POW228 South-to-North POW Cover with the Old Point Comfort, Va CDS 21 JAN (1864) and Handstamp Due 3 which are Union marks applied at the transfer point. No Confederate postage so cover was most likely handcarried to Old Point Comfort (perhaps by an exhanged or paroled prisoner) or sent under a separte cover where it entered the Union postal system. Endorsed at upper left “Soldiers Letter C. W. Tilden Col 16th Me Vol” with a Military Addressed to Lieut Col A. B. Farnham, Comng 16th Reg Me Voln 1st Brigade 2nd Div 1st A C (Army Corps), Washington DC. Cover originated at Libby Prison in Richmond, Va. Backflap missing but still a Very Fine Libby Prison POW cover with a very interesting history.

Col Charles W. Tilden (1832-1914), a merchant by profession, of the 16th Maine Inf had a colorful war record beginning service 5/28/1861 as a 1st Lieut and promoted Colonel of the Regiment 1/8/1863, and mustering out of service 6/5/1865 as a Brevet Brigadier-General. Col Tilden was captured as a POW at Gettysburg 7/1/1863 and held at Macon, Ga and Columbia SC before being transferred to Libby Prison. He successfully escaped from Libby Prison 2/9/1864 (famous Libby Prison Tunnel Escape when 109 Union officers succesfully escaped). Most of the escaped prisoners were recaptured, but Col Tilden successfully made it through the Union lines and rejoined his regiment. He was captured a second time as a POW at the Weldon Railroad (Petersburg Campaign) 8/19/1864. But three days later while on his way to Libby Prison for a second time, he successfully escaped again and rejoined his unit. He was listed as wounded at Hatcher’s Run (Va) 2/6/1865 but continued to lead his regiment despite a painful wound. His bravery was officially recognized by a Brevet Brigadier-General promotion 3/13/1865. After the war, he returned to his home in Maine.

Lieut Col Augustus B. Farnham (1839-1918) commanded the regiment while Col Tilden was a POW. Lieut Col Farnham was wounded at Five Forks (Va) 4/1/1865 but survived the war and was recognized for his bravery by a Brevet Colonel promotion 4/1/1865. After the war, he returned home to Maine and is listed as the Bangor, Maine, postmaster in 1880.		 $1,000.00

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