| POW211 |
Cover from a POW held at Camp Ford near Tyler, Texas. Addressed
to Mr. Wm A. Kirby, Auburn, Cayuga Co NY. No prisoner's endorsement and
no enclosed letter, but the cover is from 1st Lieut Charles Kirby of Co I 176th NY Inf to his father. Lieut Kirby (age 34) entered service as a 1st Lieut in Co I 176th NY Inf
12/19/1862. He was captured as a POW at Brashear City, La 6/23/1863. On
that date, the Confederates staged an attack at Brashear City and
captured many Union soldiers from the 176th NY regiment. Union
POWs from the Brashear City action were taken to Camp Ford. This cover
entered the Union mail in Union occupied New Orleans receiving the
Union double ring New Orleans postmark dated 26 AUG 1864. Cover was rated "Due 6" as it was posted unpaid. On the reverse is the undated Confederate examiner's manuscript "Examined & forwarded Ig Szymanski AAG Asst Agent of Exchange." Also on the reverse "Ex-C"
in red ink of unknown significance but may be a Union examiner's mark.
According to the Union records, Lieut Kirby was paroled 7/24/1864 and
mustered out of service in New Orleans 8/8/1864 which is a few weeks
before this cover was posted. POW's exchanged or paroled from Camp Ford
went through Shreveport, La, which was CSA headquarters for the
Trans-Mississippi Department. Maj Szymanski, as the Agent of Exchange
for the Trans-Mississippi Department, may have examined the cover at
the camp prior to the parole or perhaps in Shreveport at the time of
the exchange, or even before the exchange, as it is unknown how long it
would have taken for a letter from Camp Ford to actually post in New Orleans.
Galen Harrison does list Maj Szymanski as a Camp Ford examiner and
lists only seven known covers from that prison in his
exhibit. Very Fine. Ex-Harrision Exhibit. |
$1,500.00
SOLD |
JLKCSA@aol.com
-- Confederate Order
Form --