The C.A. Stillions Collection of Washington D.C. Postal History

1862 (Jan. 4) Erie Pa. to Sanitary Commission, Washington D.C., cover bearing 3¢ rose (65) tied by "Erie, Pa. Jan 4" cds to Rev. Olmstead, "Washington D.C., Jan 6, 1862" with red manuscript " Not Known at the Sanitary Commission "; a month later second mailing bearing 3¢ rose (65) tied by "Erie Pa., Feb 23" cds on cover to Rev. Olmstead as Chaplain Fairfax Street Hospital, Alexandria Va., missing flap, minor stain, F.-V.F. correspondence pair showing the location of Rev. Olmstead.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

1862 (Feb. 4) Washington D.C. to Davenport, Iowa, cover with neat " Dead Letter Office, P.O. Dpt. " double-oval, entered mails with "Washington D.c., Feb 4, 1862" cds and bold " DUE 6cts " straightline; couple edge tears, partial flap, otherwise Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $300 - 400.

Cover was not held for postage at mailing office, but incorrectly forwarded on to Davenport. The addressee did not pay the amount due and letter sent to the Dead Letter Office, where opened and writer determined for return to sender. Letter marked double deficiency.

1862 Flag-of-Truce Mail: Via Norfolk Va. to Alexandria Va., inner cover to Alexandria Va. endorsed " Via Norfolk & Flag of Truce " at top, pencil " R.S.R. " examiner's mark, clear "DUE 6cts" handstamp and matching "Dead Letter Office, Mar 6, 1862" cds, entered mails with "Washington D.C., Mar 6, 1862" cds; cover tears, soiling and wear, part of flap missing, Fine and scarce D.L.O. use.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $400 - 600.

1863 Flag-of-Truce Mail: Columbia S.C. to East Otto N.Y., inner cover sent via civilian Flag of Truce by Anna R. Tuthill of Columbia, South Carolina to her sister in East Otto, N.Y., the letter was sent to the Richmond to be censored, top left corner with manuscript examiner censor marking " Ex JMH ", bearing obsolete U.S. 3¢ dull red (26) left uncanceled, cover sent to Dead Letter Office with "Dead Letter Office, P.O. Dpt." double-oval backstamp and straightline "Due 6cts" straightline tying 3¢ adhesive, entered mails with "Washington, D.C., Apr 14, 1863" cds; cover with minor soiling and wear, small piece of flap missing, Fine and rare use, a wonderful usage (Pictured in Monroe Book on p. 95), ex-Monroe, Barlow ; with 2009 C.S.A. certificate.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $1,000 - 1,500.

A SCARCE CIVIL WAR FLAG-OF-TRUCE COVER SENT TO THE US POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT DEAD LETTER OFFICE.

This fascinating cover which originated in Columbia, S.C. was sent to the Confederate War Department in Richmond, Virginia, to be censored prior to being forwarded to Fortress Monroe, Virginia. Once past the Confederate censorship, the inner envelope was sent to Fortress Monroe where it was rejected and sent on to the US Post Office Department Dead Letter Office in Washington, DC. It may have been sent there because of the demonetized 3 cent stamp. but more likely because of non-regulation contents which were later excised from the letter. In any event, the letter was sent on to East Otto, New York, with a Washington, DC, April 14, 1863 cancellation. A handstamped "DUE 6 cts" was added to pay for the postage from Fortress Monroe to the Dead Letter Office, and from the Dead Letter Office to East Otto.

The examiner was a clerk in the War Department named John M. Higgins who ironically was imprisoned for his Union sentiments just before he was hired by the War Department to censor prisoner-of-war and civilian Flag of Truce letters.

1863 Flag-of-Truce Mail: Richmond Va. to Litiz Pa., buff cover to Revd E.A. De Schweinitz with " Dead Letter Office, P.O. Dpt. " dateless double-oval backstamp struck on flap, endorsed " Flag Truce Via Forts Monroe " at bottom left and with 10¢ blue, frameline (10) affixed to pay the Confederate postage tied by Richmond "Mar." cds and properly peeled off at the exchange point, the sender attempted to pay the U.S. postage by affixing a half-dime at the top left, the imprint of which is clearly visible (a replacement coin accompanies), none of this was accepted by the postal authorities and the cover was sent to the Dead Letter Office. "Washington D.C., Apr" double-circle datestamp struck upon release along with bold "DUE 6cts." rating handstamp for unpaid postage; minor soiling and edge nick., Very Fine and fascinating attempted through-the-lines use.

C.S.A. Catalog No. UDL-01 ; $2,500  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.

This attempted Flag-Of-Truce use with manuscript directive was sent during the September 1862 - July 1863 period when flag-of-truce mail was suspended (see Walske-Trepel Special Routes book, Chapter 5).

Edmund Alexander de Schweinitz (1825-1887): In 1856, Edmund was consecrated as a presbyter by Bishop Peter Wolle. In 1861, Edmund and family moved to Lititz, Pa., where Edmund worked as a pastor from 1861-1864 and established the weekly journal of his church and served as editor of The Moravian, 1861-1867. He was an American bishop of the Moravian Church. His papers are housed at Lehigh University.

1863 (Aug. 9) Washington D.C. to West Rutland Vt., cover endorsed "Soldiers Letter, C. Trepp" with "Washington D.C., Aug 9, 1863" with attached "Due 6" rating; reduced slightly at left, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $75 - 100.

1863 (Aug. 20) Washington D.C. to Maj. Genl. Hitchkock, buff cover with sharp "Washington D.C., Aug 20, 1863" cds and pencil " Due 8 " rating addressed to Major General Hitchcock, Washington D.C., endorsed " Exchange of Prisoners " at bottom left; no back flap, Very Fine and unusual use.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

Major General Ethan Allen Hitchcock, grandson of Ethan Allen, served as Commissioner for Prisoners of War from 1862 to the end of the Civil War.

1863 (Nov. 30) Washington D.C. to Army of the Potomac, Virginia, narrow cover bearing 2¢ black (73) tied by quartered cork duplexed with "Washington D.C. Nov 30 '63" cds attractively addressed in magenta to Capt. D. Frank Ritchie, Battery "C" 1st N.Y. Artillery, Headquarters Artillery Brigade, 5th Army Corps, Army of Potomac, Virginia; reduced slightly at left with small tear, Very Fine and scarce drop use.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

Washington City drop letter letter rate to troops with the Army of the Potomac could be used because all mail for the Army of the Potomac was exchanged at the Washington City post office. Thus, this is a local letter. Battery C, First New York Artillery was in Virginia from November 1863 to April 1865.

1863 (Dec. 13) Washington D.C. to Army of the Potomac, Virginia, narrow cover bearing 2¢ black (73) straddle s.e. tied by four-rings duplexed with "Washington D.C. Dec 13" cds addressed to Capt. D. Frank Ritchie, Battery "C" 1st N.Y. Artillery, Headquarters Artillery Brigade, 5th Army Corps, Army of Potomac, Virginia; reduced slightly at left with small tear, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

1864 (Jun. 9) U.S. Christian Commission, Washington D.C., orange imprint cover bearing 3¢ rose (65) s.e. tied by radial geometric cancel duplexed with "Washington D.C., Jun 9, 1864" cds to Somerspoint N.J.; reduced slightly at left, Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

1865 (Mar. 6) Washington D.C. to East Farnham, Canada East, orange cover with "Washington D.C. Mar 6' 65" cds and matching "Due 3" rating handstamp updated with "10" in circle pence due handstamp at exchange office, reverse with Montreal (3.14) and Sweetsburgh (3.15) backstamps, original letter datelined " Camp Wainwright, Virginia, March 4th 1865 mentions " …Everything quiet on both sides…the Rebs are coming into our lines every day a section of Artillery men and all come in a few days ago in our front and also a party of six men were sent out by the … to get a load of wood and after they got loaded they drove into our lines with the load… ", signed by M.C. Thompson, Battery F 5th U.S. Artillery, Artillery Brigade 5th Army Corps, Army Potomac; cover reduced at left, F.-V.F. and scarce cross-border soldier letter.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.