[Desert Dispatch "via San Diego" to Fort Yuma, 1855] cover addressed directly to Lieut. Barry at Fort Yuma, California, with "Via San Diego" directive applied by sender, prepaid 10c rate with three 3c dull red (#11) and single 1c blue (#9), West point, New York Sep 14 postmark Early mail reached Fort Yuma, California overland from San Diego via the “Desert Dispatch,” a military courier service across the Colorado Desert. This route was a necessary precursor to portions of later southern overland contract routes.

(MWE Figure 9-3) ex Jessup, Haas, Beals, Kramer and Walske (Image)