CSA 11, 10¢ blue used on geometric pink, taupe and gray wallpaper cover with FLAT ROCK / N.C. // FEB / 13 cds, from the well-known Middleton correspondence, to Miss Susan Middleton Care of Oliver H. Middleton Esq, Columbia, South Carolina. Few small faults not readily visible. $1,200.

Oliver Hering Middleton (1798-1892) was born at Clifton, Gloucestershire, England; educated at South Carolina College; entered U. S. Naval Academy but resigned and retired to his estates and the life of an opulent planter. His son was part of the Charleston Light Dragoons and mortally wounded at Cold Harbor May 30, 1864. In comparison to other major North Carolina cities, Flat Rock has retained a surprisingly large number of its Confederate covers. By 1860 when the Civil War began, Flat Rock was commonly called “The Little Charleston of the Mountains.” Many of Charleston’s more affluent residents had their summer homes there. When hostilities broke out in Charleston, many of Charleston’s citizens moved away from the war front. Flat Rock became their safe haven from the war. Middleton was a businessman involved in shipping from Charleston and the Middleton plantation correspondence was quite large, notably producing a prolific number of wallpaper covers.