Confederacy, "P.O. Dept./D. L.O./Aug. 17th '64/B-97-1". Confederate States Dead Letter Office marking and record number in bright red manuscript on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire with printed address crossed out and re-addressed to Bullitt & Fairthrom in New York City, postmarked red "Newberry C.H. S.C. May 21" cds cancelling indicia, Extremely Fine and choice. Estimate  $2,000 - 3,000. A very rare Confederate Dead Letter Office Cover with the manuscript marking, which was used concurrently with the handstamped oval for approximately ten days at the beginning of the War.Once the mail routes between the U.S. and C.S.A. were suspended, northbound mail was diverted to the C.S.A. Dead Letter Office. Fewer than ten examples of the C.S.A. Dead Letter Office markings (handstamp or manuscript) are reported, all diverted to the D.L.O. between May 21 and June 1, 1861.A similar cover from this same correspondence is illustrated in Special Routes (page 12). $0 (Image)