The NAPEX Sale

1862 (Aug. 4) Wooster, Ohio to Army of the Ohio via Nashville Tenn., orange cover bearing 3¢ rose (65) tied by circular grid, matching partial "Wooster O. Aug 4, 1862" cds addressed to E.Y. Warner, Chaplain 3rd O.v. Cavalry, Sixth Division, Army of the Ohio, via Nashville, blue "Nashville Tenn. Aug 17" cds with bold " FORWARDED " and " FREE " between arced bars handstamps back to Wooster Oh., 1862 docketing at top left; missing bottom flap with small edge mend, F.-V.F. and unusual Civil War free forwarded use.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $300 - 400.

Adjutant General's Office, Official Business, imprint envelope free franked "W.a. Nichols, Asst. Adjutant General" entering mails with "Washington City, Feb 6" cds to Capt. J.R. Paxton, 15th Inf., Asst Supt Ohio Vol. Rectg. Service and Must'g. Disbg. Officers, Columbus, Ohio, forwarded to Camp Dennison with "Columbus O. Feb 10" cds and matching prison bar grid fancy cancel tying 3¢ rose (65) , clipped corner; cover barely reduced at right, F.-V.F. and unusual forwarded free use, ex-Richard Graham .

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

Nichols was an Assistant Adjutant General, one of those who handled the paperwork of the Civil War. Since his franking privilege on Official Business covered forwarding, the stamp on this cover was not required. He was promoted to Bvt. Brig. General on Sep. 24, 1864 for meritorious and faithful services during the war, and Bvt. Major General on March 13, 1865 for same.

1864 (Nov. 2) Nashville Tenn. to Commanding Officer, 10th Regiment, Kentucky Vols., Ringgold Ga., cover addressed " To The Commanding Officer, 10th Regiment, Kentucky Volunteers " that were located at " Ringgold Ga. " at this time and address updated, entered mails with partial "Nashville Ten. Nov 2" duplex, partial " Due 4 " in circle handstamp for 2¢ drop rate plus unpaid 2¢ penalty fee, red ms. "K", carried by military courier to Ringgold; some number tallying, reduced at right with small mend, F.-V.F.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $200 - 300.

The 10th Kentucky Regiment was part of the Union Army. Nashville and Ringgold were under Union Control. There were no post offices operating in Georgia at this time. The addressee was most likely part of a command structure in Nashville. So the cover was treated as a drop letter in Nashville and delivered by the military to the officer in Ringgold Ga.

1864 (Jul. 14) Baltimore Md. to Franklin Oh. forwarded twice, cover bearing 3¢ rose (65) tied by blue "Baltimore Md. Jul 14 '64" duplex on cover to Franklin, Ohio, apparently missent with "Miamisburg O. Jul 20" cds and 3¢ rose (65) canceled by circular grid cancel to Franklin Oh., forwarded back to Miamisburg with "Franklin O. Jul 21" cds and 3¢ rose (65) at left canceled by matching grid, original letter datelined " Fort Federal Hill, July 14, 1864 " sent home reading in part " I know there is at Present great excitement at the North & I suppose at home in regard to the Invasion of this state by a strong force of Rebs. Consequently I take advantage of every mail to let you know that I am well…I will state in this that although we were small in numbers here at the outset, we have now been reinforced and feel perfectly secure. We have at all times felt able to hold the Forts not withstanding the City might be taken, but the Rebs now of all our arrangements to receive them and have left the vicinity, the loss of men has not been great on eather side but as the Rebs were the attracting party, they suffered the most after making raids around this city and burning a few RR bridges, they worked down toward Washington hoping to find it poorly guarded but although there were but a small number of out soldiers they were good ones and repulsed the attack handsomely…Our mails now go to Philadelphia by water but they are only kept back about a day longer… "; reduced slightly at left, Very Fine and rare Civil War missent and forwarded use with a first hand account of the Confederate Johnson-Gilmor Raid.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $400 - 600.

The Johnson-Gilmor Raid of July 10-13, 1864 around Baltimore represents one of three attempts to free prisoners of war during the American Civil War. Like the other two, it was destined to fail for a variety of reasons, mostly because the timetable for the operation was a schedule impossible to meet. The mounted raid was a fascinating act of increasing desperation by the Confederate high command in the summer of 1864.