Petersburg Va. to Baltimore Md. via Wilmington N.C., St. Georges (Bermuda), Halifax (Nova Scotia) and Boston. Buff cover addressed to "Mrs. Amelia E. Barnett, in care of Miss S. Johnson, No. 100 Fayette Str., Baltimore Md", letter does not accompany but correspondence is from Petersburg Va. (an Aug. 4, 1864, letter from the correspondence accompanies), manuscript notation on back "Forwarded by James Thorrold, St. Georges, Bermuda" (Therrold was agent for Albion Trading Co. Ltd., which owned four blockade-runners), carried on the blockade-runner North Heath from Wilmington N.C., arriving St. Georges July 29, 1864, and departing for Halifax August 5, light but identifiable strike of red "Bermuda Paid St. G 30 JY" circular datestamp and red crayon "4" (pence) rate applied before sailing to Halifax, from there possibly carried by British bark Halifax, which arrived at Boston on August 11, bold "Boston Mass 10 Aug. 12" 10c ship fee double-circle datestamp, upon arrival in Baltimore the carrier wrote in pencil "Not West FOP" and "Not East" (division of Fayette Street), slightly reduced at left

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE BLOCKADE-RUN COVER FROM SOUTH TO NORTH SENT VIA THE BERMUDA POST OFFICE. ONLY A SMALL QUANTITY OF BLOCKADE MAIL WAS ACTUALLY ROUTED THROUGH THE BERMUDA POST OFFICE.

Despite the high level of activity at Bermuda as a blockade-running port, only a small amount of mail actually transited through a Bermuda post office. The Special Routes census records only 13 covers with a Bermuda transit postmark.

In pencil on this cover, Amelia Barnett's child wrote, "Uncle Wm. captured June 15, 1864, near Petersburg, was pardoned & reached home Oct. 17", "Fort Delaware", "Aunt Eleanor", and "Left Fort Delaware for home Oct. 7, on Parole." Captain William Wheary was in command of William Hood's 3rd Battalion (known as Hood's Operatives). He was captured on June 15, 1864, outside of Petersburg.

Special Routes census no. BO-Ber-10. Ex Tucker and Ludington

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