Check This Out!

Now before you ask, this is not mine and it also carries a really hefty price-tag but I am in love with it! Can anyone explain the "Rebel Archive" auxiliary marking on the cover please? I have never seen anything like this before and likely won't again. Anyway here is the image I am referring to-

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The "Rebel Archives" handstamp came much later, presumably after the Civil War; it is not part of the postal markings. When Richmond fell on April 2, 1865, no doubt tons of Confederate documents were captured, then sent to Washington for analysis and as evidence for war crimes, reparations, pardons, etc.

Years later, they may have been sold as scrap paper, without regard to philatelic content. This is just my theory.

That seems logical and seems to fit the details of the cover. I think you got it if not then at least is in the same ball field. Wow! though, I would just love to run across something like that. (one that I could afford anyway!)

Wow. Very interesting cover! Here is some info I gathered on the internet.
The "Rebel Archives" was a common name for the Federal records pertaining to the Confederate States. Here is a web site pertaining to that: http://www.archives.gov/research/gu...ups/109.html.
This pdf file has a reference to the oval stamp: http://www.archives.gov/research/mi...ilm/m909.pdf

Thank you. I wish I owned that bad boy but I don't..oh well the search continues!