Confederate Stamp #7 Civil War Mail Voting Elections Virginia Artillery 1865
A document of exceptional philatelic and historical interest. A pair of CSA Confederate #7 (London paper) on an absentee ballot mailed by George Allen, serving with the 18.
The election of March 23, 1865 was for a delegate from Pittsylvania County (southern Virginia), where Allen apparently resided, and he was the only one from that county serving in this battalion. In historical terms, one can look at the document as an indication of interest in grass-roots participation in local politics even under trying wartime conditions-- or, as a blissful unawareness of the impending doom for the Confederacy, which collapsed only a few days later with the fall of Richmond on April 3 and the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9.
Battalion was also known as the "Atlantic Artillery" from Norfolk, and these gunners saw duty in the fortifications at Richmond. Specifically, at the time this letter was mailed, the unit was stationed at Chaffin's Farm (as the document indicates), on the outskirts of Richmond. This was the anchor of a network of fortifications and defenses, and the site of the New Market Heights assault by Afro-American troops in September 1864, which was ultimately contained but which resulted in the award of 13 Congressional Medals of Honor.In the orders he issued for the attack to his subordinate Major-General Edward Ord (Commanding XVIII Corps), Major-General Benjamin Butler Commanding, Dept. Of Virginia and North Carolina notes that On Chaffin's farm there is no garrison, except about 100 heavy artillerists, holding that place as an intrenched camp. -almost certainly an allusion to the 18. The document is 12" x 10". It was meant to last only for a short period and the paper is wafer-thin wartime quality.
Unavoidably, it shows age wear and it split along the folds into 4 pieces (someone at some time apparently attempted some tape repair). However, it remains as a valuable historic and philatelic document, as the writing remains legible, and the stamps are tied and fresh and in fine condition.