Lot
4301 
Confederacy, (Drop Rate) "Fort Sumter, January 29, 1864", blue cover with original datelined letter to Orangeburg C.H., S.C., endorsed "Politeness of Mr. L. W. Jenkins, carried out of the mails to Orangeburg C.H. with and red crayon "2" due rating for the drop rate, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Original contents of letter notes, "… you have no idea how much pleasure it affords me to get a letter from you while I am so closely confined here… The Yankies have been shelling us ever since yesterday morning. They fired on the fort all night and are still doing it now about 11 o'clock in the morning… I know I must have some creepers for every person is complaining of them, but I have not seen any of them yet, but I imagine I can feel them crawling on me sometimes on my body… Darling, I am badly situated for writing a letter… Working on the fort is still going on. They do not stop on account of the shelling. We have about one hundred negroes at work." It is easy to feel his discomfort as Fort Sumter was under direct siege since mid-1863 until its evacuation the night of March 17-18, 1865.