Civil War-Era Stamps Enter Usage
On August 17, 1861, the first of several Civil War-era stamps was used for the first time.
In 1860 and 1861, eleven Southern states left the Union and formed the Confederate States of America, an action that resulted in the beginning of the Civil War. On April 12, 1861, the war erupted at Fort Sumter. Less than two months later, the United States discontinued postal services to the South.
However, numerous stamps were still in the hands of postmasters of seceding states. Fearing that these stamps would be sent to the North and sold (thus providing money for the Confederate states) the United States sent a proclamation to all postmasters, requesting that the remainders be sent to Washington. When this order was largely ignored, the government made arrangements for designing new issues and demonetizing the old issues.
The process of demonetizing rendered the old stamps invalid, and at the same time replacing them with newly designed stamps. The new 1861 stamps were sent to post offices along with a notice that required an exchange period of six days be announced in local newspapers. During the exchange period, old stamps could be exchanged for new ones. After the six-day exchange period, the old stamps were no longer accepted as postage. Four of these new stamps were issued on August 17, 1861.
While the designs and color of the new issues differed from the old ones, the Postal Service wanted to be certain there would be no confusion between the two. They felt a change that could be easily recognized was necessary, and so the 1861 issues have the values expressed in numerals instead of being written out.
The Confederates, concerned that the federal government would use the postal system to spread anti-Southern propaganda, quickly set up their own postal service.
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very interesting
It is so wonderful to get my old brain in gear for the coming day. I learn so much from Mystic Stamp. Whether it be new things like this article or things I may already know brought to a new level
of knowledge. Thank you.
As a Civil War buff and a sort of history expert, I learned something new! It was logical but so far unread that the postal dept. actually lead the economic war. I wonder about the border states though, like Kentucky and Maryland and Missouri and what part they might have played in this little drama.
Larry N. Ramsey
Now that is an History lesson
Truly, Mystic Stamp brings such new and welcomed news regarding 1861-62
stamps! I thank them continually and am so appreciative of their efforts.