The CSA Authentication Service received the cover illustrated in Figure 1 described as "E.W. Black's Trans-Mississippi Express usage. WASHINGTON / ARK cds with handstamped '1O' in circle over ms 'Paid 1.00' on cover to Arkadelphia, Arkansas endorsed from a solider in Co. 'B 1st. \ Ark Regt."

The first step in examining the cover was to verify the postal markings on it. The postmark is consistent with the Washington, Ark postmark. The "10" marking proved more difficult. There are two possibilities: The marking may have been applied at Washington, the office where the letter entered the Confederate mails. Or, it may have been applied at the office of delivery, Arkadelphia, Ark. While the marking appears to be similar to that listed for Arkadelphia in the New Dietz Catalog, it is not. The New Dietz Catalog does not list a handstamped "10" marking for Washington, Ark so what is the origin of the marking?

Normally, soldiers mail was marked at the office of mailing with the amount of postage due. In this case it was Washington, Ark. The marking on the cover gives a clue to its possible origin. There is a partial ring around the numerals caused by the circular hand stamping device. Evidence of this ring also appears on prewar Washington Covers with rate markings. It is entirely Possible that this same device was used in the Confederate period, but with new numerals.

The next step was to verify the solider, Capt. Alex E. Spence, endorsed the cover. Information obtained from records of Confederate soldiers revealed an Alexander E. Spence in Company B (Clark County Volunteers), First Arkansas Infantry. Spence was promoted to captain on January 20, 1863. This is consistent with the endorsement on the cover, which meant the use was after January 1863. There was nothing about the cover itself that indicated a year of use. Therefore, it was necessary to look elsewhere.

The authentication application indicated that the cover was in the March 16, 2006 Robert A. Siegel Auction. The auction description of the cover (Lot 3049) stated that the cover contained an original enclosure. This enclosure was not with the cover, so a copy was requested from the owner.

While waiting for a copy of the letter, attention was turned to the back of the cover (Figure 2). On the flap of the cover was the notation "answer at Washington by December 27th, J. M. Barksdale." This endorsement is very similar to one on the "Black's Express" cover illustrated in Stefan Jaronski's article in the January 1988 Confederate Philatelist. The notation on the Black Express cover reads "I will leave Hampton Calhoun county on the 6th of Nov have your letter by that time and I will take it to the army. E W B." The cover is postmarked Washington, Ark. The immediate thought was that Barksdale was an agent for Black. Additional research, however, revealed an earlier article by Jaronski in the November 1987 Confederate Philatelist that identified a "Barksdale Express." Jaronksi wrote:

This information revealed that the "J. M. Barksdale" notation on the reverse of the patient cover was that of the "Barksdale Express" and not an agent of "Black's Express." Furthermore, the postmark on the patient cover was consistent with mailing procedures mentioned in Jaronski's article.

Next, an Internet search found someone else who was looking for information on "J. M. Barksdale." Contact with the individual provided some more information about Barksdale and his express. The following is an excerpt from Mark Christ's book Getting Used to Being Shot At: The Spence Family Civil War Letters.

Shortly after receiving the above, the enclosure to the patient cover was received. Of most interest are the first few lines of the letter:

This letter dated the patient cover in 1864 and removed any doubt that the patient cover was anything other than a "Barksdale Express" cover.

In the course of examining this patient, the following information was obtained on Barksdale and Black:

Based on the information obtained during the process of examining the patient cover, we can draw several conclusions. The "Barksdale Express" operated from at least the summer of 1863 to late 1864 and carried mail from Arkansas soldiers in Reynolds' Arkansas Brigade to Washington, Ark where they were posted into the Confederate mail. The rate was $1.00 as noted on the patient cover and as noted in Jaronski's article. Apparently mail from Arkansas to the soldiers was carried free, for there is nothing in the notations regarding a charge. Although there is no definitive proof, the evidence to date indicates that both Barksdale and Black were discharged in 1862 and apparently operated their respective expresses as private business enterprises and were not detailed for this duty by a field commander. However, their earlier service in the units undoubtedly aided their enterprises. Finally, the (due) "10" marking on the cover is probably that of Washington, Ark.

Subsequent to rendering an opinion on the Barksdale Express cover, I had the fortune of talking with Bruce Roberts about Confederates. He mentioned his interest in usages from Arkansas and was able to provide an illustration of another Washington, Ark cover that bears the same "10" marking as on the cover illustrated with this article. In addition he pointed out two other covers from Capt. Spence with "Paid $1.00" markings addressed to Arkansas. Both covers were described as "Black's Express" covers in past auctions but should be reexamined in light of the discovery of the Barksdale Express cover.

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