Sale 988 — The Steven C. Walske Collection of Civil War Special Routes
Sale Date — Thursday, 27 May, 2010
Category — Flag-of-Truce Mail: Other Routes
Mobile Ala. to New Orleans by Flag-of-Truce. Small cover addressed to Miss Zoe Campbell on "Bourbon street bet. Conti & Bienville Streets, New Orleans La.", instructions "Be kind enough so as to forward it", back of cover with manuscript "Appd. JCDenis Pro. Ml" censor's marking applied by Mobile Provost Marshal Jules C. Denis, exchanged by flag-of-truce and endorsed by Union censor "Approved MMD Hd. Qrs. Defences N.O", "Due 3" straightline handstamp for U.S. postage, pencil receipt docketing "16 Octobre 1863 Vendredi", lightly soiledVERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED COVER CARRIED BY FLAG-OF-TRUCE FROM THE CONFEDERACY INTO FEDERAL-OCCUPIED NEW ORLEANS.
Mail from the Confederate States to residents of New Orleans was generally discouraged. This is the first and only recorded example of such mail that was exchanged via the flag-of-truce route between Mobile and New Orleans. It was censored on both sides; by Mobile Provost Marshal Jules C. Denis at Mobile and the Union censor at New Orleans.
The papers of Zoe Jane Campbell can be found at the Manuscript Department of the William R. Perkins Library, Duke University: "871: Zoe Jane Campbell Papers, 1855-1898. 152 items. New Orleans, La. Principally family letters to Zoe Jane Campbell during the Civil War concerning Confederate Army matters such as troop movements, immorality among the soldiers, complaints against officers, soldiers' pay, and health conditions. There is considerable information on the U.S. military prisons at Elmira, New York, and at Belleville, Louisiana. Also included is material on social life and customs in New York and Washington, D.C., and on the internal disorders in northern Mexico in the late 1850's."
Rome Ga. Flag-of-truce cover to Williamsburgh N.Y., 3c Rose (65) tied by one of two strikes of "Nashville Ten. Oct. 4, 1864" circular datestamp, manuscript "Ex and approved Josiah Robbins Jr Provost Marshal Rome Geo Sept 26 1864", stamp with piece missing from bottom, cover with couple tears and one backflap missing, Fine appearance, a rare flag-of-truce cover, Federal troops under General William T. Sherman occupied Rome beginning in May 1864
Goldsborough N.C. Inner civilian flag-of-truce cover to Greenville S.C., with original letter datelined "San Francisco April 18th 1862", sent to the care of U.S. military governor of North Carolina Edward Stanly, who hand-carried it to Union-controlled New Bern, letter states "I avail myself of the kindness of your old friend Edward Stanly...", manuscript "Examined Asst. Adjt. General", entered C.S.A. mails with "Goldsborough N.C. Jun. 2" circular datestamp and "Paid" straightline handstamp, backflap tear from opening, otherwise Very Fine, a rare flag-of-truce letter originating California and sent through New Bern and Goldsborough, civilian mail sent by exchange points other than those in southeastern Virginia are very scarce, illustrated in Special Routes (p. 94)
Kinston N.C. Inner flag-of-truce cover from "Galvanized Yankee" soldier (a former Confederate soldier) at Norfolk Va. to Marley Mills N.C., manuscript examiner's mark of C.S.A. censor, C.S.A. postage paid by 10c Blue, Die B (12), large margins, tied by "Kinston N.C. Jan. 9" (1865) circular datestamp, exchanged through New Bern and Kinston N.C., stamp with small hole and cover slightly reduced at left, still Very Fine, civilian mail sent by exchange points other than those in southeastern Virginia are very scarce, Kinston was closer to New Bern than Goldsborough and was used by the C.S.A. as a flag-of-truce exchange point when it was not threatened by Federal troops, this cover was sent by Pvt. Marshall S. Rains, a "Galvanized Yankee" who had been a Confederate soldier in the 22nd N.C. captured at Gettysburg, he took the oath of allegiance and joined the U.S. 1st Volunteer Infantry in 1864, cover illustrated and correspondence discussed in Confederate Philatelist (Whole No. 240, Nov. 1987)
Helena Ark. Civilian cover from Philadelphia to Laconia Ark. sent via Helena Ark. flag-of-truce route, U.S. postage paid by 3c Rose (65), cancelled by target with matching "Phila. Pa. Aug. 22, 1864" circular datestamp, endorsed "Care of General N. Buford Commandant of Post Helena Arkansas", no C.S.A. postage or postmarks, back with Sep. 6 receipt docketing and censored "Approved & permitted/ Wm Crook/ Col. 6th Minn Infy/ Comd. Dist", Very Fine and attractive, civilian flag-of-truce mail sent by routes other than Old Point Comfort and southeastern Virginia is very rare, Napoleon Bonaparte Buford was a Union general and the half-brother of John Buford of Gettysburg fame, at the time this cover was mailed he was serving as commander of the Eastern District of Arkansas
Troy Tenn.-Hickman Ky. Civilian flag-of-truce cover to Hopkinsville Ky., enclosed letter datelined "Near Troy, Obion County, April 2nd/63", U.S. postage paid by 3c Rose (65), cancelled by target, entered Union mails with "Hickman Ky. Apr. 7, 1863" circular datestamp, most of backflap missing, still Very Fine and scarce flag-of-truce letter from Tennessee through Hickman, Kentucky
Abingdon Va. Flag-of-truce cover from Abingdon Va. to Hebron Ky., mixed franking with C.S.A. postage paid by 10c Blue, Die B (12), tied by "Abingdon Va. Jul. 7" (1864) circular datestamp, U.S. postage paid by 3c Rose (65), tied by quartered cork, "Old Point Comfort Va. Jul. 18" double-circle datestamp, docketed at left "Care of Capt Hatch...Richmond Va.", reverse with manuscript "Lt. Albert Corbin...Morgan Division"VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MIXED-FRANKING FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER FROM A KENTUCKY CONFEDERATE SOLDIER TO HIS FAMILY IN UNION-CONTROLLED KENTUCKY.
Albert Corbin joined many of his fellow Boone County citizens and enlisted in the Confederate Army. He served from July 1863 as a 1st Lieutenant in Company B, Kentucky 3rd Cavalry Battalion, which was part of noted cavalry commander John Hunt Morgan's Division.
Athenaeum Prison, Wheeling (West) Va. Inner cover from C.S.A. Colonel Angus McDonald to his wife in Brady's Mills Md., posted Sep. 18, 1862, manuscript examiner's notation, U.S. postage paid by 3c Rose (65), tied by blue grid and matching "Wheeling Va. Sep. 19, 1862" double-circle datestamp, Very Fine and unusual usage, Col McDonald was captured twice during the war, at this point he was a prisoner at the Athenaeum Prison in Wheeling, the local Union Commander (Capt. Shafer) examined and approved this mail, Col. McDonald was captured again in 1864 and taken to Wheeling, he died in Richmond in December 1864
Parkersburg (West) Va. Yellow inner cover from the South to Albany N.Y., three bold manuscript examiner's marks, "Examined G.M. Bascom, Capt & AAG U.S." by Union Captain of Ohio Volunteers Gustavus Murray Bascom, "Examined Andrew R. Barless Provost Marshal C.S.A." and "Examined John B (illegible)", U.S. postage paid by 3c Rose (65), tied by "Parkersburg Va. 26 Mar 1862" circular datestamp, some edge tears, otherwise Fine and attractive, flag-of-truce mail sent via exchange points other than those in southeastern Virginia are very scarce, illustrated in Special Routes (p. 93)
Fort Delaware, Delaware City. Cover to prisoner-of-war Willie D. Postlethwaite, transferred under local flag-of-truce from Fayette to Natchez, brought aboard the river gunboat U.S.S. Chillicothe (off Ft. Adams, 40 miles below Natchez) and censored onboard "Examined Geo. P. Lord Act. Comg U.S.S. Chillicothe", carried up-river by the U.S.S. Pierce and entered the U.S. mails with 3c Rose (65), tied by target and "Cairo Ill. Dec. 31" (1864) double-circle datestamp, inconsequential light soiling mostly confined to backVERY FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE MISSISSIPPI RIVER LOCAL FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER. A FASCINATING COVER.
According to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, two U.S. surgeons were sent via flag-of-truce from Natchez to Fayette, Mississippi, on November 30, 1864, to care for a captured and wounded U.S. scout. They picked up this cover at Fayette and returned to Natchez on December 2. With the Union in control of the Mississippi River, occasional local flag-of-truce exchanges were made with U.S. naval gunboats patrolling the river, though covers demonstrating this practice are extremely rare. Such mail was examined on the gunboat and forwarded to either New Orleans or, in the case of this cover, to Cairo, Illinois. Since it was handed to the doctors who brought it to Natchez, it never entered the C.S.A. postal system and thus has no Confederate postage or markings (nor a discarded outer cover).
Willie D. Postlethwaite was a private in Co. A, 9th Louisiana Cavalry. He was captured near Corinth Miss. on Oct. 5, 1863, and was sent to Alton Ill. on Oct. 6. He was transferred to Fort Delaware on Feb. 29, 1864, and exchanged on Mar. 7, 1865.
Ex Birkinbine. Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 81)
Fort Delaware, Delaware City. Small prisoner-of-war cover to Mrs. Wm. F. Witcher in Hayneville Ala., "By Flag of Truce" endorsement at top left and matching "Approved, Henry L. Pensen Jr. AAG" (Assistant Adjutant General) censor mark on back (Harrison book lists Pensen at Ft. Delaware in early 1862), also manuscript "Examd" in a different hand on back, franked with 5c Blue, Stone 2 (4), large margins, tied by blurry "Mobile Ala." double-circle datestamp, "5" in circle handstamp for 5c due (10c rate in effect after July 1, 1862), short tear at right, stamp lifted and reaffixedVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER SENT VIA MOBILE, ALABAMA.
We believe this originated from Ft. Delaware in 1862 based on the Pensen censor marking and the use of a 5c stamp. It is likely that this cover was sent via flag-of-truce to Petersburg and carried outside the mails to Mobile, which is only approximately 150 miles south-west of Hayneville.
Ex Krieger. With 1987 A.P.S. certificate
Johnson's Island, Sandusky O. Light gray Virginia Tobacco Agency, New York advertising cover to Capt. C. D. Anderson, a prisoner-of-war, care of Col. C. W. Hill, at Johnson's Island, carried by Adams Express Company, five red wax seals on back from Adams Richmond Va. office, manuscript "$100.00" indicating money contents, manuscript "Paid 8/- R.M.L." express charge (8 bits or $1.00, including 25c for basic express service and balance for special charges), well-struck "Prisoner's Letter Johnson's Island O. Examined G.S.B." (George S. Brown) examiner's oval handstamp, pencil notations incl. "pd 25" on back, "$100 -- DeWolf, 30c chgs" and "Bills 4p" on frontAN EXTREMELY FINE AND VERY RARE EXPRESS COMPANY USAGE TO A CONFEDERATE PRISONER AT JOHNSON'S ISLAND.
According to prisoner-of-war records, Captain Anderson was captured at Silvers Creek Va. and imprisoned at Sandusky on April 3, 1865, six days before Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House. He was paroled on oath on June 18, 1865. While personal necessities and sometimes money was sent to Confederate prisoners, the amount noted on this cover, $100.00, and the delivery by Adams Express make it an exceptional usage.
Ex Kimmel, Kohlhepp, Allen and Hall. Illustrated and discussed in the Chronicle (No. 95, Aug. 1977)
Castle Morgan, Cahaba Ala. Inner folded letter bearing 3c Rose (65) tied by "Memphis Tenn. Nov. 16" (1864) double-circle datestamp from a prisoner to Bloomington Ill., datelined "Castle Morgan Cahaba Nov. 3rd 1864", faint file folds do not affect stamp, Very Fine and choice, unusual exchange point on the upper Mississippi via Memphis, with 1992 C.S.A. certificate
Camp Oglethorpe, Macon Ga. Brown cover from Camp Oglethorpe Prison to Union-held Cleveland, East Tennessee, C.S.A. postage paid by 5c Blue, Stone 2 (4), three full margins, in at left, tied by "Macon Ga (June) 26 (1862)" circular datestamp, manuscript "Passed L.H. Carter Adjt. Prisoner's Guard", some light water stainingVERY FINE. AN EARLY AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE PRISONER-OF-WAR COVER FROM THE FIRST CAMP OGLETHORPE. APPROXIMATELY FIVE ARE KNOWN.
The first Camp Oglethorpe was open for prisoners as early as May 1862. Approximately 900 Federal troops captured at the Battle of Shiloh were processed through the prison. As a result of the formal exchange cartel agreed to by the U.S. and C.S.A. governments in July 1862, the camp was discontinued, to be replaced by a stockade for Union officers in 1864.
Illustrated in Antrim (p. 140)
21 Rampart Street, New Orleans La. Prisoner-of-war cover addressed to a lady at No. 93 Camp Street in New Orleans, censored twice by Federal officers, "Respect forward Z.K. Wood Lt Commdg Prison", on reverse and "Exd. & forwarded Wm Sterling Capt. 1st U.S. Infty. Comiy of Prisoners" on front, clear "New Orleans May 23" (1865) circular datestamp and "3" due handstamp, small erosion hole in address panelVERY FINE. A RARE PRISONER-OF-WAR COVER FROM 21 RAMPART STREET, WHICH WAS USED AS A UNION PRISON FROM 1863 TO 1865. FEWER THAN FIVE COVERS ARE RECORDED.
21 Rampart street was a residence that was used to hold Confederate officers, including those captured at Fort Hudson in July 1863 (Harrison p. 143). Captain William H. Sterling was Commissary of Prisoners in 1865 when this cover was sent.