1861-1865 American Civil War - Confederate States of America

Independent States & CSA Use of US Postage > Georgia & South Carolina - 1st Day of the Confederacy: Feb. 4 1861 (1st Day of Confederacy) docketed cover from SAVANNAH Georgia to CHARLESTON South Carolina, franked 3c per period (US) domestic letter rate using US #26 dull red Washington Type III stamp, tied by round grid obliterator & FEB 5 [1861] local circular date-stamp in field (1s...

1st Day of the Confederate Postal System: stampless JUN 1 1861 postmarked cover from MOBILE Alabama to Dr. W. Hopkins of MACON Mississippi, tied by near-full strike of full-dated double ringed datestamp & boxed PAID 5 handstamp (CSA cat type B - similar but slightly different "5" digit); professionally rebacked with original cover backside; most of the original gum is intact - possibly mailed unse...

Interim Independent / Confederate Tennessee era mail: stampless "MONTVALE Tenn 20th JUNE 1861" manuscript dated cover to "Hon. Howell Cobb, RICHMOND, Virginia", with manuscript notation at top right "Pd 5 Cts".Interesting postal history: the Confederacy suspended Federal mail service within its borders as of 1 June - but not in Tennessee, whose government had not yet passed an Ordinance of Secessi...

Southbound Across-the-Lines Private Express mail: JUL 30 1861 postmarked 3c star-die (POD US watermarked) envelope (US #U27) from LOUISVILLE Kentucky to J. F. Dickinson of MACON Georgia, carried by the Adams Express Company, which tied its full-dated ADAMS EX. CO. circular datestamp to the embossed frank; the manuscript "2/-" near the frank was shorthand for the total express charge to pay over an...

Civil War 'Prize Court' captured "blockade-runner" mail: stampless AUG 15 [1861] postmarked cover from PENDLETON South Carolina to "Emilio Puig, Care of Spanish Consul, CHARLESTON S.C.", tied by full single strike of local circular datestamp in blue & [postage] PAID 5 handstamp (CSA type C) at top right. The year of dispatch is confirmed by the rate paid: on 1 July 1862 the domestic letter rate wa...

Confederate States Navy "MERRIMACK" / drop-letter rate mail: MAY 4 [1862] postmarked outer lettersheet (light-blue lined writing paper) to Mrs. H. Ashton Ramsay, Care of D?Arcy Paul, Esq., PETERSBURG [Virginia], franked 5 cents using a single blue CSA 4-2 stamp with large to full margins, affixed with red sealing wax & tied by single strike of local postmark in blue.The postage paid reflects t...

Confederate Army couriered mail: dateless/stampless cover addressed to "Captain Wm. Devlin, Com'dg C.S.R. Corps, PATTERSONVILLE, La [Louisiana]", with manuscript directive at lower left "Per Courier" & endorsement at top "Official | Hd. Qrs En'g. Officer | Psh of St. Mary". Opened roughly at right (piece missing); opened on all 3 sides for display.The cover was sent from the Headquarters of the En...