5c Olive Green, Stone A-B (1c). Horizontal pair, large margins to just barely in at bottom, cancelled by smudged manuscript marks (iron gall ink ties thru to envelope, which is visible on the inside), paying required C.S.A. postage on cover to Col. Tennant Lomax (future general), 3rd Regt. Ala. Volunteers, Norfolk Va., blue "Southern Express Co. Montgomery Ala. Dec. 12" (1861) double-circle datestamp and bold matching "Montgomery Alabama Southern Express" in circle, faint toning

VERY FINE. ONE OF FIVE RECORDED COVERS FROM THE SOUTHERN EXPRESS COMPANY IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, OF WHICH FOUR BEAR THE UNUSUAL "MONTGOMERY ALABAMA SOUTHERN EXPRESS" HANDSTAMP.

This cover was carried by the Southern Express Company to Colonel Lomax's regiment in proximity to Norfolk, Virginia. We record five Southern Express Company covers from Montgomery -- all from the Lomax correspondence -- including four with the distinctive "Montgomery Alabama Southern Express" circle, which is unlike any other marking used by express companies throughout the Confederacy. Two have 10c Hoyer & Ludwig stamps (Dec. 18 and 22 express datestamps), one has the Montgomery postmaster's handstamped provisional (Oct. 25), and the other two have 5c Green Lithograph stamps (Nov. 29 without the smaller circle and Dec. 12 -- the cover offered here). The presence of post office markings on these covers, including datestamps dated the day before the Southern Express datestamp, indicates that the Southern Express agent (D. H. Brooks) made arrangements with the post office to carry mail after it had been properly prepaid and postmarked.

Ex Frank J. Engel (realized $3,000 in 1976 sale) and Dr. Brandon. With 1973 P.F. certificate

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