U.S. SHIP 3 cts. oval handstamp on cover to Taunton, Mass with manuscript "J.E. Vail's Letters"

This letter was mailed from a vessel on blockade duty. The letter was a Federal letter and therefore under the regulations could travel without prepayment of postage and without the private ship letter fee (2¢) being due from the recipient. It is not possible, since the cover is undated as to month and day of arrival in the northern port, to tell where this letter originated.

Red double circle cancellation of "BELFAST/ME SEP 5" tied by black grid cancels, addressed to Samuel Phillbrook, aboard the Brigade USS Sabine.

Mostly clear strike of "U.S. SHIP/3cts." in circle cancel on cover to Grafton, Mass.

Mail to and from sailors and soldiers aboard gunboats and blockaders was carried and distributed by special vessels known as U.S Ships. These vessels were federal so they were not subject to the rules governing non-contract, private SHIP mail. Most mail conveyed to and from these vessels received one of several types of "U.S. SHIP MAIL" cancellations.

1861 3c pink tied on cover by black Philadelphia Mar 19 1864 cds with "U.S. SHIP" straightline, to Prividence, RI. Manuscript "Care of J.W. Smith"

Gunboat Winona was part of the Western Gunboat Fleet assembled by Navy Flag Officers COM. John Rodgers and RADM. Andrew H.
Foote under the jurisdiction of the War Department. The fleet was based at Cairo, IL for operations on the western waters. The fleet
consisted of all the warships operating on the Ohio, Mississippi and Red Rivers and their tributaries.

The fleet was renamed the Mississippi River Squadron and transferred to the Navy Department in 1862 because the Army had been interfering with naval operations in the inland waterways.
The Winona served at first at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Thereafter, she served in the siege of Vicksburg, then on the Yazoo
River, and eventually in Mobil Bay. After the fall of Mobile, the Winona resumed duty on the Mississippi River.

The Octorora was decommissioned On August 5, 1865. In her short career, she captured nine Confederate and British blockade runners as part of Commander Collins' "Flying Squadron" of blockade runner hunters.

3c rose tied by "DUE 6" marking with Dec 24, 1864 Port Royal, SC cds on cover to Connecticut. "U.S.S. Acacia off Charleston, SC" manuscript.

Union forces reoccupied the city of Port Royal, South Carolina on November 7, 1861. This letter came into Port Royal aboard the Blockader U.S.S. Acacia which patrolled the coast from South Carolina to Florida. The letter was brought into Port Royal with only partial prepayment, and was therefore rated at twice the unpaid portion of the postage [DUE 6]. Had the letter been endorsed by a ship's officer, it would have been treated as a Sailor's Letter and not have required any prepayment.

At Port Royal, the 3¢ postage stamp was cancelled. The letter was placed in a closed bag and carried north aboard a ship.

According to Richard Graham, only 10 Covers Recorded with "DUE 6"

Gustavus Horner, Surgeon of the Fleet (1861 - 1863) spent his Civil War career posted to several successive Flag Ships located in
and around Key West, Florida. Specifically, his postings were:
Flag Ship Colorado, 1861
Flag Ship Niagara, 1862
Flag Ship St. Lawrence, 1862 - 1863

These two covers were carried privately out of the mails.

"U.S. SHIP/3cts." in circle cancel on cover to Worcester, Mass with manuscript "Soldier Letter"

The marking "U.S. Ship 3 CTS" was applied to loose letters collected from soldiers and sailors on blockade duty and carried by a "Federal" ship to a post office for handling and distribution. This specific ship marking has been attributed to the New York Post Office although this attribution is not certain. Covers marked "Soldiers Letter". In both cases, 3¢ postage was due on delivery.

Engraved print for the 1863 Edition of Abbott’s Civil War: The History of The Civil War In America; Comprising a Full and Impartial Account of the Origin and Progress of The Rebellion, and of the various Naval and Military Engagements, and the Heroic Deeds Performed in the Field, the Camp, the Hospital; by John S.C. Abbott; Illustrated with Maps, Diagrams, and Numerous Steel Engravings of Battle Scenes from Original Artists, and Portraits of Distinguished Men; Published 1863 by Ledyard Bill: New York; Clarke & Company: Indianapolis, Indiana, 1863.

3c Rise tied by Sep 11 Brookline, Ms cds on cover addressed to Wilkliam Kelley aboard the US Steamer Cambridge.

3c Rose tied by grid cancel,New York Oct 17 1864 Cds, to New Mobile Bay. "Frank Leslie's Publications" advertisement on reverse.

Cover, carried out-of-the mails, addressed to the Surgeon of the Fleet G. R. B. Horner at Key West, Florida, board the Colorado.

The U.S. S. Colorado was commissioned on June 3, 1861, and Fleet Surgeon Horner was assigned to the Colorado shortly thereafter. The vessel was decommissioned on June 28, 1862 at Boston. Horner then was reassigned.

New York 1864 Cds.

Clear strike of "U.S. SHIP/3cts." in circle cancel on cover to New Haven, CT. The marking "U.S. Ship 3 CTS" was applied aboard ship to letters collected from other vessels and carried by the ship to a Federal post office for handling and distribution.

A notation on the back of this cover indicates that it was mailed from the gunboat USS Benton. This vessel took an active part in the Federal operations to open the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

New York Sep 17, 1864 Cds.

1861 3c pink tied on cover with black U.S. SHIP straightline to Providence, RI.

3c Rose with grid cancel, and black JAN 30 New Bedford, Mass cds on cover to New York with manuscript "2" and black "SHIP." Manuscript "Ship Letter US Seamer Vanderbilt."

This cover was given to another ship by the writer on the "Vanderbilt" and brought to New Bedford, Mass. It was written during the period where the Vanderbilt had orders to search for the CSS Alabama.

3c rose tied by grid cancel with Jul 13 Plainfield, N.J. cds on cover addressed to W.H. Manning aboard the USS Emma of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

The USS Emma was a Confederate blockade runner. She was captured on July 24, 1863 off Wilmington, NC. The United States Navy purchased the vessel at the New York Prize Court in November 4, 1863.

The Emma served in the blockade from November 1863 through the end of the War. She served off the coast of North Carolina, and participated in the attacks on Ft. Fisher in December 1864 and January 1865.

3c rose tied by grid cancel with Aug 4 New York double circle datestamp on cover addressed to USS Fort Donelson, North Atlantic Block Squadron, off Wilmington, NC.

3c rose with target cancel on cover to the U.S.S. Sebago, inbound Norfolk, Va, March 8, 1865.

The "Sebago" was a large sidewheel steamer that was part of the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron operating off of Mobile, Alabama at the time of this letter. She participated in the Battle of Mobile Bay.

3c rose tied by target cancel on cover addressed to U.S. Steamer Ship New Ironsides, off Charleston, SC with Mar 20 Lynn, Mass cds.

The USS New Ironsides was stationed off Charleston, South Carolina, protecting the wooden blockaders from attack by Confederate ironclads.

3c rose tied by "U.S. SHIP" straightline marking with Philadelphia Aug 5, 1864 cds on cover to New York.

The tug/gunboat USS Azalea was assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in June 1864. It served off Charleston, SC. The vessel arrived back in Philadelphia from blockade duty on August 4, 1864, carrying a load of letters from sailors involved in the blockade.

3c rose tied by target cancel on cover with "U.S. SHIP" straightline marking and Sep 1

The marking "U.S. SHIP" was applied to mail which originated from sailors and soldiers aboard ships on blockade duty and soldiers along the Atlantic Coast. The Bermuda was part of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron which patrolled the Atlantic coast from the
North Carolina/South Carolina line to Cape Florida. The Bermuda arrived in Philadelphia on September 17, 1864 from Wilmington, NC.

The marking was applied to sailors' and soldiers' mail brought into the port of Philadelphia. The letter was charged the normal 3¢ postage, but not the 2¢ ship fee because such mail was considered federal mail and, therefore, not liable for such charge.