Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-11-26
POSTAGE IN THE CONFEDERACY
Designs of th e Postage Stamps Used
i'm the South During the War-Nany
Varieties.
Philatelic Magazine.


The war came not unexpectedly to
the major portion of the residents of
the South, and from the hour that the
first shot was fred upon Fort Sumpter
the business men and leading men of
the south began active preparations
for a long siege. Arrangements for
the establishment of new postal routes
and the issuing of series of postal
stamps, Independent of the regular
issues of the United States Govern
ment were at once begun.
The result of this sudden impulse
was the production of pot less than
half hundred different varieties of
provisional stamps, the designs for
which, in the main, were exceedingly
crude. Many of those early Confede-
arste stamps consisted only of type
framework, and were quite similar to
the common post-mark. One Of the
first provisional stamps to be issued
was that bearing the name of Madi-
son, a small town in Madison county,
Florida. This was ISSUED by the post
master OF that town as early as De-
cember, 1860. It was composed of a
type-set frame, with the Values
cents-in the center, printed In bronze
on blue woven foolscap paper. It is
said that 5 cent stamp was also issu-
ed by the Madison postmaster. Early
ia 1861 the postmaster at Mobile
issued a set of two stamps 2 cent
stamp, printed in black, and cent
stamp, printed IN blue on heavy paper.
About the same time there appeared
from Athens, Ga, two stamps, of the
value of and 10 cents, but differing
in design and color of paper on which
they were printed. The one was print
ed In purple ink and the other in
deep brick-red.
No sooner had these first specimens
of provisional stamps made their ap-
pearance than half the postmssters
throughout the country south of Ma
son and Dixon's line changed the
dating stamps in their Offices into
postage stamps. The design usually
consisted of the dating stamp of the
office with the date left cut, and the
figures of value either written or
printed in its place. In certain in
stances the stamps were authenticated
by the initials Of the postmaster writ
ten in colored ink across the stamp or
on the back Of the envelope. The
larger portion Of those general pro-
visionals that have no real artistic de-
sign are not unlike the stamp made
by the postmaster at The Plains, Va,
which contains paid 5" in center OF
inscription, '"Tae Plains, Va.," in
closed in single-liRe circle. The three
confederate provisional stamps, de-
signed and issued by as many different
postmasters, which most resemble each
other, are those from the Petersburg
and Pleasant Shade, Va, and Rhea-
town, Tenn, postoffices. The Peters
burg stamp was printed in dull red
ink on rather thick, soft paper, and
was of the value of 5 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. T.
Davis, P. M. The name of w. E.
Bass, P. NJ, on the bottom of the
Petersburg stamp, appears In less
prominent type than the other two.
The Knoxville. Tenn, postmaster Is
sued in 1861 six varieties OF stamps
the largest number of any Post
Office. These were all CT the value of
5 cents but different IN design and col
or. The design was prepared by an
engraver in Nashville, and is after
the design of the Nashville stamp. A
circular stamp, not OF eDgraver's de-
sign, but in printed frame, was also
issued. It's said that the cirular let
ter stamp was only for temporary use,
having been made by Knoxville
printer, while the design engraved by
the Nashville man was being prepal-
ed. The circular stamp was bordcred
by eleven stars, while in the center
appeared the figure of value and the
word paid" The circle of stars
was surrounded by an oval band in
scribed &C Fl. Charlton, P. NJ,