PAT410

Cover with no postal markings hand carried outside the mails. Stars and Bars Patriotic Cover in black (10-Stars) Type F10-11 (blank streamer) with Verse 5 "Bright Banner of Freedom..." and Imprint 17 "Manufactured by W & J Bonitz, Goldsboro, N.C." Addressed to Mrs. Sarah Garner, New Port, Carteret Co, NC. Newport NC was not chartered as a town until after the war in 1866 and was not the site of a Confederate post office. Cover with a sealed diagonal tear at the uppr right corner, sealed back flap opening tears, and edge wear on the right. Included with the cover is the original letter written on a Patriotic Lettersheet with a Flag Over Cannon (12-Stars) design in black Type CN-3 with the same Verse 5 and the same Imprint 17 as are on the cover. The letter is datelined "Fort Harrison March 9th 1862" and is written by a soldier to his Grandmother. Two page letter telling his Grandmother that he is well and got the things she sent. He also says they were paid off and he received $19.00. The letter is intact but a little rough along the left edge where the letter page was torn from the full lettersheet. The letter is signed G. B. McCain. The soldier is identified as Pvt George B. McCain from Carteret County NC who enlisted at age 18 on 11/7/1861 in Battery I NC 2nd Light Artillery. In March 1862, the unit was in the District of Cape Fear. There is a tributary of the Cape Fear River known as Harrison's Creek but could find no reference to an actual Fort Harrison in that area. It must have been a local name for the encampment. Pvt McCain's unit did take part in the battle of New Bern (NC) 3/14/1862 (5 days after this letter was written), but there is no further information on Pvt McCain other than the fact that he was still on the compay rolls as of 6/30/1862. Since the cover and letter were carried outside the mails, most likely a soldier from the unit going home on furlough carried the letter as the distance between the unit's location and Carteret County was not great.

$750.00

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 --