Confederacy, Houston, Texas, 1861, 5¢ Red, bold clear strike of the provisional marking on orange cover addressed to Genl. Sam Houston at Galveston Tex., black "Houston Tex. Sep 18 1861" cds, endorsed "Care Wood & Power", docketed at left "Mart. H. Royston, Sept 17th 1861", partial flap, reduced slightly at right, slight erosion in address, Fine. Scott No. 40XU1  $750. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator for Texas after it joined the United States, and finally as a Governor of the state. He refused to swear loyalty to the Confederacy when Texas seceded from the Union in 1861 with the outbreak of the American Civil War, and was removed from office on Mar. 31, 1861. He retired to Huntsville thereafter and died in 1863. $0 (Image)