Sale 1146 — U.S. and Confederate States Postal History
Sale Date — Thursday, 15 December, 2016
Category — Civil War: Prisoner-of-War and Flag-of-Truce
Rickersville Hospital, Charleston S.C. Four covers, first two are from and to Lt. Oliver R. McNary, first a prisoner-of-war inner cover, with photocopy of original letter datelined "1st South Carolina Hospital, Charleston S.C. Oct. 1, 1864" to Washington Pa., prisoner's endorsement at top, manuscript censor mark "Ex. J.O.C." and second examined mark "Soldier's Letter WT Bennett Lt. Col & agt. - ex D.S.", entered U.S. mails with "Port Royal S.C. Nov. 13, 1864" double-circle datestamp and "Due 3" handstamp, light stains, second cover sent from Washington Pa. to Charleston S.C. via Port Royal (Oct. 8, 1864 on flap, therefore to Rickersville Hospital, see below for time line), with 3c Rose (65), flag-of-truce endorsement and "Exd. HHR" censor markFINE AND EXTREMELY RARE PAIR OF P.O.W. COVERS FROM AND TO RICKERSVILLE HOSPITAL, SENT BY FLAG-OF-TRUCE VIA POCOTALIGO AND PORT ROYAL. ONLY FOUR COVERS ARE KNOWN FROM THIS HOSPITAL.
All the covers definitively known to come from Rickersville are from Lt. Oliver R. McNary, a member of Co. E of the 12th Pa. Volunteers. McNary was captured on April 20, 1864 at Plymouth N.C., taken to Andersonville where he attempted to escape, then to Macon from where he did escape on July 30. He was recaptured on August 17, injured during his flight and taken to Rickersville Hospital on August 21. He was then moved to Annapolis Hospital on December 4 and finally paroled. A lengthy article on the McNary correspondence from Confederate Philatelist (Oct. 1961, this cover illustrated) is included, along with a photograph of McNary, a post-war paper given by him about his time in Confederate prisons and copies of his pension documents. Also accompanied by two parole camp covers from and to McNary, one with U.S. Christian Commission corner card
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Camp Oglethorpe for Officers, Macon Ga. Two prisoner-of-war inner covers from Lt. Oliver R. McNary, one with photocopy of original contents, the other with original contents, datelined "Macon Georgia May 4, 1864" and "June 5, 1864" to Washington Pa., June 5 cover with prisoner's endorsement at top, manuscript censor mark "Ex. W.S." of Sgt. W.S. Scott, "Old Point Comfort Va. Jul. 18" double-circle datestamp, "Due 6" handstamp (not entitled to 3c due rate), light stains, otherwise Fine, May 4 cover without endorsements or examined markings, 3c Rose (65) tied by cork with "Old Point Comfort Jul. 24" double-circle datestamp, Very Fine, a desirable pair of covers from the Macon Ga. Confederate Prison Camp Oglethorpe for Officers, see lot 1648 for details on McNary, illustrated in Confederate Philatelist (Oct., 1961)
Boggy Depot, Choctaw Nation to Van Buren Ark., via Flag-of-Truce. Cover with manuscript "Flag of Truce" endorsement and "X" notation at top (examined?), addressed to Union occupied Van Buren Ark., original letter datelined "Boggy Depot C.N. Jany. 26, 1865" from Confederate garrisoned Indian Territory, lengthy and interesting war-related contents from Granville Wilcox to his wife, cover with some corner nicks and wear, letter in excellent condition, an extremely rare and possibly unique through-the-lines cover via flag-of-truce, from Confederate Indian Territory to Union occupied territory in the South, Boggy Depot no longer exists but the closest town is Atoka Ok., which is approximately 150 miles southwest of Van Buren Ark., accompanied by an article from Stamps magazine (Oct. 12, 1974) by James W. Milgram and a transcript of the letter