(Virginia Central Railroad) VA C.R.R. / Cobham, 20 FEB. Sharp CDS on commercially made envelope to Mrs. A.L. Rives, Care of Major Alfred L. Rives, Engineer’s Office, War Department, Richmond Va. bearing pen canceled CSA 6, 5¢ blue pair, 1863 docketing at left, Very Fine, choice strike, CCV $750. Ex Hannen. $600.

Alfred Landon Rives was born in 1830 in Paris, France, the son of William Cabell Rives, the distinguished minister to France. During the War, Alfred was acting chief engineer for the State of Virginia and later for the Confederate States, which position he held until the end of the War as a Colonel. He was one of the two Chiefs of the Corps of Engineers to General Robert E. Lee.