In the fall of 2004, I was alerted to a group of Confederate covers offered in an Asheville antique auction. Based on the limited description, the lot sounded of interest, so a bid well over the estimate was placed. After the close of the sale, I received notice that I was the underbidder. Better luck next time, I said to myself, and moved on.

In January, I received a letter from a dealer friend in Knoxville asking if I had an interest in three Clemmonsville Confederate covers. Of course I did. The three covers turned out to be the North Carolina covers from the Asheville auction lot. After a little negotiation, the covers were headed back home where they belonged.

The lot included three covers and letters from Clemmonsville - two with patriotic designs of Jefferson Davis and seven stars above, all in red. They were Dietz type JD- I with verse 23, on yellow envelopes with handstamped paid 5. Previously only a ragged example of this marking had been recorded. The third cover was a Clemmonsville, NC with manuscript "paid 5." Each of the covers was addressed to E.C. Dickson in Salem, NC from W S. Dickson.

Figure 1 --Clemmonsville NC PAID 5 Jefferson Davis Medallion Patriotic in red.

The first cover (Figure 1) is dated March 8, 1862. The letter is headed Coopers Point, NC and is written on a full color I I star Confederate flag patriotic letter sheet. The letter in part states:

It is expected that Manasses and Weldon are taken by the Yankees, but I don't think that is so ... Uncle Copers company were not drafted, having send enough volunteers. Part of the other companies in the regiment were drafted. I have heard no news of importance except that which I told you. Some are beginning to despair of our gaining our freedom, but I think that we have a better chance than we did in the Revolution, for then the British had everything then, while we had nothing but old rusty muskets with no bayonets, but still we gained our Independence, and why cannot we do the same thing again...

Figure 3 --Clemmonsville NC PAID 5 Jefferson Davis Medallion Patriotic in red. Same type and verse as Figure 1.

The second cover (Figure 2) is dated March 20, 1862. This Dietz type is listed as having 50+ examples recorded. The verse reads:

"Our banner's up, and there will stand
Until the vandal horde
Is driven from the Southern land
By the avenging sword."

Clemmonsville history goes back to the formation of Davidson County in 1822, when land was removed from Rowan County to form Davidson County. It was named for Peter Clemmons who was one of the earliest settlers of the area. He was bom in Delaware in 1749, married twice, and had 14 children. Late in life he wrote a book entitled "Poor Peter's Call to His Children." In 1889 Clemmonsville was annexed to Forsyth County, and in 1903 the post office was closed with the mail sent to Bower. In 1904 Bower's name was changed again to Clemmons.

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