Lot
3149 
Confederacy, Ligon's Prison (Tobacco Warehouse), Richmond, Va., two covers from same correspondence, first is incoming cover (no markings) and probably hand carried to "Lieut. B.B. Vassall, Prisoner of War Richmond, Va.", a prisoner held at Ligon's Warehouse, included is original letter (interesting contents) datelined "Bartonsville, N.C. Dec 31, 1861" from Lt. Vassell's uncle, Stephen Barton (CSA Postmaster at Bartonsville), upon receipt of letter, the prisoner wrote on the reverse, a note to his cousin in North Oxford, Mass., "You can write directly to your father, confining yourself to one page common letter paper and private matters", the letter is then enclosed in second cover with manuscript endorsement "From a Prisoner of War, Richmond Va" and postmarked "Old Point Comfort, Va. Jan 24" double circle and bold "Due 3" straight line, endorsed "Sold. letter Maj. von Herrmann U.S.A." at Fort Monroe by Maj. Charles von Herrmann, Very Fine, a very interesting usage.Estimate $500 - 750.
Lt. Vassal was a nephew of American Red Cross founder Clara Barton and was captured at Ball's Bluff (Leesburg) on October 21, 1861.
Lot
3150
Confederacy, Ligon's Prison (Tobacco Warehouse), Richmond, Va., small blue folded letter from Pvt. Thomas Delap Smith, 1st R.I. Inf., a POW in Ligon's Warehouse, with manuscript endorsement "Soldiers Letter, Ft. Monroe Oct 1, Wm. P Jones, Major USA" vertically at left to Roxbury, Mass, datelined "Richmond, Va. Sept 19th 1861", postmarked 34mm "Old Point Comfort, Va. Oct. 2" cds with "Due 3" straight line handstamp, minor edge splits, Very Fine, Only 37 known, this being one of the most attractive.Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $250
Lot
3151
Confederacy, Ligon's Prison (Tobacco Warehouse), Richmond, Va., neat cover from Capt. Clark S. Simonds, 15th Mass. Inf., a POW in Ligon's Warehouse, to his daughter in Danvers, Mass., manuscript endorsement "Sold. Letter Maj. vHerrmann USA" endorsement at upper right, additional manuscript "Prisoner of War, Richmond, Va," at bottom left, postmarked "Old Point Comfort, Va. Jan 24" double circle with matching "Due 3" straight line postmark, Very Fine, Only 37 known.Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $220
Lot
3152
Confederacy, Mayo's Warehouse Prison, Richmond, Va., cover addressed to "Pvt. Joseph Sullivan, Co. A 15th Mass Infantry, Washington, D.C.", sent by his sister, who not knowing his location addressed this to him in Washington with manuscript notation "Please forward" at lower left, franked with 1861, 3¢ rose (65, small faults), cancelled by open grid with "South Walpole, Mass Nov 25" cds at left, original enclosure includes content, "The names of the killed and wounded were in the paper after the Battle of Ball's Bluff… I have read in the papers that letters have been sent to other prisoners… I send my message not knowing whether it will reach you or not.", cover with defect at top left, Very Fine, only known cover.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Located on the comer of 25th & Cary Streets, this facility opened October 25, 1861 to accept a portion of the Ball's Bluff prisoners, some reports say as many as 500. In early December, a number of prisoners were moved from here to Taylor's Warehouse. At the end of March 1862, the building ceased operations as a prison. Later, however, the building was used as General Hospital #21, which would become the largest prison hospital in the city.
Realized: $550
Lot
3153
Confederacy, Pemberton Prison, Richmond, Va., manuscript "by flag of truce Boat Prisoner of War" endorsement on small folded letter (with contents) from Clark C. Knowlton, 5th N.Y. Cav, to his father in Elton, N.Y., franked with 1861, 3¢ rose (65) tied by segmented cork with "Old Point Comfort, Va. Mar 24" double circle postmark at right, Very Fine.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
ONE OF ONLY THREE PRISONER OF WAR COVERS RECORDED BY HARRISON HELD IN PEMBERTON PRISON.
Clark C. Knowlton and Pvt. Isaac Newton Jones (see Lot 3154) both men were captured members of Dahlgren Raiders and held in the Pemberton Building.
John Ransom's diary described how they were marched to Richmond and quartered on the third floor of Pemberton's prison, "not 30 rods from the Libby building".
Realized: $650
Lot
3154
Confederacy, Pemberton Prison, Richmond, Va., prisoner's cover from Pvt. Isaac Newton Jones, Co. A., 5th Mich Cav. to his wife at Richmond, Mich., franked with 1861, 3¢ rose (65) tied by target with "Old Point Comfort Va Oct 30" double circle postmark at right, Very Fine.Estimate $500 - 750.
ONE OF ONLY THREE PRISONER OF WAR COVERS RECORDED BY HARRISON HELD IN PEMBERTON PRISON.
Realized: $450
Lot
3155
Confederacy, Prison Hospital, Danville, Va., folded letter A.E. Mason, Saddler 6th Ky Cav to his wife in Bardstown Ky., manuscript "by FlagTruce" across top, postmarked red "Danville, Va. Dec 27" (1863) cds and matching arc "Due 10", exchanged with black "Old Point Comfort, Va. Jan 26" double circle postmark and "Due 6" in circle, contents include "Dear Wife, This being the first Christmas that I have been absent from home I suppose you all miss me and think Cris Kringle has not paid his wonted visit to the family hearth… But the day will come when an exchange of prisoners will take place.", Very Fine.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
AN IMPORTANT RARITY AS THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED PRISONER OF WAR COVER FROM THE DANVILLE PRISON HOSPITAL.
The prison in Danville consisted of six tobacco warehouses plus a hospital. All were located in the center of town and as usual were most unpopular with local inhabitants. The Danville prisons were used from November 1863 through the end of the war.
At a distance of about six blocks from Building #6 was located the prison hospital. Although few medicines were available in the South, due to the blockade, at least during cold weather, prisoners in the hospital had heat. Bunks were also provided for sick patients, whereas almost all the other prisoners slept on the bare floor. The hospital had been built as a Confederate hospital, but necessity had transformed it into a hospital for the prisoners.
While A.E. Mason, Saddler 6th Ky. Cav, was in Danville Prison Hospital from Dec. 12, 1863 tp Feb. 9. 1864.
Realized: $1,600