AR102

Stampless Soldiers DUE cover with the small double circle Little Rock, Ark CDS partially struck off the top of the cover 6 MAY 1863 and handstamp (Due) "10" Type E. Coarse brown paper cover addressed to Mrs. M. A. C. Gaines Care of Jas T. Sutton Jr Esq, Richmond, Virginia. Endorsed at upper right "Soldiers Letter, Richd Gaines, Maj Mussers Batt, Frosts Brig, Mo Vol Infantry." Very clean cover with only a minor tape stain at the bottom left and a very small reduction at the bottom not affecting anything. Any cover which is associated with a Missouri Confederate unit is scarce. Note on the reverse signed by Brian Green. The unit in the endorsement in May 1863 was the 9th Mo Inf (Clark's Regiment) (CSA). Richard Gaines (1831-1881) is listed as a major in this unit but may have been a captain at the time of this cover. Later he was promoted Lt Col which is the rank he apparently held at the end of the war. He was born in Petersburg, Va, and was an 1855 graduate of VMI. After graduation, he relocated to Missouri and joined the Missouri State Guard. Most of the Missouri State Guard entered Confederate Service in 1861. He reportedly lived in New Orleans after the war but reportedly died in Clarksville, Texas, in 1881. Richard H. Musser (1829-1898), a lawyer by profession, is listed as the Lt Col of the regiment but appears to have been a major at the time of this cover. After the war, he practiced law in St. Louis. The unit was a member of Frost's Brigade December 1862 - May 1863. The 9th Mo Inf (CSA) unit was also known earlier as the 7th and the 8th Mo Inf Batts (CSA). The Missouri unit designations are somewhat confusing because of multiple consolidations, and Missouri CSA soldier's records are extremely sketchy. Very interesting cover which could benefit from further research.

$500.00 Sale Pending

If you wish to order this cover, send me an E-mail or use my secure Confederate Order Form. Clicking on my Confederate Order Form link below will open the order form in a new window or tab which can be kept open while you browse the remainder of the listings. JLKCSA@aol.com -- Confederate Order Form --