BE96

CSA #11a (AD) Horz Pair (4-Margin Milky Blue) tied by a large unframed 8 Bar Grid with no postmark. The grid is too large to be an army grid but is consistent with a large grid obliterator used at Canton, Miss illustrated on Pages 334 and 335 of the Collector’s Guide to Confederate Philately Second Edition. The cover was sent by Lieut John J. Carter of the Minden Rangers which was a unit in Gen Nathan Bedford Forrest’s command. There are other covers in this correspondence with Mississippi postmarks which supports Canton, Miss as the town of origin of this cover. The handstamp “20 in a Circle” which also ties the stamps is an uncataloged mark from any town in the area or anywhere else. It could possibly be an unlisted handstamp from Canton indicating that the cover required an additional 20c, but that is difficult to prove without another cover with the same mark or the enclosure. The cover is undated and routed through Natchez, Miss. It has been speculated that since the cover travels Trans-Mississippi, that the handstamp represents the amount due for the Trans-Mississippi Express 40c rate. But the routing through Natchez is not consistent with that rate as Natchez was Union occupied from 13 JUL 1863 to the end of the war well before the 40c express rate went into effect. The cover is a real puzzle and requires much futher research. Cover shown for completeness of the exhibit but is not offered for sale.

Not For Sale