3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26). Bright color, tied by neat strike of blue "SOUTHERN LETTER UNPAID" two-line handstamp, matching "Louisville Ky. Jul. 10" (1861) double-circle datestamp and "DUE 3" handstamp on dark brown cover to Princeton N.J., stamp also tied by light "Morristown Ten. Jul. 6" circular datestamp, missing part of top flap and few edge flaws, stamp with few short perfs at right

A FINE AND RARE EXAMPLE OF THE "SOUTHERN LETTER UNPAID" HANDSTAMP.

Postmaster General Blair's May 27 suspension order prohibited post offices from forwarding southbound mails to disloyal Southern states. However, northbound mail continued to be sent via Louisville. With the resignation of W. D. McNish as Nashville's Federal postmaster on June 12, "Louisville held the mails still being sent north by the discontinued post office at Nashville. This held mail later became the well-known 'Southern Letter Unpaid' mail" (Walske). On June 24, Dr. J. J. Speed, the postmaster at Louisville, was advised to forward letters from the South to the loyal states after removing postage. With approximately 5,000 such letters accumulating at Louisville by this date, Postmaster Speed employed a more practical means of invalidating postage by creating the "Southern Letter Unpaid" handstamp.

Immediately after receiving instructions from Washington to forward the held mail, the Louisville post office began marking letters. Some of these have circular datestamps (June 27, 28 and 29 being the most common dates), while others have no Louisville datestamp.

Special Routes Census No. SLU-21. With 1988 P.F. certificate.

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