Andersonville Ga. (Camp Sumter). Cover from prisoner-of-war Pvt. J. W. Merrill to Perry N.Y., endorsed "Prisoners Letter", no censor mark, mixed franking with C.S.A. postage to Richmond paid by 10c Blue, Die B (12), edges a bit rough, tied by indistinct "Andersonville Ga." circular handstamp and segmented cork cancel, U.S. postage paid by 3c Rose (65), tied by segmented cork, "Old Point Comfort Va. Aug. 25" double-circle datestamp

VERY FINE. A GORGEOUS MIXED-FRANKING PRISONER-OF-WAR COVER FROM ANDERSONVILLE PRISON TO NEW YORK VIA RICHMOND AND OLD POINT COMFORT.

Julian Weaton Merrill enlisted as a private in the 24th New York Battery on August 30, 1862. According to the Civil War Plymouth Pilgrims Descendents Society website, he was captured on April 20, 1864, at Plymouth N.C. and sent to Andersonville before being exchanged on November 20, 1864. While at Andersonville, a mock election was held in the stockade on November 4, 1864, to decide between the two candidates for President of the United States -- Abraham Lincoln and former Commander of the Army of the Potomac George B. McClellan. Merrill opened the meeting by singing "Columbia the Gem of the Ocean" and served as a ballot clerk for the election. Lincoln won the election by a vote of 945-795. Merrill survived Andersonville and in 1870 wrote a history of the 24th N.Y. Battery. He died in 1912 at the age of 71.

Ex Walske. With 1984 P.F. certificate

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