Page:Lippincotts Monthly Magazine-34.djvu/206

204

postmaster written in colored ink across the stamp or on the back of the envelope. The larger portion of these general provisionals that have no real artistic design are not unlike the stamp made by the postmaster at The Plains, Virginia, a copy of which is annexed.

The three Confederate provisional stamps, designed and issued by as many different postmasters, which most resemble each other, are those from the Petersburg and Pleasant Shade, Virginia, and Rheatown, Tennessee, post-offices. But few of these stamps were issued, and but half a score of each variety are now known to be in existence. The Petersburg stamp was printed in dull-red ink on rather thick, soft paper, and was of the value of five cents. The Pleasant Shade and Rheatown stamps were also printed in red, the latter having the name of the postmaster, "D. Pence," printed across the top, and the former bearing the name of "R. E. Davis, P. M." The name of "W. E. Bass, P. M.," on the bottom of the Petersburg stamp appears in less prominent type than the other two. Representations of these similarly-designed stamps are here given.

The Knoxville, Tennessee, postmaster issued in 1861 six varieties of stamps,—the largest number of any Confederate post-office. These were all of the value of five cents, but different in design and color. The design was prepared by an engraver at Nashville, and is after the design of the Nashville stamp. A circular stamp, not of engraved design, but in a printed frame, was also issued. It is said that the circular stamp was only for temporary use, having been made by a Knoxville printer while the design engraved by the Nashville man was being prepared. The circular stamp was bordered by eleven stars, while in the centre appeared the figure of value and the word. The circle of stars was surrounded by an oval band inscribed "C. H. Charlton, P. M., Knoxville, Tennessee." Spandrels of ornamental scroll-work enclosed in a double-line frame also appeared on this unique stamp.

Five varieties of stamps were issued by the New Orleans postmaster, Mr. J. L. Riddell. Two of these stamps were of the two-cent value, and the other three of the five-cent. The colors were as follows: two-cent red, two-cent blue, five-cent brown, five-cent red on blue, five-cent brown on blue. These stamps were lithographed in sheets of forty stamps each, and were used exclusively in the New Orleans post-office. A fair example of the five-cent stamp is annexed.

There are but two copies of the stamp issued at Baton Rouge now in existence. They are considered very rare. The groundwork of the stamp is printed in green, and the border and lettering in carmine ink. It is a type-set design, with the inscription "P. O. Baton Rouge, Louisiana," above, a large 5 in the centre, and "J. McCormick," the name of the postmaster, below. Two designs of this stamp were issued, a two-cent red stamp and a five-cent red and green.

The postmaster at Greenville, Alabama, issued three stamps for his town during 1861,—two-, five-, and ten-cent stamps. These were printed on heavy glazed paper, the frame of the five-cent stamp being in blue ink, with the letters and inscription in red, while on the ten-cent stamp the frame is in red and the