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The Steven C. Walske Collection of Special Mail Routes of the American Civil War continued...

Flag-of-Truce Mail: Richmond-Old Point Comfort
Lot Sym. Lot Description  
115 c To Montreal, Canada.> Flag-of-truce inner envelope originating ca. 1863 in the C.S.A. and addressed to Mrs. J. S. Lathrop in <Montreal, Canada,> outer envelope paying C.S.A. postage discarded at exchange point, <U.S. silver half-dime> originally affiTo Montreal, Canada. Flag-of-truce inner envelope originating ca. 1863 in the C.S.A. and addressed to Mrs. J. S. Lathrop in Montreal, Canada, outer envelope paying C.S.A. postage discarded at exchange point, U.S. silver half-dime originally affixed to this cover to pay U.S. postage, 3c Rose (65) affixed over half-dime paste-up and then removed, traces of stamp remain, no U.S. postmarks, endorsed "via Flag of Truce" and pencil "Exd. W(?)" censor notation, "10" due handstamp as the 3c stamp did not pay the rate to Canada, "Montreal JA 14" (1864) receiving backstamp, a few folds (probably from insertion into outer envelope)

A RARE FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER VIA OLD POINT COMFORT TO CANADA.

Flag-of-truce mail to any destination beyond the U.S. borders is extremely rare. S. Jones Lyman, to whose care this cover is addressed, published an amateur florist's guide in 1863. (Image)

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 E. 2,000-3,000

SOLD for $2,100.00
Will close during Public Auction
116 c Old Point Comfort, Va.> Cover to Philadelphia Pa. with <10c Blue, Paterson (2),> four margins, tied solely by bold Old Point Comfort Va. Feb. 5 (1863) double-circle datestamp, repeated at left with manuscript <<1863>> written twice, cover slightlOld Point Comfort, Va. Cover to Philadelphia Pa. with 10c Blue, Paterson (2), four margins, tied solely by bold "Old Point Comfort Va. Feb. 5" (1863) double-circle datestamp, repeated at left with manuscript "1863" written twice, cover slightly reduced at top, small tear at left and piece of backflap missing

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A REMARKABLE AND BEAUTIFUL ACROSS-THE-LINES USAGE.

Northbound flag-of-truce covers were normally franked with U.S. postage and, if not additionally franked with Confederate postage, were enclosed in an outer Confederate-franked or hand-carried cover addressed to the point of exchange. The exchange clerk at Old Point Comfort evidently allowed this cover to pass with a Confederate stamp.

With 1993 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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 E. 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $3,500.00
Will close during Public Auction
117 c Old Point Comfort, Va.> Small civilian flag-of-truce inner cover, with enclosed letter datelined <<Pickalord?, August 29th 1864>> to Baltimore, outer cover with C.S.A. postage discarded, bearing 3c Rose (65), tied by quartered cork (replaced bulls-Old Point Comfort, Va. Small civilian flag-of-truce inner cover, with enclosed letter datelined "Pickalord?, August 29th 1864" to Baltimore, outer cover with C.S.A. postage discarded, bearing 3c Rose (65), tied by quartered cork (replaced bulls-eye at Old Point Comfort in March 1864), entered U.S. mails with "Old Point Comfort Va. Sep. 14" double-circle datestamp, lengthy contents refer to "your letter by flag of truce of the 5th inst. was received...", and "I enclose you four stamps. I believe this is not prohibited and you can return the compliment.", letter with numerous reinforced splits, cover Very Fine, an immaculate flag-of-truce cover sent via Richmond and Old Point Comfort (Image)

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 E. 500-750

SOLD for $275.00
Will close during Public Auction
118 c Forkland Ala.> Civilian flag-of-truce cover from Forkland to Mount Sterling Kentucky, endorsed <<Via Flag of Truce, Richmond Va.>> at top, mixed franking with <10c Blue, Die A (11),> large even margins and fine impression, tied by Forkland Ala. bForkland Ala. Civilian flag-of-truce cover from Forkland to Mount Sterling Kentucky, endorsed "Via Flag of Truce, Richmond Va." at top, mixed franking with 10c Blue, Die A (11), large even margins and fine impression, tied by "Forkland Ala." brownish-black circular datestamp and "Old Point Comfort Va. Oct. 20" double-circle datestamp, U.S. postage paid by 3c Rose (65), straddle-pane margin at right, tied by grid

EXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKEBLY FRESH AND CHOICE CIVILIAN FLAG-OF-TRUCE USAGE THROUGH RICHMOND AND OLD POINT COMFORT.

Ex Richey, Shenfield, Gallagher and Sevenoaks. Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 92) (Image)

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 E. 2,000-3,000

SOLD for $5,250.00
Will close during Public Auction
119 c Greenwood S.C.> Two civilian flag-of-truce covers to Hamilton N.Y., both franked with 3c Rose (65) affixed over the spot where <pasted Trime silver coins> originated (both stamps defective from removal, coins no longer present), first cover with orGreenwood S.C. Two civilian flag-of-truce covers to Hamilton N.Y., both franked with 3c Rose (65) affixed over the spot where pasted "Trime" silver coins originated (both stamps defective from removal, coins no longer present), first cover with original contents docketed "Greenwood December 12" and "Flag of Truce Steamer James River", stamp tied by "Old Point Comfort Va. Jan. 7, 1863" double-circle datestamp, docketed on front "wrote December 12/62" and "No. 7" to identify the cover in the series, second cover with no contents and origin identified by first cover, stamp tied by "Annapolis Md. Jan. 29, 1863" circular datestamp, docketed "No. 12", both with small backflap tears, Fine appearing and fascinating pair of civilian flag-of-truce covers evidencing coin paste-ups to pay postage (Image)

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 E. 750-1,000

CLOSED
Will close during Public Auction
120 c Richmond Va.> Flag-of-truce cover from the Capt. John J. Miller correspondence, sent from Richmond to St. Louis Mo., original enclosure datelined <<Richmond Va. May the 14th 1864>>, manuscript <<Care of Mr. Jno. Burd>>, 3c Rose (65) with choice cRichmond Va. Flag-of-truce cover from the Capt. John J. Miller correspondence, sent from Richmond to St. Louis Mo., original enclosure datelined "Richmond Va. May the 14th 1864", manuscript "Care of Mr. Jno. Burd", 3c Rose (65) with choice centering tied by quartered cork, "Old Point Comfort Va. Jun. 18" circular datestamp, couple minor corner nicks, Very Fine, a beautiful cover sent by Richmond and Old Point Comfort, the large correspondence between John Miller, a C.S.A. officer and native of St. Louis, and his fiancee Mary Elizabeth Burd produced a number of flag-of-truce as well as P.O.W. covers, John Miller joined Company B, 12th Regiment, Missouri Cavalry on September 2, 1861, the enclosed letter gives explicit instructions to his fiancee on how to send a flag-of-truce letter, "Direct your letters to this place, care of Harrison, Goddin & Apperson, enclose the letter with a Confederate States stamp on it (I enclose you 5) in a larger envelope directed to Maj. Gen. B.F. Butler Commanding Dept Va. Fortress Monroe Va. Write per flag of truce boat on the envelope..." (Image)

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 E. 400-500

SOLD for $300.00
Will close during Public Auction
121 c Richmond Va.> Flag-of-truce cover from the Capt. John J. Miller correspondence, sent from Richmond to St. Louis Mo., original enclosure datelined <<Richmond Va. June 5th 1864>>, manuscript <<Care of Mr. Jno. W. Burd>>, 3c Rose (65) well-centeredRichmond Va. Flag-of-truce cover from the Capt. John J. Miller correspondence, sent from Richmond to St. Louis Mo., original enclosure datelined "Richmond Va. June 5th 1864", manuscript "Care of Mr. Jno. W. Burd", 3c Rose (65) well-centered and tied by quartered cork, "Old Point Comfort Va. Jun. 16" circular datestamp, Very Fine, the enclosed letter states "I have no assurance you will get it -- the flag of truce mail is so irregular & uncertain", this observation is born out by the fact that the letter in the prior lot was written almost three weeks earlier, yet entered the U.S. mails at Old Point Comfort two days later than this letter (Image)

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 E. 400-500

SOLD for $300.00
Will close during Public Auction
122 c Andersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter).> Wallpaper cover to Lewiston Me. with <<Exd. H.W. In Extremis>> <examiners marking applied by Camp Commandant Capt. Henry Wirz> at top, endorsed <<from prisoner of war>>, <5c Blue, Local Print on London Paper (7Andersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter). Wallpaper cover to Lewiston Me. with "Exd. H.W. In Extremis" examiner's marking applied by Camp Commandant Capt. Henry Wirz at top, endorsed "from prisoner of war", 5c Blue, Local Print on London Paper (7 var) underpays the 10c rate, tied by "Andersonville Ga." circular handstamp, entered U.S. mails with "Old Point Comfort Va. Aug. 25" double-circle datestamp, "Due 6" circular handstamp, some slight wear and sealed tear on back

A SPECTACULAR PRISONER-OF-WAR COVER FROM ANDERSONVILLE, CENSORED BY THE NOTORIOUS PRISON COMMANDANT HENRY WIRZ. THIS COVER WAS MADE FROM WALLPAPER AND CARRIED ON THE RICHMOND-OLD POINT COMFORT FLAG-OF-TRUCE ROUTE. ONE OF THE FINEST ANDERSONVILLE COVERS KNOWN.

The Andersonville prison, officially known as Camp Sumter, was the largest Confederate military prison during the Civil War and the most dreaded by Union soldiers. On March 27, 1864, Captain Henry Wirz assumed command of the stockade. By the end of the war, 12,913 of the approximately 45,000 Union prisoners held there had died, mostly from starvation and disease. After the war, Wirz was charged with conspiracy and murder by Federal authorities. His trial was held in the Capitol building in Washington and presided over by Union General Lew Wallace. A number of former prisoners testified on conditions at Andersonville, many accusing Wirz of specific acts of cruelty (some of these accounts were later called into question by historians as exaggerated or false). The court also heard from Confederate officers and considered official correspondence from captured Confederate records. Wirz presented evidence that he pleaded to Confederate authorities to obtain more food and maintained that he tried to improve the conditions for the prisoners. Wirz was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. On November 10, 1865, he was hanged in Washington at the site of the current Supreme Court building -- the only Confederate official to be tried, convicted and executed for war crimes resulting from the Civil War. There are approximately 32 covers known from the prison today.

Illustrated in Harrison (p. 22) (Image)

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 E. 10,000-15,000

SOLD for $21,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
123 c Andersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter).> Cover from prisoner-of-war Pvt. J. W. Merrill to Perry N.Y., endorsed <<Prisoners Letter>>, no censor mark, mixed franking with C.S.A. postage to Richmond paid by <10c Blue, Die B (12)>, edges a bit rough, tied byAndersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter). Cover from prisoner-of-war Pvt. J. W. Merrill to Perry N.Y., endorsed "Prisoners Letter", no censor mark, mixed franking with C.S.A. postage to Richmond paid by 10c Blue, Die B (12), edges a bit rough, tied by indistinct "Andersonville Ga." circular handstamp and segmented cork, U.S. postage paid by 3c Rose (65), tied by segmented cork, "Old Point Comfort Va. Aug. 25" double-circle datestamp

VERY FINE. A GORGEOUS MIXED-FRANKING PRISONER-OF-WAR COVER FROM ANDERSONVILLE PRISON VIA RICHMOND AND OLD POINT COMFORT.

Julian Weaton Merrill enlisted as a private in the 24th New York Battery on August 30, 1862. According to the Civil War Plymouth Pilgrims Descendents Society website, he was captured on April 20, 1864, at Plymouth N.C. and sent to Andersonville before being exchanged on November 20, 1864. While at Andersonville, a mock election was held in the stockade on Nov. 4, 1864, to decide between the two candidates for President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln and former Commander of the Army of the Potomac George B. McClellan. Merrill opened the meeting by singing "Columbia the Gem of the Ocean" and served as a ballot clerk for the election. Lincoln won the election by a vote of 945-795. Merrill survived Andersonville and in 1870 wrote a history of the 24th N.Y. Battery. He died in 1912 at the age of 71.

With 1984 P.F. certificate (Image)

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 E. 5,000-7,500

SOLD for $5,750.00
Will close during Public Auction
124 c Andersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter).> Cover to Dedham Mass. with original letter datelined <<Confederate Prison Anderson Ga. March 6. 1864>>, endorsed <<(via flag of truce)>>, with <<Exd J.C.S.>> censor mark at top, C.S.A. postage paid by <10c BlueAndersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter). Cover to Dedham Mass. with original letter datelined "Confederate Prison Anderson Ga. March 6. 1864", endorsed "(via flag of truce)", with "Exd J.C.S." censor mark at top, C.S.A. postage paid by 10c Blue, Die B (12), manuscript cancel "Mar 9" and tied by provisional "Andersonville Ga." circular handstamp with second strike to the right of the stamp, entered U.S. mails with "Old Point Comfort Va. Mar. 24" double-circle datestamp, "Due 6" circular handstamp for unpaid letter, bottom of stamp torn but complete

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER FROM A PRISONER AT ANDERSONVILLE SENT VIA RICHMOND AND OLD POINT COMFORT.

Harrison lists two examined markings from Andersonville in addition to "Exd. H.W." of Henry Wirz. The "J.C.S." marking is listed as used in February 1865 by an unknown censor. This cover shows that the officer who used those initials was censoring letters at least eleven months prior to February 1865.

Illustrated in Special Routes (p. 238) (Image)

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 E. 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $4,250.00
Will close during Public Auction
125 c Andersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter).> Inner wallpaper cover from prisoner-of-war to Washington D.C., endorsed <<Via Richmond, City Point and Flag of Truce Boat to U.S. Lines,>> censored at top <<Ex H.W.>> by <Camp Commandant Capt. Henry Wirz,> Old PAndersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter). Inner wallpaper cover from prisoner-of-war to Washington D.C., endorsed "Via Richmond, City Point and Flag of Truce Boat to U.S. Lines", censored at top "Ex H.W." by Camp Commandant Capt. Henry Wirz, "Old Point Comfort Va. Jul. 18" double-circle datestamp and "Due 6" handstamp for unpaid rate, opened for display, very fresh

EXTREMELY FINE. A SPECTACULAR FLAG-OF-TRUCE WALLPAPER COVER FROM ANDERSONVILLE PRISON WITH THE COMMANDANT HENRY WIRZ CENSOR MARK.

This cover combines all of the elements of an outstanding flag-of-truce usage. It was sent from a Union prisoner in the most infamous C.S.A. prison of the war and examined by the Camp Commandant who became the only official to be tried, convicted and executed for war crimes. It has clear markings, is an adversity usage and is as fresh as the day it was mailed.

Ex Birkinbine (Image)

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 E. 5,000-7,500

SOLD for $11,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

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