Lot
1637 
Confederacy, Libby Prison. A wonderful letter written after the war from former Prisoner to Dr. John Davis of Charlottesville, Va. after the war thanking him for kindness extended to him, letter talks of leaving Charlottesville & being sent to Lynchburg & then onto Libby Prison in Richmond, contents include, While in Libby I was selected as hostage for a C.S. soldier who had been sentenced to death by hanging and for forty five days was confined in one of the cells under Libby, I was allowed however to write to my friends in the North and used all the influence I possessed to save the life of the soldier aforesaid. I don't think I ever have or ever again shall feel so great a desire for the welfare of a stranger as I did for this unfortunate ma; I had looked death full in the face many a time before, but to die at the end of a rope was a method of shuffling off this mortal coil which I could not contemplate with any degree of satisfaction. An arrangement for the release of hostages both North & South was finally consummated and Feb. 5th 1865 I was again free., included is the original cover sent from Providence, R.I. & franked with 1861 3¢, cover with "Forwarded" & "Due 3" handstamps, Very Fine, a fascinating historical item. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $850