CSA 7, 5¢ blue pair tied MARIETTA / GA cds, small surface scrapes, on adversity cover to Richmond made from Post Office form making repeated mention of postage stamps and postal envelopes  $400.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue high-surfactantpair used with manuscript cancel of Loving Creek Va Novr 5 on homemade cover to Miss Elcie Y. Organ, Pigeon Run, Campbell Co Va, Fine obscure small town. $200.

High-surfactant stamps comprise only 11% of CSA 7 stamps tested by Dr. Harry Brittain with FTIR. Much more information on the linked page.

CSA 7, 5¢ blue pair (small faults) with filled in frames at top and right  indicating upper right position on the sheet, tied LYNCHBURG / Va. // AUG / 2 cds on inside use of turned cover addressed to Staunton, Va; outside use is FAYETTEVILLE / N.C. // JUL / 30 double circle with matching handstamped PAID 10 addressed to James McGorman, Rose Cottage, Lynchburg, Va,, Nice turned use $350.

CSA 7, 5¢ blue pair tied neat OXFORD / N.C. // APR / 11 cds on neat cover addressed to “Maj. T. Brown Venable, Care of Gen. Whiting, Wilmington, N.C.”  Military records of Thomas Brown Venable and Maj. Gen. William Henry Chase Whiting included. $400.

CSA 7-R variety, 5¢ blue on local paper with SCRATCHED PLATE (position UL31, recently listed as a constant variety in Scott, not listed in the CSA Catalog but doubtless will be in future editions), vertical crease on right stamp (not on the variety), 4 margins, tied boldly struck GREENSBOROUGH / ALA // MAY / 20 cds on cover to Mrs. Willis Bocock, Taylor’s Station, near Macon, Marengo Co(unty), Ala.; slight edge nick at bottom of cover, RARE on-cover use of this scarce variety, CLOSE-UP OF STAMPS, ex Doug Baker. $400.

Willis Perry Bocock bio on linked page.

CSA 7, pair of 4-margin 5¢ blue tied green CHESTER C.H.  S.C. cds on fresh cover to Charleston, SC, Very Fine. $250.

CSA 7-R pair, 5¢ blue tied neat ANDERSON Tex MAY 9 CDS on cover to Mr. W. H. Neblett, Capt. Stephenson’s Co. (I) Col Elmore’s Regt Galveston Texas. Ex Ralph Swap. $225. 

William H. Neblett sserved in Company I, Texas 20th infantry and Company A, Tennessee 49th infantry. Brief bio on linked page.

CSA 7-R SINGLE, 5¢ dark blue tied RICHMOND VA APR 7 (1863) on commercially-made cover to Henry J. Haynesworth, Petersburg, Va. On July 1, 1862, postal rates increased to a universal 10¢ regardless of distance. The vast majority of covers are franked with pairs. This scarce cover is UNDERPAID by 5¢. Ex Ralph Swap. $400.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue pair (crease and sealed tear) tied with Greenwood (Depot, Virginia) Aug 5th (1863) manuscript small-town postmark (Albemarle County) on clean cover to Philip St. Geo. Ambler, Esq. Cool Well P.O. Amherst Co(unty) Va. Contemporaneous docketing “Charles G. Ambler” as the likely sender and dating it to 1863. Today, there are roughly 550 residents in Greenwood. Scarce small-town postmark. Ex Harrison. $225.

CSA 8, 2¢ brown red (small faults) tied CHARLOTTESVILLE VA October 3 circular datestamp drop use on fresh TURNED COVER locally addressed to George Carr Esq. Charlottesville, Va. Inside use CSA 7, 2 singles of 5¢ dark blue pen canceled with manuscript “Junction Va Mar 26th/63” to Mrs. Wm. T. Early, Charlottesville, Va. Ex Engstler Charlottesville collection and Ex John Vagnetti. Listed both in CSA 8 Covers and CSA 7, Section 1. $700.

George Carr was a prominent Charlottesville attorney. Short bio on linked page.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue pair pen canceled with scarce small-town manuscript postmark of Arnoldton Va Jan 12, 1863 (Campbell County) on LONG INTERESTING 4-PAGE SOLDIER TO SOLDIER LETTER to Joel W. Haden (perhaps Hayden), 4th Reg. Va. Heavy Artillery, Richmond, Va. Care Capt. A. Jorden. Click to see page 1 // Click to see page 2 // Click to see page 3 // Click to see page 4. The edges of the letter pages are digitally clipped in places. It is NOT that way on the actual letter. Ex Harrison. $250.

CSA 7, 5¢ blue pair used with pen cancels on neat cover with COBHAM Va. cds (ms. Sep2 [1862] date) addressed to “Mrs.A. L. Rives, Care of Captain Alfred L. Rives, Engineer Office, War Department, Richmond, Virginia.” Light pencil docketing “Mama 1 Sept 1862” up left edge. Ex Thayer, Thacker and John Vagnetti. $200.

Alfred Landon Rives bio on linked page.

CSA 7, 5¢ blue pair canceled with grid cancels and matching CHAPEL HILL N.C. JUL 4 CDS on TURNED COVER to “Mrs. Mary Curtis, Hillsboro, N.C.”; inside use franked with another pair 5¢ blue tied with indistinct blue cancel and addressed to “Miss E.A. DeRosset Care of Rev. Dr. Curtis, Hillsboro, N.C.” This is correspondence between sisters. Mary DeRosset Curtis was married to Episcopal priest Rev. Moses Ashley Curtis who was a preeminent mycologist renowned among botanists even today.  $200.

CSA 7, 5¢ blue pair, tied by GREENVILLE C.H. S.C. Dec. 24 circular datestamp on small blue turned cover to Major Hutson Lee, Charleston; inside franked with CSA 11c,10¢ greenish blue (4 margins), this is the initial use and is tied by CHARLESTON S.C. DEC 7 circular datestamp addressed to Mrs. Hutson Lee, Greenville C.H., S.C., right 5¢ stamp light crease, 10¢ stamp small corner crease, still fresh and Very Fine. $500.

Major Hutson Lee brief bio on linked page.

CSA 7, 5¢ blue pair tied GUINEYS VA MAR circular datestamp on cover to Miss Rosa I. Glen, 440 King Street, Charleston, So Ca, “Care Penny Post.” CSA Catalog type CS-01, CV $3,500. Listed in both Miscellaneous, section 2, and CSA 7, section 1 covers. $2,000.

CSA 7, 5¢ blue vertical pair tied by blue HILLSBORO N.C. DEC 13 1862 CDS on FORWARDED COVER to Genl P. F. Patterson, Wilkesboro Wilkes Co No Ca., manuscript "Forwarded" and "Due 10" with WILKESBOROUGH, N.C. Dec 19 BALLOON POSTMARK for forwarding; cover with partial back flap, Very Fine. $400.    

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue pair (faulty) tied RICHMOND Va. AUG 26 1862 CDS (type 3f) on attractive adversity cover to G. M. Barkley Williamston PO Anderson District (SC); on verso is soldier’s endorsement of “J. B. Barkley Richmond Va Co. A Marshal Ridgment in cur of Capt J. B. Moore first Ridgment of Rifles (ghastly spelling).” Ex Muldrow. $150.

CSA 7-R-v3, 5¢ blue enormous top left corner sheet margin single, variety with Filled-in Frames on top and left, close but clear at bottom, tied by RICHMOND VA. FEB. 8 (1863) circular datestamp on overpaid drop-rate cover to Hon. R.W. Johnson, Senate Chamber Richmond Va., back flap removed. Pencil docketing at left indicating W.D. Scoggin & N.T. Shear, possibly senders or subject of the letter (not enclosed). An extraordinary stamp and a scarce use. $750. 

Robert Ward Johnson bio on linked page.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue, 2 singles of different shades (small faults) tied RICHMOND VA. DEC 12 (1863) CDS, Powell type 6L used Nov. 1863 to Sept. 1864, on commercially made envelope to Miss Virginia L. Knox, Care of Mr. Thomas F. Knox, Fredericksburg, Va. Cover with bit of edge erosion at left bottom and slightly reduced at left. STAMP AT RIGHT APPEARS TO BE PREVIOUSLY USED, THUS AN ADVERSITY COVER. Re-use of stamps is not solely a modern day problem. Ex Harry Muldrow. $150.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue pair (tiny faults) tied RICHMOND VA. MAY 9 1863 CDS, Powell type 5a, used on May-July 1863. The pale green cover is addressed to M.H. Cook, New Market Dist G.& C.R.R. Abb(eville) District South Carolina with interesting manuscript directive at lower left: “P.M. pleas (sic) forward by the Mill Way Carrier in double quick if you please.” A nice unusual addition to any CSA collection. Ex William A. Fox and Harry Muldrow. $200.

The “Millway Carrier” explanation on the linked page

CSA 7, 5¢ blue pair tied neat blue COLUMBIA  S.C. MAR 9 cds on exeptionally niceturned cover to “Mr. Jas McPhutus, Raleigh, N Ca”; inside is an exceptionally nice CHARLESTON S.C. SEP 3 1861 with matching PAID 10 addressed to “Mr. Jno P. Brown, Liberty, Virginia”, Extremely Fine, ex Cantey. Could easily be opened to show other side.  $450.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue, two pairs (one vertical top sheet margin, other horizontal) paying DOUBLE RATE, tied RICHMOND VA. MAY 29 1863 CDS, Powell type 4d, on cover to Mrs. Humes Care of Rev. Thoms. W. Humes, Knoxville Tenn. Van Dyk McBride pencil note on verso. Ex Harry Muldrow. $225.

Thomas William Humes bio on linked page

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue pair (4 margins) tied grids with matching bold CHAPEL HILL N.C. JAN 15 circular datestamp on cover to Mrs. C.G. Kennedy, Columbia S.C. Ex Paul Boschung. $110.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue – two different shades of  local stamps tied by TUSCALOOSA Al. MAY circular datestamp on cover to Miss Rebecca J. O’Neal, Florence, Ala. Ex Conrad Bush and Paul Boschung. $75.

CSA 7-L, 5¢ blue pair tied by pen cancels and light blurry MONTGOMERY ALA MAY 31 1864 cds on a small legal cover to Hon. Probate Judge, Tuskaloosa, Alaba that originally had a Probate Court certificate enclosed. This, with other legal covers, was the subject of an M. Clinton McGee article in the September 1959 issue of the Confederate Stamp Album (predecessor to the Confederate Philatelist). He related the interesting story of William Forrester and one of his slaves who apparently met their deaths in a common disaster in 1859. Probate dragged on for many years, understandably complicated by the war and a contested will. McGee was certainly the one to tell this story as he was a law professor at the University of Alabama and incorporated the Confederate Stamp Alliance in Alabama. When he wrote this article, the certificate was still enclosed. Somewhere along the line, it was separated from the cover, which is offered alone here; top back flap missing, Ex McGee and Boschung. $160.

CSA 7-R-v8, 5¢ blue pair with bottom of left stamp not printed (this is a listing transient printing variety in the CSA Catalog) tied by a SAVANNAH Ga. Paid MAR 10 (1863) circular date stamp on fresh cover to Louis Manigault Augusta Georgia from Mr. Capers with extensive docketing at upper left. 1987 PF certificate 0173888, Ex Hubert Judd and Paul Boschung. Extremely Fine and choice. $180.

Louis Manigault and Ellison Capers brief bios on linked page.

CSA 7-L, 5¢ blue pair (4 nice margins) tied blue PETERSBURG Va. AUG 27 circular datestamp on fresh folded bank letter to Geo. E. Welsh Esqr. Cashier Danville Va. from David Donnan, Cashier, headed Exchange Bank of Va. Office Petersburg 26th August 1862. Ex Paul Boschung. $130.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue pair (small faults) tied STRAWBERRY PLAINS TENN MAY 3 circular datestamp on cover (roughly opened at right) to Maj. W. B. Modawill (?), McKinley, Alabama. TWO MILITARY LETTERS neatly written in bold ink. One is a “copy” and headed Adjutant & Inspector General’s Office, Richmond April 22 1863 “General Orders No. 48” signed “By Order S. Cooper, Adjutant & Inspector General,” in short, stating that if a soldier tenders his resignation, it shall be accepted. The second letter is addressed to “Dear Buck” headed “Strawberry Plains Tenn May 1st 1863” in which he says he is enclosing the first letter from Col. Moody in reference to his (the writer’s) case. It is signed Saml. E. Chapman; Chapman served in Company B of the Alabama 43rd Infantry as a First Lieutenant. Ex Paul Boschung. $180.

CSA 7-R 5¢ blue pair on local paper tied RICHMOND VA. JAN 24 1863 cds on cover to Mrs. Louisa S. McCord, Columbia So.Ca. Franked "Wm. Porcher Miles, M.C."  (Member of Congress) at upper right, fresh, Very Fine. Ex R. Murphy. Confederate congressmen were permitted to send letters without the prepayment of postage. The postage was to be paid on delivery by the recipient. All letters were to be endorsed with the signature of the congressmen. This privilege was not widely used because congressmen were doubtless reluctant to have their constituents pay to receive their letters. Nonetheless, these endorsements are seen on Confederate mail, usually as a holdover from having been in the U.S. Congress in years prior. $300.

Brief bios on William Porcher Miles and Louisa Susannah Cheves McCord on linked page.

CSA 7, 5¢ blue pair tied SUMTER S.C. APR 27 1863 circle datestamp on cover to B.O. Mauldin, Care of F.M. Jones, Box 548, Richmond, Va., where the cover was redirected to Signal Corps Care of Gen. W.E. Jones, Commanding Valley Dist(rict) Harrisonburg Va. FORWARDED with another pair of CSA 7 tied RICHMOND VA. APR 30 1863; docketing indicating receipt May 19 1863. Original 2-page letter headed Sumter SC April 27, 1863, from “Your affectionate brother J.H. Chamblis” in which he forwards a letter from Prof. Judson. It sounds like the writer is trying to convince him to leave the army for a teaching position at a university. Small stamp and cover faults but overall quite presentable with interesting use and content. Ex Murphy. $325.

Belton Oscar Mauldin bio on linked page.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue pair tied POCOTALIGO S.C. 28 MAY on lovely blue commercially made cover to Hon. James Chestnut Jr. of So Carolina, Richmond, Va. Ex David Burton. $220.

James Chestnut, Jr. and his wife, Mary Boykin Chestnut: bios on linked page.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue vertical pair tied neat clear ATLANTA Ga. NOV 22 1862 circular datestamp on adversity cover fashioned from unused sheet of Mobile, Ala. Steamboat receipts. Addressed to Mrs. R.I. Smith Burnsville Dallas Co(unty) Ala. All 4 flaps fully open so could be shown any way you want. Very pretty despite scuffed corner on bottom stamp. Ex Burton. $150.

CSA 7-L, 5¢ blue top sheet margin pair with filled in frames, tied with blue COLUMBIA S.C. DEC 24 cds on adversity cover fashioned of lined paper. Used over the original CSA 12, 10¢ blue tied with CHARLESTON S.C. DEC  14 cds; addressed to Lt. Col. Wilmot G. de Saussure, Columbia S.C. and FORWARDED back to Charleston. Ex Ashbrook and Burton. $800.

Lt. Col. Wilmot Gibbes DeSaussure bio on linked page

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue pair tied neat light blue PENDLETON SC FEB 4 cds on small adversity cover fashioned from an illustrated page in a botany book, addressed to Miss P.B. Pickens, Newberry So Ca Care of B.D. Boyd Esq. Ex Burton. $220.

CSA 7-R, 5¢ blue pair plus single to pay a RARE 15¢ RATE, manuscript canceled on with COBHAM Va. circular datestamp and ms. Sep 29 date added at center, on fresh cover to Captain Alfred L. Rives, Engineer Office, War Department, Richmond Virginia. Pencil docketing up left end “Mother 28 Sept 1862” and evidence of heavy enclosure necessitating greater rate. On July 1, 1862, the rate changed to a universal 10¢ rate for 1 ounce, so this is an underpayment of what should have been 20¢ or more. There is no evidence of a missing stamp. Perfectly intact wafer-sealed back flap. Ex Burton. $250.

Alfred Landon Rives was one of the two Chiefs of the Corps of Engineers to General Robert E. Lee. Bio on linked page.

CSA 7-L, 2 4-margin singles of 5¢ blue tied beautifully struck blue DUBLIN VA JUL 6 (1862) circular datestamp on fresh commercially made envelope to G.A. Myers Esq., Richmond, Virginia. Ex Bush and Burton $125.

Gustavus Adolphus Myers was considered Richmond's most prominent Jewish citizen. Bio on linked page.

CSA 7-L, 2 overlapping pairs of 5¢ blue tied together by 3 strikes of CHARLESTON S.C. DEC 11 1862 double-circle datestamps on cover to James M. Bee, Care of State Bank, Camden S.C. Ex Kohn and Burton. $250.

James McTavish Bee served as a Confederate general during the Civil War. Bio on linked page.

CSA 7, 5¢ light blue, two singles tied together by SAVANNAH Ga. APR 3 CDS on adversity cover fashioned from printed legal form, addressed to Mrs. G. L. McClesky Care Dr. McClesky, Athens, Ga.; well-known family in Georgia, small tear at top well to left of stamps, Ex Burton. $160.

Green Lee McCleskey MD bio on linked page.