| POW206 |
POW Cover which originated at Camp Douglas near Chicago. USA #65 with a Grid cancel and the matching small single rim Chicago, Ill
CDS 23 FEB (1865). Addressed to Mrs. Mattie Rucker, Murfreesboro,
Tennessee. At this time, Tennessee was under Union occupation, so the
cover did not travel through-the-lines and did not enter the Confederte
postal system. At upper right is a partial strike of the circular "Camp Douglas Examined Prisoner's Letter"
handstamp in black Type B. This is a scarce mark in use January - May
1865. The original prisoner's one page letter remains with the cover.
Very clean cover and a Very Fine letter.
The letter is datelined "Camp Douglas, Ill Barracks 41 Jan 28 1865." and is signed "W. M. Tourance, Co K 32nd Texas Regt Inf Barracks
41." The salutation is "Aunt Mattie Rucker" but doubt that she was
really his aunt as the letter indicates that he was a friend of her
recently deceased husband whom he refers to as "Uncle Sam," and he
signs the letter as "True Friend." In the letter he is asking that she
please send him $25.00. Across the letter is the large handstamp "Approved. / By order of B. J. Sweet, / Col. Comd'g Post" in RED
Type C. This is an extremely scarce POW handstamp as Galen Harrison in
his definitive book on Civil War POW mail lists only two recorded
examples of this handstamp. The handstamp is in the CSA Catalog as
black only. Most likely this is not one of the two recorded examples as
it is in red and was acquired from a private collection where it
resided for decades and is believed to be possibly unique. Included is
a 1980 PF Certificate submitted by Jack Molesworth but only shows and
mentions the cover and says nothing about the letter. Extensive note on
the reverse by Jack Molesworth which does mention the letter and the
red handstamp.
Could find no reference to a Texas soldier named W. M. Tourance (or any similar spelling). There was no official 32nd Texas Infantry, but there was a 32nd Texas Cavalry
which was dismounted in July 1862 and fought as Infantry in the Army of
Tennessee for the rest of the war and was often referred to as the 32nd
Texas Infantry as the unit was never remounted. It is not unusual
for CSA soldiers in the West to have no record available, and there is
no listing of prisoners that were held and/or died at Camp Douglas. |
$2,250.00
SOLD |
JLKCSA@aol.com
-- Confederate Order
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