Civil War Era Covers

Here's one that contains a letter.

And...

CSA #1 (first stamp issued by CSA)
Sent from Norfolk VA to Lynchburg VA, March 1862.



Sent from NH to an Army Office in Washington DC.
Sent on Jan 1, 1862, from a Major in McClelland's Army.
The Commander of the NH Volunteers.



Patriotic cover, sent from Louisville KY...

Is this a good time/place to seek member's views on if there is a distinction between "Civil War" covers and "Civil War Era" covers?

Excellent covers, thanks for showing.

My personal belief is that "Civil War era" is most appropriate for describing covers sent during that timeframe (1861-65) but without any specific tie to the War (e.g., Suzie writing Aunt Mary).

I'd use the term "Civil War" covers to describe such items as soldier's mail or War Department correspondence -- covers with a known linkage to the war such as the cover shown below or the Banks' expedition cover posted by ratio411.



The officer who signed the cover, Samuel Breck, would eventually become Adjutant General of the Army in 1897. Born in Middleborough, Massachusetts, Breck entered the Military Academy at West Point in 1851 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of artillery. On November 19, 1861, then-Captain Breck became staff captain assistant adjutant of McDowell's division in the Army of the Potomac. After several intervening assignments, on July 2, 1862, Breck became assistant  in the adjutant general's office in Washington; he held that post through the end of the war. He was in charge of Rolls, Returns, Books, Blanks and business pertaining to the enlisted men of the Regular and Volunteer Forces, and of the records of discontinued commands and the preparation and publication of the Volunteer Army Register. After the war Breck served in various assignments in California, New York, Washington, DC, and Minnesota. He returned to the Adjutant General's office in 1893 as a Colonel and was elevated by President McKinley to Adjutant General of the Army in 1897 with the rank of Brigadier General. He retired in 1898 and died in February 1918. His image follows:

Zipper,

I was trying to elicit a conversation regarding terminology and provenance.

For example, Scott lists a premium for Scott 65s with 1867 or 1868 year date cancels, indicating they continued in use well after the 1865 end of the Civil war.

I meant no criticism and apologize if my post was interpreted as such.

Steve

Yeah... I suppose the "Era" breaks down into 4 very specific sub-catagories.
General Union franked cover,
General Confederate franked cover,
War business,
and Patriotic cover.
I tend to lump it all together.

That's a lovely cover, I.L.S. - as are all the others. Thank you for posting them.

Works for me? You may enjoy mine but I would trade almost anything I have for the ones you've shown! Don't sell yourself short Dave you have a collection to be revered!

I have that problem on this (work) computer using Firefox. (In addition to the myriad other buggy things, but it appears to be only on this computer and only in Firefox.)

I have IE, and still have the issue. I can't figure it out.

This was sent to a soldier in Washington, D.C.

Hi, I.L.S.! Just posted it yesterday. Thought that I should have an actual letter to a soldier since I love Civil War covers. That whole time period is fascinating. I especially love Abe Lincoln. If you're a history buff, read "American Brutus" by Michael W. Kauffman. It puts you in Ford's Theatre as a spectator while the assasssination occurs, and the Petersen boarding house like no other book I've read.

I love it!!