POW204 South-to-North through-the-lines POW cover from the Danville, Virginia, Confederate prison. USA #65 tied by a cork cancel and the Old Point Comfort, Va double ring CDS 17 JAN 1865. In the upper left corner is an uncancelled CSA #11 (AD) stamp. No indication that the cover actually entered the CSA postal system but was most likely hand carried by a courier or under a separate cover to the Old Point Comfort transfer point. Addressed to J. W. Tiemann Esq Care Messers D. F. Tiemann & Co, 128 William Street, New York City, NY (note the full street address which is unusual). Endorsed at top "From W. F. Tiemann, Capt 159th N.Y.S. Vols Prisoner of War Danville, Va." Since the POW was an officer, the cover most likely comes from Building #3. Examiner's docketing at left in pencil "Examined R. C. Smith Lt Col Comdg." Lt Col Smith was in command of the Danville prison Oct 1864 - Jan 1865 which therefore dates the cover to Jan 1865. Galen Harrison in his definitive POW book records only 35 covers from this prison. One of the covers illustrated in the book also has an uncancelled CSA stamp.

This cover is known to have appeared in a Robert G. Kaufmann Auction (Sale 69 in 1990 Lot 516). The illustration from this auction catalog shows the cover without the CSA stamp. However, the illustration in the auction catalog clearly shows the outline of a missing stamp in the left upper corner which corresponds to the current CSA stamp (a photocopy of the original Robert G. Kaufmann Auction illustration is included with the cover). In my opinion, some time since the 1990 sale, the cover was restored to its original appearance by replacing the CSA stamp which also includes a restoration of the small part of the examiner's docketing which tied the original stamp. This is a legitimate expertly performed restoration of a very scarce and Very Fine POW cover and is fully identified as a restored cover.

William Francis Tiemann (1843-1926) from Brooklyn NY enlisted as a Private in Co B 159th NY Inf 11/1/1862. He was promoted Sergt Maj 11/2/1862, commissioned 2nd Lieut 1/13/1863, 1st Lieut 6/10/1863, and Capt 2/23/1864. He is listed as wounded twice - Irish Bend (La) 4/14/1863 and Port Hudson (La) 6/10/1863. He was captured as a POW at the Third Battle of Winchester (Va) 9/19/1864, confined at the Danville prison, and paroled 2/15/1865. He mustered out of service at Augusta, Ga 10/12/1865. After the war, he was the regimental historian and published a history of the regiment in 1891. The post war Federal Censuses list him as a "Color Manufacturer."		 $1,500.00

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
CSA Third National March 1865 -- Confederate Order Form -- CSA Third National March 1865