Adams Ex. Co. * Louisville, Ky. * Jul. 18, 1861. Boldly struck circular datestamp and blue "Adams Express Co. Augusta Ga. Jul. 22" oval datestamp on 3c on White Red Star Die entire (U26) to Macon Ga., "Augusta Ga. Jul. 22" double-circle datestamp and "PAID 10" straightline handstamp for Confederate postage (the distance between Augusta and Macon only required 5c, but this was rated for the distance from Louisville), manuscript "2/-" (two bits or 25c) express charge, missing backflap

VERY FINE ADAMS EXPRESS THROUGH-THE-LINES USE, WHICH ENTERED THE CONFEDERATE MAILS AT AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, AND WITH A SCARCE COMBINATION OF BOTH THE LOUISVILLE AND AUGUSTA ADAMS DATESTAMPS.

This cover was sent during the early period when Adams southbound express mail was not put into the C.S.A. mail stream and postmarked at the Nashville post office. In this case, it was carried in the Adams network to Augusta and entered the C.S.A. mails there. Very few of these uses bear both Louisville and Augusta Adams handstamps.

Special Routes census No. S-AD-23

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Adams Express Co. Philadelphia, Pa. Jul. 30 (1861). Clear strike of red circular datestamp with "Adams Ex. Co. * Louisville, Ky. * Aug. 2, 1861" circular datestamp on 3c Red on White Star Die entire (U26) to Merchant's Bank in New Orleans, no indication of Confederate postage paid or due, corner repair at top left, Fine appearance, the Walske-Trepel Special Routes census lists only seven covers with the Adams Philadelphia office datestamp -- of the seven recorded, five were sent in August 1861, and this and one other were sent in July (this is the only one without a Confederate postmark), Special Routes Census No. S-AD-48, ex Knapp, Shenfield and Antrim

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3c Dull Red, Ty. III, 12c Black, Plate 3 (26, 36B). 3c slightly trimmed at top, cancelled by red grids on blue folded letter written in French to Paris, France, datelined "New Orleans, August 9, 1861" and addressed to "Monsieur G d'Arnaud de Vitrolles", red "New York Paid 3 Aug. 17" credit datestamp, ultramarine Havre transit (Aug. 29) ties 3c stamp, red "PD" in frame, Paris receiving backstamp, Very Fine and rare, this was carried by Adams Express through the lines, it must have gone through Louisville as no other routes were available during this period in August, but there are no Adams or Louisville markings (it may have been contained in a larger envelope with other covers until its arrival in New York), it was carried to France on the Havre Line's Fulton, departing from New York on August 17, 1861, arriving in Havre on August 29, two other covers from this correspondence, carried on the same New York sailing, are among the most iconic and valuable of all Civil War through-the-lines uses (see Siegel Sale 981, lots 4123-4124 -- the 30c cover will be offered again by Siegel in the William H. Gross sale in October 2018), a history of the Arnaud de Vitrolles family may be found at http://gillesdubois.blogspot.com/2007/05/arnaud-de-vitrolles.html (also see lot 516)

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