US 26, 3¢ dull red tied FORT SMITH / ARK // FEB / 12 / 1861 double-circle datestamp on fresh cover to Hon. Howell Cobb, President of the Southern Congress, Montgomery, Ala. Restored along the right side to Very Fine appearance. Arkansas did not secede until May, thus this is a Union use to the South but rare nonetheless and with a great address. Ex Doug Baker. $800.

Arkansas Secession: On December 24, 1860, Gov. Henry M. Rector called for the General Assembly to authorize a Secession Convention. Voters approved the convention of February 18, 1861, but elected a majority of delegates who opposed secession. On March 4, the delegates convened, but adjourned after the motion to secede failed. The delegates reconvened on May 6 and this time adopted an Ordinance of Secession. Arkansas was admitted to the Confederacy on May 18.

Thomas Howell Cobb (1815-1868) was a Southern Democrat and prominent politician in both the US and CSA. Cobb was a five-term member of the US House of Representatives and Speaker of the House from 1849 to 1851. He also served as a Secretary of Treasury under President James Buchanan and was the 40th governor of Georgia (1851–1853). He is probably best known as one of the founders of the Confederate States of America, having served as the President of the Provisional Confederate Congress, when delegates of the secessionist states created the Confederacy. Cobb served for two weeks between the foundation of the Confederacy and the election of Jefferson Davis as first President. This made him, as the Speaker of the Congress, provisional Head of State at this time. Cobb subsequently joined the Confederate army and eventually rose to Major General in the Army of Northern Virginia. Much detailed history on him is available online.

Listed in both Independent State-2 and Miscellaneous-1