(Virginia Central Railroad) VA C.R.R. / Cobham / 3 JUL boldly struck station CDS on narrow commercially made envelope to Col. Alfred L. Rives, Engineer’s Office, War Department, Richmond Va.  Richmond Va. bearing pen canceled CSA 11-AD 10¢ blue, partial flap, Very Fine, CCV $750. Ex Hannen. $650.

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.