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Sale 43: The Westpex Sale

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Confederate States: The Monroe Collection: Trans-Mississippi & Railroad Usages

Lots 130-136

Lot 130    

Confederacy, (Trans-Mississippi) 1863, 10¢ Blue, Horizontal Strip of 4. Four mostly large margins (close at top left), fresh bright color, tied by three strikes of blue "Petersburg, Va./Oct. 26" (1863) cds on cover to "Capt. F. P. Leavenworth" in Shreveport, La. with manuscript endorsement "Via Meridian, Miss.", cover colorless embossed corner card of "Collegiate Seminary for Young Ladies, Petersburg, Virginia/Rev. A.J. Leavenworth, Principal" (Dietz Type I) at top left, interesting pen & ink doodling on reverse by recipient, flap torn away, Extremely Fine, Illustrated in the Trepel/Walske book Special Mail Routes of the American Civil War: A Guide to Across-the?Lines Postal History and featured in Jan. - March 2007 issue of the Confederate Philatelist (Pictured in Monroe Book, pg. 59); with 2006 C.S.A. certificate.
Scott No. 11    Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.

ONE OF THE FINEST TRANS-MISSISSIPPI EXPRESS COVERS EXTANT. THE EARLIEST USE OF THE GOVERNMENT EXPRESS, WHICH COMMENCED IN OCTOBER 1863.

This extraordinary Trans-Mississippi Express Mail cover surfaced in 2006 and is one of two known express covers with a college imprint. Because of the blue Petersburg, Virginia, October 26 (1863) postmark, this cover is now the earliest known Trans-Mississippi Express Mail cover. The previous earliest known Trans-Mississippi usage was October 30, 1863. The evidence supporting the crucial year date of 1863 is the fact that the blue Petersburg, Virginia, cancellation was last used on September 1, 1864, which therefore dates this cover as 1863 (CSA Authentication Service Certificate issued).

The envelope was addressed to Captain F. P. Leavenworth (Frederick Peabody Leavenworth) and was sent by Reverend Abner Johnson Leavenworth, father of Captain Leavenworth and Principal of the Collegiate Seminary for Young Ladies.

Frederick Peabody Leavenworth was commissioned as a Captain in early 1862, and served as Ordnance Officer under General E. Kirby Smith in the Trans-Mississippi Department. Captain Leavenworth survived the war and died in 1920.

Realized: $14,500

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Lot 131    

Confederacy, (Trans-Mississippi) 1863, 10¢ Blue, Strip of Four. Ample margins to barely in at bottom left, tied by two strikes of "Austin, Tex." postmarks on Trans-Mississippi Cover to Sumterville, Ala., manuscript. endorsement, "Express Mail Via Shreveport" at bottom left, Very Fine, a very scare and wonderful example of the Trans-Mississippi express mail, As a matter of interest, East-to-West express mail covers clearly out number their West-to-East cousins by about 3 to 1. (Pictured in Monroe Book, pg. 58); with 1989 C.S.A. certificate.
Scott No. 11    Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.

The mighty Mississippi River was the geographical divider of the Confederate States of America. Because of significant Union presence along much of this great waterway and Yankee raiding of nearby towns, the Confederate Post Office Department experienced an inability to provide reliable East-West mail service.

When Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Port Hudson, Louisiana, fell in July 1863, the Union gained complete control of the Mississippi River. A few months before the fall of these two important towns, the Confederate Congress authorized a Trans-Mississippi express mail service to help alleviate the problem. Postmaster General John H. Reagan set a pre-paid rate of 40¢ for each single letter of ½ ounce in weight.

An agreement was signed in Richmond, Virginia, on October 20, 1863, to begin the Trans-Mississippi express service between Meridian, Mississippi, and Shreveport, Louisiana. There was no handstamp used for this service. Only the 40¢ postage and usually a manuscript route marking "Via Meridian" (if westbound) or ''Via Shreveport' (if eastbound) are on express mail envelopes. The earliest known usage of this service is October 26, 1863, which was a westbound cover. The latest known usage is April 1865 (sometime between April 1-12), which was also a westbound cover.

Realized: $4,250

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Lot 132    

Confederacy, (Trans-Mississippi) Folded Letter To Dr. James H. Starr. 1862 Cover to Dr. Starr in Nacogdoches, Texas postmarked with "Minden. La./Jul. 20" cds with matching "Paid 10" handstamps, Very Fine (Pictured in Monroe Book, pg. 60).
Estimate    $500 - 750.

By an act of the Confederate Congress, approved on February 16, 1864, Dr. James Harper Starr was appointed Agent for the Trans-Mississippi Department to manage the operations of the Confederate Post Office Department west of the Mississippi River. This action was necessitated when the Union gained complete control of the Mississippi River. This cover was mailed to Dr. Starr by a friend, James Jackson Bryan, a Louisiana planter. It was sent approximately 18 months before Dr. Starr's appointment. What makes this folded letter most interesting is the information provided to Dr. Starr about a new private Trans-Mississippi express service which was established and running once a month. Mr. Bryan wrote on July 20, 1862:

"There has been a monthly express established between our section of country & the armies east of the Mississippi River. It will leave Shreveport on the 19th of every month and Minden on the 20th. I sent up the letters on yesterday".

It appears that the express service referenced by Mr. Bryan is Hart's Express which was advertised in June 1862 by Mr. J. L. Hart. It serviced both Minden and Shreveport, as well as three other Louisiana towns plus Marshall, Texas. There are no known examples of an envelope that used this express service.

Realized: $400

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Lot 133    

Confederacy, (Trans-Mississippi) Post Office "Non-Express" 10¢ Transmississippi Rate. Cover franked with 1863 10¢ milky blue single tied by red "Alexandria, La./Feb. 23" (1864) cds and addressed to "Miss S. T. Baldwin, Care J.B. Knight, Esq., Munfords Station, Taladega County, Ala." and has a "Via Mobile & Selma" notation which is in the handwriting of the sender, also docketed "June 20th" with the number "36", presumably the docketing means letter number 36 received on June 20 (1864) - almost four months after being mailed, a telltale sign of how difficult it was to get mail across the Mississippi River, Very Fine A Wonderful Rarity, Illustrated in the Trepel/Walske book Special Mail Routes of the American Civil War: A Guide to Across-the?Lines Postal History (Pictured in Monroe Book, pg. 61).
Scott No. 11    Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.

When Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Port Hudson, Louisiana, fell in July 1863, the Union forces gained complete control of the entire Mississippi River. Understandably, this had a dramatic impact on the ability of the Confederate Post Office Department to freely transmit mail between the States east and west of the river. Prior to the fall of these two important cities, Postmaster General John H. Reagan had already anticipated the disastrous effect upon Trans-Mississippi mail routes and began to take extraordinary actions to insure reasonably reliable mail service across the Mississippi River. On May 1, 1863, the Confederate Congress authorized the Post Office Department to establish a Trans-Mississippi express mail service. Postmaster General Reagan set a pre-paid rate of 40¢ for each single letter of ½ ounce in weight. However, the reality was that this new service was not reliable and a very dangerous endeavor which helps to explain why there are only 119 known Trans-Mississippi covers sent after the fall of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

A "non-express" Trans-Mississippi cover is defined as one which was transmitted entirely within the Confederate postal system after the fall of Vicksburg, Mississippi, that reflects a payment of less than 40¢. Included in the inventory of 119 known Trans-Mississippi covers are 8 "non-express" usages. This cover is one of two known West-to-East "non-express" Trans-Mississippi usages (the other six are East-to-West).

Realized: $950

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Lot 134    

Confederacy, (Trans-Mississippi) Soldier's "Due 10" Trans-Mississippi Usage. Manuscript soldier's endorsement "A.M. Erskine, Co. D, 4th Texas Regt., Texas Brigade" on cover to handstamp wife in San Marcos, Texas, postmarked "Richmond, Va./Aug. 12, 1863" cds with matching "Due 10" rate handstamp, endorsed at bottom left "Care of Mr. Noah Basset, Agent of the Texas Depot, Richmond, Virginia", Very Fine (Pictured in Monroe Book, pg. 62).
Estimate    $500 - 750.

This is a wonderful Trans-Mississippi cover is used after the fall of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 4, 1863, but before the Post Office Department's Trans-Mississippi Express Service went into effect on October 20, 1863.

In early July 1863, the 4th Texas Regiment lost more than 25% of the 415 effectives that fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. Private Erskine was one of the lucky soldiers in the regiment to survive the great battle. This letter, which was written a little over one month after the bloody engagement, was sent to the care of the Texas (Supply) Depot at Richmond for determining how to get it to Texas. Since at this time no soldier was returning to Texas that could hand-carry the correspondence, the Texas (Supply) Depot deposited the properly endorsed soldier's letter at the Richmond Post Office where it sent on to Texas via the Confederate postal system.

Realized: $500

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Lot 135    

Confederacy, Bristol V. & T.R.R. (Virginia & Tennessee Rail Road). Light, but fairly clear strike of cds tying 1863-64 10¢ light blue (four large even margins) on cover addressed to Mrs. William M. Blackford (Mary Berkley Blackford) of Lynchburg, Virginia, who was the daughter of former Virginia Governor John Minor and the mother of five Confederate officers, cover with manuscript date of "April 9, 1864" at top left, featured in The Confederate Philatelist (March-April 1986) (Pictured in Monroe Book, pg. 78).
Scott No. 12    Estimate $200 - 300.

There were 113 railroads in operation in the states comprising the Confederacy in 1861. These railroads were not only crucial in the movement of supplies and troops, they also played a critical role in the delivery of mail throughout the South. There are 23 known Confederate railroad postal markings which were applied by either local agents of the railroads or by railroad route agents. Local agents were employed by the railroads and route agents were representatives of the Confederate Post Office Department. Bristol was a railroad station in Virginia on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.

Realized: $400

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Lot 136    

Confederacy, Va. C.R.R./Cobham/Aug. 6 (Virginia Central Rail Road). Cds tying 1863-64 10¢ light blue (four margins, small abrasion) on cover addressed to "Lieut. Col. Alfred L. Rives, Engineer Bureau, War Department" in Richmond, Virginia, prior to this assignment, he was the Engineering Officer on the staff of Major General John B. Magruder, also included is a second cover from Lieutenant Colonel Rives to his wife in "Cobham Depot V.C.R.R., Virginia", and franked with 1863-64 10¢ milky blue (#12, four margins) tied by a "Richmond, Va./June 13, 1863" cds, Very Fine, The Virginia Central Railroad, Cobham, Virginia, cancellation is one of 23 Confederate railroad postal markings. (Pictured in Monroe Book, pg. 79).
Scott No. 11, 12    Estimate $200 - 300.

Realized: $425

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Lots 130-136

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