Lot
4152 
(Civil War Transport) "On Steamboat Meteor, Jan. 8th 1862", datelined on patriotic lettersheet showing sitting liberty in red design, accompanied by original yellow cover with blue patriotic Eagle with rays design endorsed "Army Letter, Maj. W. Warner, 76th Oh" addressed to Hanover OH., probably carried by steamboat from Vicksburg area to Memphis, entered mails with "Memphis Ten Feb 6 1862" cds and matching "Due 3" rating handstamp and transferred to steamboat to Cairo and then Cincinnati; edge wear and reduced at right, F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
Many of the Mississippi mail boats were contracted to carry troops during the Civil War. The Meteor carried troops to the siege of Vicksburg in January 1862 and to the landings at Bledsoe's and Hamblin's Landings, Arkansas in October of that year.
Patriotic letter sheet contained within envelope reading : "Dear Uncle, I had not written to you for some in consequence of being where the mails did not reach us. We have been down to Vicksburg on a little excursion but before going any further I will give you a little account of the trip, I do not remember the dates but never mind. We left Helena and proceeded down the Mississippi when we arrived at the mouth of the Yazoo we started up the river having gone up that river about fifteen miles we disembarked but had not gone more than a mile before we came in sight of the rebels earthworks here we stopped and waited until the rest of troops disembarked when Gen. Frank P. Blairs' brigade had landed and it marched about a mile towards Vicksburg and was soon engaged hotley with the rebels and night only ended the engagement…".
Realized: $250