Confederacy, Point Lookout Prison, Point Lookout, Md. Confederate States 1863-64 10¢ blue tied by "Culpepper, Va./Aug. 30" cds on cover to Prisoner of War at Point Lookout, cover endorsed "By Flag of Truce" at top left and "Care of Major Brady" at bottom left, manuscript "Ex" censor's examined marking added, the prisoner was no longer at Point Lookout and the cover was endorsed with magenta "Exchanged (No. 50)"; also in pencil "2.00" - for money enclosed, Very Fine, a very nice prisoner of war arriving to late as the prisoner had been exchanged. Scott No. 11  Estimate $300 - 400. Point Lookout, Maryland, located in Saint Mary's County, Maryland on the southern tip of the peninsula was deemed the largest and worst Northern Prisoner of War camp. The extreme overcrowding, Maryland's freezing temperatures, shortages of firewood for heat, and living in tents took it's toll and many lives were lost due to exposure. As the water supply became polluted and food rations ran low, prisoners died from disease and starvation. Food was in such short supply, the men were reported to hunt rats as a food source. Estimates report that over 14,000 prisoners died while imprisoned at Point Lookout.Keep in mind that the Confederate government did everything possible to exchange prisoners with the North. In 1863, Union Secretary of War Stanton decided to end prisoner exchanges on the grounds that the South had more to gain than the North. Even when the South explained its increasing inability to care for the prisoners, Stanton refused to resume the exchanges. Captain Wirz, the commandant at Andersonville, allowed a party of four prisoners to go to Washington on parole to explain the hardships at Andersonville and plead for an exchange. The men saw Stanton but were unsuccessful in convincing him to the exchange. The men returned to Andersonville and in post-war accounts condemned Stanton for his refusal to allow prisoner exchanges. The following is an excerpt from PRISON LIFE AT POINT LOOKOUT, By REV. J. B. TRAYWICK:They [the prisoners] were under the immediate charge of the provost marshal, Major Brady, of New York State. He was a shrewd man, of powerful administrative abilities, but withal a cruel, heartless man. His whole conduct toward the prisoners impressed me that he enjoyed two things immensely--first, the suffering and humiliation of the prisoners; secondly, the fact he was their despot. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, Point Lookout Prison, Point Lookout, Md. Confederate States 1863-64 10¢ blue (gum stains) tied by "Richmond, Va./Feb. 1" (1864) cds on inner cover "From Prisoner of War, B.F. Little, Capt., Co. E, 52nd N.C. Regt." to his wife in Little's Mills, N.C., Very Fine. Scott No. 11  Estimate $300 - 400. Captain Little was wounded and captured on July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg. On Feb. 3rd, 1864, Little was transferred to Hammond General Hospital at Point Lookout Prison and exchanged on March 3rd, 1864. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, Point Lookout Prison, Point Lookout, Md. United States 1861 3¢ rose (corner torn away) tied by waffle grid & "Old Point Comfort, Va." (1864) double circle postmark on inner cover to "Capt. B.F. Little, Prisoner of War, Fort McHenry, Near Baltimore" from his wife in Little's Mills, N.C., cover endorsed Missent and forwarded to Point Lookout, Md., magenta manuscript Examiners markings added to cover, minor edge wear & toning, one side flap missing, `, Very Fine. Estimate  $300 - 400. During the American Civil War, the area where Fort McHenry (Baltimore) sits served as a military prison, confining both Confederate soldiers as well as a large number of Maryland political figures who were suspected of being Confederate sympathizers. Among the imprisoned were Baltimore Mayor George William Brown, the city council, and the police commissioner. Ironically, Francis Scott Key's grandson, Francis Key Howard, was one of these political detainees. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, Point Lookout Prison, Point Lookout, Md. United States 1861 3¢ rose tied by "Georgetown, D.C./Oct. 12, '64" double circle duplex cancel on cover to J. Mark Wilson, Co. E, 9th Division, Prisoners Camp, Point Lookout, Md. cover endorsed "Care of Major Brady, U.S. Prov. Marsh." at bottom left, additional manuscript endorsement, "Dead" (in pencil) and "H.O. $1.00" - indicating $1.00 in cash, Very Fine. Estimate  $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, Point Lookout Prison, Point Lookout, Md. Prisoner of war orange rebacked cover front (one original flap) to Nelson Station Va. bearing U.S. 1861, 3¢ rose tied by four rings duplexed with "Point Lookout Md. Oct. 13 '64" cds and 1863, 10¢ greenish blue, Die B, large margins except close at upper right, tied by partial "Richmond Va." cds, fine strike of "Prisoner's Letter/Examined" handstamp in double-line octagon, endorsed "per flag of truce" and "from J.A. Clarke, Co. B, 15th Va. Artillery" at left, small edge tear and crease, a Very Fine prisoner of war use. Scott No. 12c+U.S. 65  Estimate $300 - 400. $0 (Image)