Box from Home address

[Fred F. Griffin]

Going to Prarie Grove for the weekend. Made up a small box to use as a Box from Home. My question: How do I address the box for it to be authentic? Thank You for your input.

Fred F. Griffin

[gsusat]

Re: Box from Home address

I have posted a link to a site that deals in Confederate postal items There is a letter to a Miss Soldier. There are several other envelopes addressed to soldiers in her inverntory.

http://www.webuystamps.com/DWLibrary/inv8264-001.jpg

My understanding is that soldier's mail would be addressed to the soldier, and include regimental brigade and divisional information (if avaliable) and/or where stationed.
So in your case the mail might be addressed to your name, your regiment, brigade(?) and Fayetteville Arkansas.

Often soldiers letters would give an address to use in return mail.

Interestingly Soldiers mail home could be sent postal COD if the soldier marked their name and unit on the cover.

Most letters to civilians just have the name and the town or post office. Civilian Mail was picked up at the post office. Home or Business delivery was just being implemented in some larger cities.

It is interesting how many cities had cancelation stamps. Inked "x" s were also used and early in the war post offices had "PAID" cancelations. So there are many possibilities. Also look at CS postal rates. After July 1 1862 the rate was 10 cents per one half ounce for weight.

It is fun to send and receive mail. I once sent our Battalion commander (we were doing US) an invoice for a custom made Sword from Kittredge - the letterhead was copied from an original a friend had access to.

[cprljohnivey]

Re: Box from Home address

Even adding the name of your company captain was often done.

[poilu1917]

Re: Box from Home address

After searching the forum for more information concerning mail items, I am still left with some unanswered questions:

- For boxes sent from home, they would ink or paint the address directly onto the wood or did they also at times use paper labels?
- How was the postage marked on the boxes? I am assuming it wasn't a bunch of stamps but rather a special label if anything at all.
- Are there any sources for the postal rates used during the war for sending packages & mail to the front (for both confederate and federal)?

Any help with would be greatly appreciated. I am looking to bring this aspect of 1st person living history to some events and of course want to make the items as accurately as possible. Thanks in advance!

[BobSullivanPress]

Re: Box from Home address

After searching the forum for more information concerning mail items, I am still left with some unanswered questions:

- For boxes sent from home, they would ink or paint the address directly onto the wood or did they also at times use paper labels?
Yes.

- How was the postage marked on the boxes? I am assuming it wasn't a bunch of stamps but rather a special label if anything at all.
Generally, packages were sent via express companies. One of the largest of these during the war was the Adams Express Company. During the war years, the company actually split in two for political reasons. There was the Adams Express company, and the Southern Adams (or just Southern) Express company. The cooperated with each other and shipped items across lines. There was no need for stamps or postage if you sent a package through an express company. You paid at the local express office and got a receipt, and the package was marked with destination and name on it. The Adams Express company did put small labels on boxes that they were shipping. Think of something sent via Federal Express or UPS today; there's no postage on it.



- Are there any sources for the postal rates used during the war for sending packages & mail to the front (for both confederate and federal)?

I used to sell a small booklet that was a reprint of a Confederate Almanac from 1863 (I think). It had a very good section on postal rates in the Confederacy. I no longer have copies, and I don't have the source of the books, either.


Any help with would be greatly appreciated. I am looking to bring this aspect of 1st person living history to some events and of course want to make the items as accurately as possible. Thanks in advance!

[poilu1917]

Re: Box from Home address

Mr. Sullivan,
Thanks for the information concerning the packages, so the express company would deliver to the military and they would take it further to the actual units from there? Thanks again.

[BobSullivanPress]

Re: Box from Home address

Actually, most express companies had agents that traveled with the armies. Generally, express shipping worked like this:

You take the package to the express office, charges are calculated, and you pay the fee.
The express office ships it to the the express office in the city closest to the army's actual location.
They deliver it to their field agent.
The field agent finds the unit and delivers it to the unit.
The package is then delivered with the rest of the mail at the next mail call.

Naturally, there are exceptions.

By the way, there are two Civil War express companies that are still in business. But neither of them deliver packages anymore. Can you guess?

American Express
Adams Express

[BobRoeder]

Re: Box from Home address

Doesn't answer the original poster's question but since Mr. Sullivan mentioned the Adam's Express office here is an image showing one such office for the Army of the James:

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/civwar/item/cwp2003000506/PP/

Also, an interesting detail - the neat patch job done on the soldier's trousers (3rd from the left).