Sale 1291 — United States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 25-26 July, 2023
Category — Flag-of-Truce and Prisoners' Mail
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
712
Camp Chase, Columbus O. "New-York Jun. 6" (1862) circular datestamp and target duplex cancel 3c + 1c Red & Blue on White Star Die entire (U28), addressed to "General Alfred Beckley of Virginia -- Prisoner of War at Camp Chase Columbus Ohio", small sealed tear at top and light file foldVERY FINE. A RARE PRISONER-OF-WAR USE OF THE 3-CENT + ONE-CENT STAR DIE ENTIRE, ADDRESED TO CONFEDERATE GENERAL ALFRED BECKLEY, IMPRISONED AT CAMP CHASE.
General Alfred Beckley was a West Point graduate and according to Wikipedia, in 1862 he returned to Union-occupied West Virginia, where he surrendered to the Union officer in charge, Rutherford B. Hayes (future president), on March 16, 1862. He was then arrested by the Union army on April 3, 1862, and sent first to the Athenaeum prison camp near Wheeling, West Virginia, and then to Camp Chase. He claimed that he was really pro-Union, but had simply been loyal to Virginia, and had severed all ties with the Confederacy. He was released on June 18, 1862.
E. 1,500-2,000
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