in New Orleans and smuggled out to Mobile, based on other very similar covers from this correspondence it is more likely a blockade-run cover originating in Havana, Cuba, there are no enclosures or other docketing to definitively tie the cover to incoming blockade use, however this is a close match to other covers from the Le Blanc correspondence which originated in Havana and were sent through the care of DeBow, see our sale of the Walske collection (Sale 988, lot 333) for a similar cover, identically addressed, which originated in Havana and was endorsed by Provost Marshal J. C. Denis -- as well as additional information on DeBow
Mobile Ala. to Philadelphia Pa. via Havana, Cuba. Buff cover addressed to Philadelphia Pa., original enclosure datelined "Mobile Sept. 26th" (1861) from a son to his father mentioning the Civil War, no C.S.A. postal markings so likely enclosed in an outer cover, struck with New York "Steamship 10" circular handstamp and manuscript "Due 10cts", some minor edgewear, still Very Fine and very rare outgoing blockade-run cover from Mobile, Alabama, very little blockade-run mail went through the port of Mobile and all of it was carried to or from Havana, the Special Routes book records only five such Mobile outbound blockade-run covers (this one not listed)
France to Spartanburg S.C. via Charleston S.C. Clear strike of "Charleston S.C. Feb. 20" (1864) circular datestamp with oval "Steam-Ship" handstamp and pencil "12" rate (10c plus 2c ship fee) on blockade-run cover originating Dec. 29, 1863 in France to L. B. Grimball in Spartanburg S.C., enclosure no longer accompanies but the origin is known from others in the correspondence, fresh and Extremely Fine, Special Routes census no. BI-Ch-47, with 2001 P.S.E. certificate
10c Dark Blue, Die B (12). Large to huge margins including sheet margin at bottom, tied by "Charleston S.C. Aug. 3 '64" circular datestamp on buff cover most likely originating in England and addressed to A. A. Bell at Liberty Va. with blockade-runner ship-name endorsement "per Genl. Whiting", matching "Triplicate", accompanied by photocopy of letter to the Mayor of Charleston from Major General Samuel Jones expressing concern about yellow fever that might have been carried on the General Whiting on this tripEXTREMELY FINE AND VERY RARE BLOCKADE-RUN COVER WITH SHIP'S NAME AND CONFEDERATE STAMP FOR INTERNAL POSTAGE.
This cover was carried from Nassau on board the blockade-runner General Whiting, arriving Charleston August 3, 1864. An earlier and nearly identical cover from the Steven Walske collection (Sale 988, lot 325, realized $4,000 hammer) was carried on the Lucy from Nassau to Wilmington N.C. and handled by a forwarder. This cover was almost certainly handled the same way.
Special Routes census no. BI-Ch-60. Ex Karras
Blockade-Run Cover to Charleston S.C. Cover with "Little Hattie" blockade-runner designation, "Paid 2" in circle handstamp applied at Charleston for drop rate, docketing inside top flap reads "It don't make any difference about the rate of exchange buy it. JGB", minor insect erosion at lower right cornerEXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING AND VERY RARE BLOCKADE-RUN COVER, ENDORSED WITH THE SHIP'S NAME AND TREATED AS A DROP LETTER IN CHARLESTON -- EACH ELEMENT OF THIS COVER IS NOTEWORTHY.
The Little Hattie (W. S. Lebby, Master) made 12 attempts at running the blockade with 10 successful voyages from June 1864 to February 1865. This cover was carried thru the blockade into Charleston, but the absence of a date makes it impossible to determine which trip was involved. Although blockade-run covers addressed to the port of arrival are usually rated 6c, in this case the letter appears to have been carried by someone and brought to the post office where 2c was paid for the drop-letter rate. We know of no other example of this use.
With 2003 P.F. certificate