Lot
154 
Port Royal S.C., Mar 14, 1863, double circle postmark on Col. E.D. Baker, "Killed at the Battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia, Oct. 21st, 1861", red and blue mourning patriotic design showing weeping lady liberty with draped flag over portrait, Gates imprint, on cover to Switzerland with neat "Port Royal S.C., Mar 14, 1863" origin cds and matching "Due" oval with manuscript "21" cent rating for 21¢ French mail rate, endorsed "N.Y.V., Army Letter" and "via Southampton", black "New York '18' Mar 21" exchange debit cds, carried by HAPAG Line Teutonia from New York Mar. 21st to Southampton arriving Apr. 3rd, red Calais (4.3.63) transit cds, Laufenburg arrival backstamp, Very Fine and rare transatlantic patriotic use. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A STUNNING COL. E.D. BAKER MOURNING PATRIOTIC DESIGN BY GATES SENT FROM UNION SOLDIER AT PORT ROYAL S.C. TO SWITZERLAND.
In response to President Abraham Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers to help defend the nation's capital following the fall of Fort Sumter to Confederate forces in mid-April 1861, Col. E.D. Baker raised a regiment at the dawn of the American Civil War, recruiting soldiers from New York City and Philadelphia. Offered a commission as brigadier-general of volunteers on May 17, 1861, he declined the honor, opting instead to serve as the Colonel of the 71st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and Major-General of volunteers 1861. However, his tenure was short-lived. On October 21, 1861, he was killed in the Battle of Balls Bluff, Virginia.
Realized: $1,250