POW214 South-to-North Through-the-Lines POW cover which originated at the Castle Thunder prison in Richmond, Va, transferred through Old Point Comfort, Va. USA #65 with a Grid Cancel to pay the Federal postage and the Union Old Point Comfort, Va, double ring postmark 26 OCT (1863). Year of use confirmed by period receiving docketing at the left. No CSA postage and no examiner's mark. "Flag of Truce Boat" at upper left. This would be the inside envelope with the outer envelope perhaps containing the CSA postage and examiner's mark discarded at the transfer point. However, no examiner's marks are recorded from Castle Thunder. Or the cover may have been carried by a courier from Richmond to Old Point Comfort or even by an exchanged prisoner. Addressed to C. A. Richardson, 15 Cornhill, Boston, Mass. The prisoner was a civilian journalist, Albert D. Richardson. The addressee was a Boston publisher and very likely a relative of the prisoner. Galen Harrison recorded only eleven covers from Castle Thunder. Very Fine. Ex-Harrison Exhibit.

Albert Deane Richardson (1833-1869) was one of the most well-known journalists and authors of his day. He was also a Union spy. He reported on the war for the New York Tribune. Richardson and a fellow journalist, Junius Henri Browne, were captured by the Confederates at Vicksburg 5/3/1863. They were both held for 20 months in a number of different prisons and transferred to Salisbury Prison NC in February 1864. This cover is from when they were confined at Castle Thunder in Richmond. On 12/18/1864, both Richardson and Browne escaped from Salisbury Prison and successfully made their way through the Union lines about a month later. In November 1869, Richardson was shot for the second time (first time in 1867) but this time mortally wounded (he died a week later). He was murdered by the husband of his lover which was a huge scandal at the time.		 $1,000.00
SOLD

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