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During a recent visit to the Florida State Archives, I discovered hidden away in the Election Returns letters to the Governor a previously unrecorded example of a Confederate usage from Cerro Gordo, Florida. This cover is a usage to Hon F. H. Vilepiegur, Tallahassee, Fla with a "pd 10" manuscript rate and "Cerro Gordo, Flo Sept 3" manuscript postmark with 1862 docketing. This is the first new Confederate Florida stampless to surface in nearly 10 years. Before the start of the Confederate Postal Service on June 1, 1861, there were 153 United States post offices functioning in Florida. The Confederate Postal Service established 16 new post offices and changed the name of six. This means that a total of 175 potential post offices existed during the Confederate period in Florida for which postmarks should exist. To date cerro Gordo is the 72nd to be recorded. Of these, only 54 covers have been recorded with stampless usage. Let's hope that another nonarchival Cerro Gordo example will surface in the near future for postal history collectors to enjoy. |
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