Washington, North Carolina: [1863]. Envelope or Cover. This three-page letter is datelined, “Washington N.C. Jan 24th”” 1863. Its envelope is postmarked “Washington / Jan 26 1863” and bears a “Due 3” handstamp. Both letter and cover are in nice shape. In this letter, Judd writes a friend in... More about Letter from a Lieutenant in the 27th Massachusetts Infantry while encamped at Washington, North...

Bridgewater to Fall River, Massachusetts: 1861. Unbound. This two-page letter is dated “Bridgewater, Dec. 14. 1861.” It is enclosed in an envelope featuring an illustration of the Bridgewater State Normal School which has been franked with a brown-red 3-cent Washington stamp (Scott #65). The envelope bears a red, circular “Bridgewater... More about Letter reporting on a two-day “teacher’s association” conference that was mailed in an...

At sea and Bombay, India: 1817-1818. Unbound. Four-page folded folio-sized sheet to Betsy Putnam of Danvers, Massachusetts signed by E. S. Nichols. Three separately dated letters are on the sheet: 31 Dec 1817, On board the Ship Saco; 2 Feb 1818, Off the coast of Ceylon; 30 Apr 1818, Bombay... More about Early 19th century American missionary correspondence from the Ship Saco and India

Stalag IIB (Hammerstein, Germany): 17 June 1944. Unbound. This German Kriegsfangenenpost Postkarte (prisoner of war mail postcard) is addressed to Jodice’s girlfriend in Watertown, Massachusetts. It bears an indistinct German town postmark and purple handstamp from Stalag IIB. A U.S. censor’s handstamp that was applied before delivery is in the..... More about World War II U.S. Prisoner of War Mail from Germany

Bilbao, Spain: 1831. Envelope or Cover. This three-page stampless, folded letter is datelined “Bilbao 5th Augt 1831.” Although it references an enclosed invoice, the invoice is no longer present. The letter was no doubt favor-carried to Le Havre in France as it bears a faint forwarding agent cachet on the... More about Letter from a Marblehead, Massachusetts merchant in Spain informing his family at home of the...

Ship Burgundy to Middletown, Connecticut: August 14, 1837. Envelope or Cover. This two-page folded letter measures 16” x 10” unfolded. It bears a circular red New York “Ship” postmark dated August 16 and is in nice shape. The ship Burgundy regularly brought immigrants from Europe to the United States. On... More about Letter from an American passenger describing the arrival of immigration ship and informing a...

New York: 1814. Letter. This important three-page folio-sized manuscript letter reports on the American actions at the Siege of Fort Erie during September of 1814 including a detailed description of the sorties attacking British artillery batteries and the death of General Daniel Davis, the leader of the New York Militia... More about War of 1812 American Militia Letter - The Siege of Fort Erie

1944-1945. Envelope only, no letter. The envelope was addressed to Private First Class Walter Mikucki at the Osaka Yodogawa Bunsho POW Camp in Japan. It has a typed “Prisoner of War Postage Free” free frank in the upper right corner and has received a Chicago “War Savings machine postmark dated..... More about Returned mail sent to a World War II Marine who was captured on Corregidor and died in a Japanese...

Fort Direction (Macon), Georgia to Greensboro, Alabama: March 25, 1865. Envelope or Cover. This three-page letter was sent by Lanier to Waller just one week before the fall of Richmond and two weeks before Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Its envelope is annotated on the front “Paid on the other side,”..... More about A mysterious, tongue-in-cheek letter from an Alabama Cavalry Sergeant to an Alabama Infantry...

Washington, DC: 1861-1863. Unbound. Six letters to family members at home, four from 1861 and two from 1863. One of the letters has its original envelope. All of the letters are complete except one that is missing its final page. The handwriting is legible. Three of the letters are written... More about Collection of six Civil War letters from a soldier who served from April of 1861 until he was...

Liverpool to Richmond via the Black Ball Line: 1830-1831. Envelope or Cover. These stampless folded letters both measure 16” x 10” unfolded. The 1830 letter discusses the market for American tobacco in Liverpool, and the 1831 letter discusses the market for other products, specifically butter, oats, flour and cotton. One... More about Two transatlantic letters discussing the market for American tobacco and other products and the...

Greenpoint (Brooklyn), New York: 1861. This 3-page letter and endorsement measure approximately 8” x 9”. It was apparently delivered by courier between Rowland’s Continental Iron Works and the Providence Tool and Armory Company, which employed both Borden and Andrews, as there are no postal markings. The letter has two horizontal..... More about Correspondence between Thomas F. Rowland, Colonel William Borden, and J.B. Andrews regarding the...

Encildoun, Pennsylvania: 1861. Unbound. Four-page letter on stationery featuring an illustration of the Encildoun Boarding School for girls. The letter is dated March 3d, 1861. Although the bifold lettersheet is complete, the last sentence on the final page is truncated, and there is no closing or signature. Otherwise in nice... More about Letter from a young woman on illustrated stationery from the Ercildoun Boarding School for Girls