Lot
388 
Confederacy, 1862 (Aug. 11) Niesky, Saxony to Washington D.C., blue cover addressed to soldier E. Weiss, Douglas Hospital Teut. 2, Co. J., Washington D.C., framed "Niesky, 11/8" origin datestamp and endorsed "via Hamburg", Hamburg (8.15.62) backstamps with red crayon "6½" credit, Bremen (8.16) framed backstamp, red "PAID." framed handstamp with matching "10" credit handstamp, carried by NGL Line Bremen from Bremerhaven Aug. 17th to New York arriving Sep. 2nd, partial strike of red "New York 'Paid' Sep 2" exchange cds and manuscript "Returned to duty 41 NY vols", pencil "has been discharged", pink "War Dep't, 1872" filing handstamp at left with matching pink manuscript filing notes, reverse with blue "Second Auditors Office, Sep 26 1872" backstamp, blue manuscript "retour", black "Franco" straightline and blue ms. rating, reverse with red "Am Bestimmungsorte / nicht abgefowlert." framed handstamp (Not Collected at Final Destination); reduced slightly at left, Very Fine. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
A REMARKABLE TRANSATLANTIC CIVIL WAR USE HELD UNTIL AFTER THE WAR AND RETURNED TO THE SENDER 10 YEARS AFTER SENDING.
This was a letter from Germany to a German immigrant serving with the Army during the Civil War, addressed to an Army Field Hospital. The letter must have been kept at the War Office Department until 1872 when returned to the sender.
Realized: $1,250