1862 CIVIL WAR Cover/SURGEON on USS Mount Vernon in VA--Penny Mail POSTMARK Plus

Description

Civil War cover (just over 3” by 5 ½”) sent to Surgeon Samuel B. Hoppin of the U.S.S. Mount Vernon at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, with a one cent stamp and a three cent stamp and three postmarks from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, dated October 7, 1862. No letter enclosed. The envelope has a one cent blue Benjamin Franklin stamp at left and a three cent red orange George Washington at right, both cancelled with a postmark from Philadelphia, Pa., dated Oct. 7, 1862. There’s another cancel stamp on the reverse, an octagonal carrier postmark (a bit light and blurred) that reads U.S. Penny Mail, Phila., Pa., Oct. 7. Samuel Bowler Hoppin (1818-1905) was a physician from Philadelphia who served as a surgeon in the U.S. Navy. He took part in a raid on the Little River in South Carolina in June of 1862 while serving on the steamship Mount Vernon. In later years, Hoppin served also on the U.S.S. Union and the U.S.S. Flambeau. He returned to his practice in Philadelphia after the war. The cover is only fair condition with light wear and soiling. The back flap is torn off, and there are a couple of short tears at the top edge on the front. A nice Civil War cover with interesting postal markings!