Object Details
- Description
- United States 3-cent George Washington stamped envelope cancelled by a black seven-bar gridiron. Envelope is postmarked by Charleston, South Carolina, February 26, 1861, concentric circle date stamp on white envelope addressed to Washington, District of Columbia.
- The sender of this envelope is thought to have been 1st Lt. Theodore Talbot of the 1st Regiment of Artillery of the garrison within Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor.
- South Carolina was admitted to the Confederacy on February 4, 1861, and therefore this represents Confederate State usage of United States postage.
- Mail continued to travel uninterrupted under the service of the U.S. Post Office Department until the Confederate Post Office Department officially began service on June 1, 1861. A 3-cent stamp paid the letter rate for a distance less than 3,000 miles.
- Data Source
- National Postal Museum
- Depicts
- George Washington, American, 1732 - 1799
- Date
- February 26, 1861
- Medium
- paper; ink
- Dimensions
- 7.5 x 13.5 cm (2 15/16 x 5 5/16 in.)
- Type
- Covers & Associated Letters
