Description:

George Pickett
Petersburg, VA, May 5, 1864
George E. Pickett Exceptional Confederate Telegraph Cover & Telegram, Ex-Kramer
Archive

[George E. Pickett]. A telegram on letterhead of "The Richmond and Danville Railroad Telegraph," 1p, on a light blue leaf measuring 5.5" x 7.125", Petersburg, Virginia, May 5, 1864. Flattened folds and creases. Minor chipping to left edge and upper right corner. Small closed tear at bottom edge. Light soiling with scattered spots of adhesive at recto with evidence of previous mounting at verso. Accompanied by the original transmittal cover imprinted "The Richmond & Danville R. R. Telegraph, / Extending from Richmond to Danville, / And connecting at Richmond with the American [crossed out] \Southern/ Telegraph Company," 10c Blue, Die B (12) cancelled by pen. 5.375" x 3.125". Cover is addressed to Pickett's aide-de-camp, Captain Edward R. Baird, Drakes Branch, Richmond & Danville Railroad. Exhibits expected handling wear including creases, age toning, and light soiling. Verso bears a small segment of tape at flap, with scattered adhesive residue and pencil notations from a former collector. Both pieces are written and signed in an unknown hand. Overall, the pair is in very good condition. Ex-George J. Kramer Collection; sold for $23,600 in 2022.

Telegram to Captain Edward R. Baird, ADC, reads in part: "You had better come to Petersburg as soon as you can instead of going as you might have done [crossed out] understood my telegram of yesterday to Hanover Junction / G. Pickett." At lower left: "26/390" indicating a charge of 15 cents per word for 26 words; cover repeats this, noting "390 + 10 Postage Due."

General Pickett sent this telegram to his aide-de-camp at the start of the campaigns against Richmond by General Benjamin Franklin Butler. He orders Baird back to Petersburg given the impending conflict. In the spring of 1864, the Union Army was directed to land at Bermuda Hundred on the James River, south of Richmond, and from there, to attack Petersburg. This would sever the rail links supplying Richmond, and force the Confederates to abandon the city. Despite General Ulysses S. Grant's low opinion of General Butler's military skills, he was given command of the operation. Butler's force landed on May 5, the same day Pickett's telegram was sent, when Petersburg was almost undefended, but Butler hesitated. While he dithered, the Confederates assembled a substantial force under General P. G. T. Beauregard, which included forces under his subordinate, General Pickett, who was in charge of troops around Petersburg. On May 13, Butler's advance toward Richmond was repulsed. On May 16, the Confederates drove Butler's force back to Bermuda Hundred, bottling up the Federals in a loop of the James River. Both sides entrenched; the Federal troops were safe but impotent, and Beauregard sent most of his troops as reinforcements to Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Despite this fiasco, Butler remained in command of the Army of the James.

A historic telegram and cover relating to the Bermuda Hundred operations and General Pickett's involvement. This is also the only recorded complete cover and telegram enclosure recorded by George Kramer for the Richmond and Danville Railroad Telegraph. It is not clear why the telegram message needed to be mailed to Drakes Branch, but the fact that it was, with a General Issue stamp, adds greatly to the postal history appeal of this lot.

Illustrated in Confederate Philatelist (No. 311, p. 176).

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: largest: 5.5" x 7.125"
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