| Mail to St. George's DETAINED AT AMERICAN CONSUL FOR 13 YEARS, Bermuda postal history 1879 cover from P.D. Slocum & Co., Clothiers, New Bedford, Massachusetts to Mr. Holder B. Slocum, 1st Mate Brig V.H. Hill, Capt. Sylvia, Bermuda (showing "Care Am Consul" at lower left) with U.S. 5c blue Zachary Taylor tied New Bedford cork dated MAY 10 with Boston MAY 10 transit and ST. GEORGES MAY 20 1879 oval receiving backstamps (LRD on incoming mail), after 13 years marked in red manuscript "Remained at American Consulate until 23rd April 1892/Not called for" with presumed Consulate Dead Letter Office purple pointing hand "RETURN TO THE WRITER. D.L.O." handstamp and placed in the mail with ST. GEORGES B/AP 23 92 cds (H1, usually applied at a transit or arrival datestamp, Ludington Page 141) with DEAD LETTER OFFICE/S A triangle dated MAY 11-92 on reverse. A fascinating item. Previous history: The whaling schooner Varnum H. Hill of and from Provincetown, was captured by the rebel steamer "Florida" on 27 June 1863 and released on bond of $10,000 on condition that she would take prisoners belonging to the destroyed ships "Southern Cross" (June 6, burnt same day), "Red Gauntlet" (June 14, kept in company as carrying coal and burnt on the 26th), "Benjamin Hoxie" (June 16 carrying silver bars valued at £500,000, sunk June 27) into Bermuda. Some 54 seamen were landed at Hamilton on 4 July and were taken in charge by the American Consul, and on 7 July Captain Doe of the British brig "Henrietta" agreed to take the seamen brought in by the V.H. Hill to New York. (Research shows no further mention of the V.H. Hill allowing no explanation for this incoming letter of 1879, and it being detained at the American Consul for 13 years until released in 1892). The "Florida" was a highly successful commerce raider in the Confederate States Navy capturing 37 prize ships. £525 | |