Houston Tex. Small prisoner-of-war cover to Warwick R.I., prisoner's endorsement "From M. L. Burney, Federal Prisoner of Late U.S. Str. Clifton", additional "Ford & Examnd. by___" sender's notation, but this was not completed by examiner, instead "Examined, W. Hyllested, Maj. & Prov M Genl Texas" examiner's mark applied to back in Houston, sent via Galveston and exchanged by flag-of-truce with U.S. West Gulf Blockading Squadron, entered Federal mails with "New Orleans La. Feb. 6 '64" double-circle datestamp and "Due 6" in circle, slightly reduced at right

VERY FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE COVER FROM A PRISONER CAPTURED AT THE BATTLE OF SABINE PASS, TEXAS, AND CONFINED AT THE C.S.A. HOUSTON PRISON. SENT VIA FLAG-OF-TRUCE THROUGH GALVESTON AND THE U.S. NAVAL BLOCKADING SQUADRON IN THE GULF.

Despite an overwhelming advantage in force against a small Confederate garrison, the Federals suffered a humiliating defeat in the battle at Sabine Pass on September 8, 1863. Two gunboats were grounded and surrendered -- the U.S.S. Sachem and the Clifton, and captured men were moved to prisons at Houston, Hempstead (Camp Groce) and Tyler (Camp Ford). Based on the fewer than ten known covers from prisoners captured at Sabine Pass, it appears that they were moved between these locations over a period of six months. The endorsements, postmark dates and censor markings help identify mail from these prisons. In this case, the February New Orleans datestamp and endorsements point to the prison at Houston. Harrison records only three covers from the Houston Prison.

Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 80)

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