• Login (enter your user name) and Password
    Please Login. You are NOT Logged in.

    Quick Search:

  • To see new sales and other StampAuctionNetwork news in your Facebook newsfeed then Like us on Facebook!

Login to Use StampAuctionNetwork.
New Member? Click "Register".

StampAuctionNetwork Extended Features

StampAuctionNetwork Channels
 
You are not logged in. Please Login so that we can determine your registration status with this firm. If you have never registered, please register by pressing the [Quick Signup (New to StampAuctionNetwork)] button. Then Login. Listen to Live Audio!


 
logo

The Richard L. Calhoun Collection of Charleston, South Carolina-The First Year of Secession continued...

Bombardment of Fort Sumter
Lot Sym. Lot Description  
469 c Image"At Ft. Sumter, Jan. 5th & 6th 1861". Pencil notation on yellow cover with 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26) cancelled by pencil "X" and addressed to Mrs. Adelaide Talbot in Washington D.C., with copy of part of the letter from her son, 1st Lieut. Theodore Talbot (original is in Library of Congress), which notes: "Capt. Foster having decided rather suddenly to send his wife away from here I avail myself of the chance to send you a few lines. The So. Car. are determined it seems to cut off our communications and make us as uncomfortable as it is possible for them to do so.", stamp with piece out at upper right and some cover edge flaws

FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF MAIL CARRIED COVERTLY FROM FORT SUMTER AFTER CONFEDERATE FORCES CUT OFF COMMUNICATIONS IN JANUARY 1861.

In retaliation for Union forces moving from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter, the governor of South Carolina ordered all mail communication with Fort Sumter suspended on January 1, 1861, but mail exchange was allowed to resume on January 14. This cover was carried privately, as indicated in the copy of the letter (the original is located in the Library of Congress).

Illustrated and described in Confederate Philatelist, Jul.-Aug. 1983, p. 117 (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $950.00
Will close during Public Auction
470 c ImageCharleston S.C. Feb. 6, 1861. Clear strike of double-circle datestamp, 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26), defective at lower right, cancelled by grid on yellow cover to New York City addressed in the hand of Major Robert Anderson, commander at Fort Sumter, with original autograph letter signed, datelined "Fort Sumter S.C. Feby. 5, 1861", inside of cover with manuscript "Majr. Robert Anderson, Fort Sumter" in the hand of David F. Jamison, president of the Secession Convention, indicating this was originally sent to Major Anderson, then turned and re-used, opened for display, some edge flaws

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ALMOST CERTAINLY A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF MAIL SENT BY UNITED STATES ARMY MAJOR ROBERT ANDERSON, ADDRESSED IN HIS HAND AND ACCOMPANIED BY THE ORIGINAL AUTOGRAPH LETTER WRITTEN DURING THE SEIGE OF FORT SUMTER.

According to Wikipedia, on December 26, 1860, U.S. Army Major Robert Anderson abandoned the indefensible Fort Moultrie, spiking its large guns, burning its gun carriages, and taking its smaller cannon with him to be trained on the city. He secretly relocated to Fort Sumter on his own initiative, without orders from Washington. He thought that providing a stronger defense would delay an attack by South Carolina militia. The fort was not yet complete at the time, and fewer than half of the cannon that should have been available were in place, due to military downsizing by President James Buchanan. Over the next few months, calls to turn over the fort to South Carolina were ignored. Union attempts to resupply and reinforce the garrison were repulsed on January 9, 1861 when the first shots of the war, fired by cadets from the Citadel, prevented the steamer Star of the West, hired to transport troops and supplies to Fort Sumter, from completing the task.

Mail exchange was stopped by the Confederates from January 1 to 14, but resumed thereafter. This is a rare example of mail originating from Fort Sumter during the Confederate siege, and it is even more remarkable for the enclosure from Major Anderson. It is accompanied by a cover addressed to Westchester, New York, in Major Anderson’s hand and postmarked at Charleston on January 15, 1861, probably the first postmark date after mail service from the fort was resumed (soiled cover and non-contemporary writing).

With 1990 Brian Green certificate and signed by him. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 2,000-3,000

SOLD for $2,400.00
Will close during Public Auction
471 c ImageOrdnance Bureau. Semi-official imprint on legal-size cover addressed to "Col. John Cunningham, Commanding late U.S. Arsenal, Cannonsboro", March 26, 1861 docketing at left, minor overall wear, Very Fine, very scarce, Confederate forces had seized the U.S. Arsenal and were preparing for the bombardment of Fort Sumter, this was hand-carried military mail to the arsenal (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $550.00
Will close during Public Auction
472 c Image1c Blue, Ty. V (24). Horizontal pair and two singles, paying 3c postage plus 1c carrier fee to the post office in New York City, one placed over edge and all placed over backflaps to prevent opening by Confederate spies, tied by "New York Mar. 29" circular datestamps on cover addressed over the backflaps in the hand of Lieutenant General Winfield Scott to Major Robert Anderson, the commander of Fort Sumter, address reads "Major Robert Anderson, Commanding Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina", written over flaps to make it additionally tamperproof, slightly reduced at right where opened, affecting one stamp

VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE AND HISTORIC COVER FROM FAMED UNITED STATES ARMY GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT TO MAJOR ROBERT ANDERSON, COMMANDER OF FORT SUMTER DURING THE CONFEDERATE SEIGE.

The letter from General Scott that was once contained in this cover is now in the Library of Congress (copy accompanies). Brief and to the point, General Scott reprimands Major Anderson for comments he made about conditions at Fort Sumter: "I have heard of your declaration to Col. Lamon, indicating a desperate purpose. I forbid it as your commander, it being against your duty both as a soldier & Christian." On April 11 Beauregard sent representatives demanding the surrender of the fort, and on April 12 Confederate shelling of the fort began?, continuing for 34 hours before Major Anderson agreed to evacuate.

Applying the stamps and writing the address on the back of the envelope were no mistake or indeliberate act on General Scott's part. His long history in military campaigns taught him the value of information, and he was probably (and rightfully) suspicious of Confederate spying through mail tampering. To ensure the integrity of the envelope, the address was written across the flaps and the stamps were affixed over the flaps as well. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 2,000-3,000

SOLD for $5,750.00
Will close during Public Auction
473 c ImageMajor R. Anderson, U.S.A., Ft. Sumter So. C. Address on cover in the hand of Lieutenant General Winfield Scott with additional "By Mr. Hurlbut", missing top flap, some overall soiling, still Very Fine and rare example of privately carried military mail from General Winfield Scott to Major Robert Anderson, the commander of Fort Sumter during the Confederate seige (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $2,700.00
Will close during Public Auction
474 c ImageCharleston S.C. Apr. 12, 1861. Two neat strikes of double-circle datestamp tie vertical strip of three of 1c Blue, Ty. V (24), choice centering, on cover to Greenville S.C., minor edgewear, Very Fine, scarce Confederate use, postmarked at Charleston on the day Confederate forces started the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $1,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
475 c ImageCharleston S.C. Apr. 14, 1861. Circular datestamp ties 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26) on lady's embossed cover to Simsbury Conn., with original letter dated April 13th reporting the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter: "yesterday the 12th of April our city was roused about 1/2 [past] four in the morning by the awful sounds of the cannon as they boomed from the different forts... but about 12 or 1 o'clock p.m. on the 13th Major Anderson put up his white flag.", minor edgewear, Very Fine, a rare eyewitness account of the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter, the first military engagement of the Civil War (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 1,000-1,500

SOLD for $5,500.00
Will close during Public Auction
476 c ImageCharleston S.C. Apr. 15, 1861. Neat strike of double-circle datestamp ties 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26) on yellow cover to Darlington C.H. S.C., Very Fine Confederate State use, sent on the day that troops commanded by Major Robert Anderson departed for New York (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $375.00
Will close during Public Auction
477   ImageFort Sumter. Page with title "Officers Commanding Fort Sumter", containing a cut with "Fort Sumter S.C. Feby. 13, 1861", "Yours Sincerely Robert Anderson, Major U.S.A." affixed to page, another larger piece with signatures and ranks of Capt. Abner Doubleday (of baseball fame), Capt. Truman Seymour, 2nd Lieut. Norman Jonathan Hall and Richard Kidder Meade Jr., 1st Lieut. George Washington Snyder and Jefferson Columbus Davis, Capt. (Asst. Surgeon) Samuel Wylie Crawford, Capt. John Gray Foster, also with illustration of Anderson at upper left, few folds of little consequence

VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE ITEM, BEARING SIGNATURES OF THE UNION OFFICERS AT FORT SUMTER WHO WERE PRESENT DURING THE OPENING SHOTS OF THE CIVIL WAR. A WONDERFUL ARTIFACT.

Another officer, 1st Lieut. James Theodore Talbot, was not present during the opening shots of the war, and his signature is not included (a cover addressed by him to his mother is offered in lot 469). Of those that are included, six went on to become Generals. One of the signers, Meade, joined the Confederacy and died of an illness in July 1862. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 3,000-4,000

SOLD for $3,250.00
Will close during Public Auction
478 c ImageStar of the West. Blue folded letter datelined "Havana 23 Aout 1860" and addressed to New York, bold "Steamship 10" in circle handstamp, manuscript "Star of the West" at upper right, some slight wear, Very Fine use from the Lanman & Kemp correspondence, the Star of the West would later be used to attempt to resupply Fort Sumter, she was fired upon and forced to retreat, these were the first shots of the Civil War (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 300-400

SOLD for $160.00
Will close during Public Auction
479 c ImageStar of the West. Folded latter datelined "Havana 4th August 1856", neat "Steamship 10" in circle handstamp, endorsed "Star of the West" at upper left, light horizontal file fold well away from all markings, Very Fine, the Star of the West would later be used to attempt to resupply Fort Sumter, she was fired upon and forced to retreat, these were the first shots of the Civil War (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

 E. $ 300-400

SOLD for $170.00
Will close during Public Auction

Previous Page, Next Page or Return to Table of Contents

StampAuctionCentral and StampAuctionNetwork are
Copyright © 1994-2022 Droege Computing Services, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
Mailing Address: 20 West Colony Place
Suite 120, Durham NC 27705
Back to Top of Page