CSA 12c, 10¢ bluish green (small faults) tied RICHMOND VA. SEP 9 1863 circular datestamp on small mourning cover toLieut. Duncan G. Campbell Care of Gen’l J.F. Gilmer Charleston South Carolina. Displays beautiful with top flap open. Click here to see the full back of the cover. Stationer’s imprint under top flap: PHILP & SOLOMONS  AGTS WASHINGTON D.C. Light contemporaneous pencil “Ex” at upper left. Ex Renate W. Thayer. $400.  

Duncan Green Campbell (1835-1888) was the only son of John Archibald Campbell (1811-1899), who was Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court (1853-1861) and Assistant Secretary of War in the Confederate government (1862-65), and Anne Esther Goldthwaite (1804-1883). He was probably named for his paternal grandfather Duncan Green(e) Campbell for whom Campbell County, Georgia was named. This Duncan married Ella S. Calvert (1840-1902) in 1861; they had four children together. She probably lived in Richmond with her father-in-law during the war. He served as a lieutenant in the Confederate Engineer Corps. He was promoted to captain in March 1864, and he served until April 1865. He settled in New Orleans after the war.

Maj. Gen. Jeremy Francis Gilmer (1818–1883) was an American soldier, mapmaker, and civil engineer most noted for his service as the Chief Engineer of the CS Army as a major general; he oversaw the planning of the elaborate defenses of Atlanta, Ga.

Adolphus Simeon Solomons (1826 –1910) was a Jewish-American philanthropist who helped establish the printing house of Philp & Solomons, which held contracts for government printing for many years. They were also agents for famed Civil War photographer Alexander Gardner. Solomons was very active in the local and national politics of the day, a leading member of the local Jewish community. The last portrait ever taken of Lincoln was taken in his shop. He helped establish the American Red Cross with Clara Barton, of which he served for a time as president. Among many other positions, he was also a member of the District of Columbia House of Delegates.