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Smithsonian sunburst Smithsonian National Postal Museum
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    street map of Postal museum

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  • Confederate flag-of-truce cover
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Confederate flag-of-truce cover

Object Details

Description
This June 28, 1864, letter is from Joseph Hincks to his sister Leda. It was sent through the regular Flag of Truce mail from Charleston to Hilton Head. The letter was then forwarded to Washington D.C., where the very scarce Department of the South marking was applied, and it entered the U.S. mail. The 3-cent 1861 stamp carried the letter to occupied New Orleans.
The original letter (pictured) was probably in another envelope before reaching the point of exchange. The letter was opened and read at Hilton Head. It was then placed in another envelope before entering the mail.
The letter begins:
"My Dear Leda,
I wrote you several days ago by flag of truce. You should have received my letter already which announces that I saw Capdeveille and other young people arriving from our place. I thank you, dear friend, for the medal that you sent to me. It has not left me since I received it, and I plan to use it as a talisman to protect me.
I receive no letters from you at all. Nonetheless, in your place, I have written many times by way of Fort Monroe and by way of Hilton Head. It is very easy. Address your letters of one page, leave it unsealed, and put it in another envelope addressed to Genl Foster, Hilton Head, or to Comdg Officer Ft. Monroe."
Data Source
National Postal Museum
Date
June 30, 1864
Object number
2003.2004.37
Recipient
Hincks
Type
Covers & Associated Letters
Medium
paper; ink / handwritten, handstamped
Place
North Carolina
See more items in
National Postal Museum Collection
Title
Scott Catalogue USA 65
Topic
Civil War and Reconstruction (1860-1877)
Covers & Letters
Record ID
npm_2003.2004.37
Usage
CC0
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm8d49b8845-34bb-41dd-8894-3ce286d1e5a5
This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
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HomeSmithsonian National Postal Museum

Visit »

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(Closed December 25)

Admission is always free!

2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002

The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

street map of Postal museum

Learn more
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Owney, the Railway Mail Service Mascot

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