CSA 11c, 10¢ bluish green tied RICHMOND  VA  DEC 10 [1863] on cover to Lt. Wm. K. McKnight, Co. E, 17th Va. Regt., near Ivor Station, P & N. R.R. (Petersburg and Norfolk Railroad) with excellent original letter on CSA War Department / Ordnance Department letterhead date Richmond December 8th, 1863 from Charles to his brother regarding transferring Confederate Personnel to England and saying, in part, “...Col. Rhett has gone to England...The pants you sent... were too small...I carried them down to Mr. Ateller, who superintends the cutting of uniforms and revisions, and he gave me in place of them a larger pair of much finer goods, which he said was the only pair of that kind he had in the house...Everything has become so quiet...I would like it if you could come up and spend Christmas, but I am afraid that eggnog will not flow very freely...Congress meets next Mon., and all eyes are turned towards them in hope something may be done for the currency...as the rate is now 22 [Confederate dollars] for one [Greenback]....” Containing valuable information on location of the 17th Va. during the winter of 1863-64; after Gettysburg, the 17th had retreated to the Culpeper area. Clues in this letter seem to answer the question of whether the unit had accompanied Lee or Pickett. Mentions Hunton’s Brigade; Gen. Eppa Hunton was present at the May 1861 Virginia secession convention; he held the unpopular but prophetic view that secession would avoid war – by leading to a negotiated settlement in which Northern money would be tapped to industrialize the South. The writer’s mention of trading trousers reflects the growing shortage of clothing in the Confederacy; indeed, some Confederate soldiers marched to Gettysburg barefoot. The epic battle might have unfolded rather differently if troops had not detoured, to loot a Pennsylvania shoe factory. Neatly penned in a watery light brown, but bold and legible. Full transcript, other info’ and military records included. $850. 

Charles Henry McKnight (1840-1916) was in Co. A, 17th Virginia Infantry, taken prisoner  at Williamsburg and discharged 9-10-62 for loss of an arm. Postwar, he was a clerk.  Bureau of Ordance 1862-65.

William Presley McKnight (1838-1927) was in Co. E, 17th Virginia Infantry, taken prisoner  at Frazier’s Farm, exchanged and then wounded a month later at Sharpsburg; returned and taken prisoner again at South Anna Bridge, Va (escaped). Rose to the rank of 1st Lieut. Took oath of allegiance 5-31-65 at Alexandria. Postwar he was advertising manager for Alexandria Gazette.