Texas Secession [Cover]
Name/Title
Texas Secession [Cover]Description
Cover addressed to “Mr. Edwin L. Lindsey / San Marcos / Texas” and postmarked "CADIZ / JAN 4 / KY." Handwritten along the left side "Received Jan 20th 61 / Ansd March 10th 61."Context
The Confederate States of America formed their own Post Office Department on February 21, 1861. John H. Reagan was named as the service's postmaster general. In all Reagan placed 8,535 of the nation's 28,586 post offices under Confederate control and sought assistance from southern-sympathizers in the U.S. Post Office Department. Reagan tried to bring not just employees from the Federal system into his, but also all that they could bring in the way of maps, reports, forms and plans that would build and strengthen the new service. At first all postal business was conducted with U.S. money and postage stamps. The first confederate stamps were not available until October 1861. Most printers capable of doing the work were in the northern states. Until Confederate stamps became available, some local postmasters created and sold their own provisional stamps or marked mail "paid" by hand. The cover was sent from Cadiz, Kentucky on January 4, 1861, using a United States 3c George Washington postal envelope, and received in San Marcos, Texas on January 20, 1861 – when Texas was part of the United States. This cover was answered on March 10, 1861 – after Texas had seceded on February 1, 1861 and joined the Confederate States on March 6, 1861. No Confederate postage was used for the return.Category
Secession! Texas Makes Its Choice
1861: Opening Act, Civil War, Building The Lone Star Identity, Bullock Museum