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

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