Description
1st Day of the Confederate Postal System: stampless JUN 1 1861 postmarked cover from MOBILE Alabama to Dr. W. Hopkins of MACON Mississippi, tied by near-full strike of full-dated double ringed datestamp & boxed PAID 5 handstamp (CSA cat type B - similar but slightly different "5" digit); professionally rebacked with original cover backside; most of the original gum is intact - possibly mailed unsealed. The postage rate used here was the new 5 cent domestic letter rate for distances of under 500 miles, replacing the US 3 cent rate which was in effect until 31 May.
From of 1 June, with the Confederacy's postal service's decision to assume control of postal services, all US postal services ceased in the South (the Union reciprocated this postal suspension on 7 June). As such, as of this date too, the regular postal service in the South was limited to the Confederacy's territory only - and mail beyond its borders had to be serviced by a number of special & complex mail services/routes.
