5c Blue, Stone 3 (4).
Vertical pair (noted as Positions 22/32), large margins except touched at
lower left, beautiful bright color and fine impression, tied by clear
"Eagle Pass Tex. Mar. 28(?)" circular datestamp on blue folded
letter originating in Mexico and smuggled into Confederate Texas,
dated Mar. 23, 1863, addressed to Francisco de P. Farias in San Antonio,
letter in Spanish discusses business matters and mentions Confederate
General Magruder, embossed crest "Republica Mexicana"EXTREMELY FINE. A VERY RARE USAGE FROM MEXICO INTO THE CONFEDERATE STATES VIA EAGLE PASS. THE 5-CENT BLUE HOYER & LUDWIG IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE ON MEXICAN CROSS-BORDER MAIL.
The Eagle Pass post office was a regular drop point for mail smuggled over the Mexican border into the Confederacy. The typical franking is a pair of the 5c Typograph. This is the one of the finest cross-border covers we have encountered. (Image)