30c Orange (71). Used with 3c Rose (65), Masonic Square and Compass fancy cancels, 3c tied by "Ogdenburgh N.Y. May 6" (1863) circular datestamp on narrow cover to the blockader U.S.S. St. Louis at Lisbon, Portugal, forwarded to Algeciras, Spain, red "N York Am. Pkt. Paid Nov. 7" backstamp and carried on the Inman Etna, arriving Queenstown Nov. 18, red London Paid datestamp, manuscript magenta "12" credit, "40" reales rate handstamp and faint "4Rs" due handstamp in Spain, Lisbon backstamp, Dec. 5 arrival docketing in Algeciras, gently cleaned, 3c small perf flaw at top

VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR 30-CENT 1861 ISSUE COVER WITH MASONIC FANCY CANCELS, SENT TO A UNION BLOCKADING SHIP IN PORTUGAL AND FORWARDED TO SPAIN.

The U.S.S. St. Louis was an older ship, laid down in 1827. During the Civil War she was re-armed and sailed for Cadiz, Spain, on Feb. 24, 1863. For the next nearly two years she crisscrossed the Atlantic and patrolled the areas around the Canary Islands and the Azores in search of Confederate commerce raiders. This cover was addressed to the St. Louis during one of those missions. She returned to Port Royal on Nov. 26, 1864, for service in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

Ex Herzog.

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