Richmond Va. to London, England, via Wilmington and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Original letter datelined "Richmond July 25th 64" from Susan P. Quarles to her brother, the poet John R. Thompson, in London, England, sent to Wilmington for an outbound blockade-run, but the yellow fever outbreak in Bermuda paralyzed blockade-running through that port, diverted to Halifax N.S. where it entered the British mail with partly struck Sep. 13 circular datestamp on back, clear strike of "4" pence due handstamp struck in error and corrected to "1/" shilling British Packet rate on arrival in London, slightly age toned and minor splits along edges

VERY FINE. THERE ARE ONLY FIVE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF BLOCKADE-RUN MAIL DIVERTED TO HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, DURING THE YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC IN BERMUDA.

The addressee, John Reuben Thompson (1823-73), was a publisher and poet of some renown. In 1860 he left the Southern Literary Messenger and for a short time served as editor of the Southern Field and Fireside in Augusta, Georgia. During the Civil War, Thompson spent several years in London and contributed articles to various journals. After the war he served as literary editor of William Cullen Bryant's New York Evening Post. His sister, Susan P. Quarles, wrote this letter.

This was carried on the Annie, departing Wilmington on September 6, 1864, arriving Halifax September 13. The captain of the Annie dropped it into mail in Halifax, picked up his ship fee, and the letter was rated "4" pence due (London later corrected rate to 1sh). The journey continued on the Cunarder Europa, departing Halifax on September 16 and arriving Liverpool September 26. The Annie was owned by Alexander Collie & Co. and active from February to November 1864, with 13 for 14 in successful trips. She ran aground and was captured coming out of Wilmington on November 1, 1864.

Ex Walske. See Walske's article "Tales of the Civil War Blockade: Disruption from a Deadly Virus" for a detailed discussion of the yellow fever impact on blockade mail (Chronicle 267, pp. 269-277). With 1977 C.S.A. certificate

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