 LOUISIANA. L.E. Carter, Sutler 3rd Regiment Mississippi Volunteers. Two Dollars. 'New Orleans'. 'March 15 [?], 1862'. Printed on flimsy and frail rag paper. 160mm by 55mm. Across the note, a fine and complete green tint. Across the center in red, 'TWO DOLLARS.' with two red '2' counters enclosed in jagged frames. Indian brave stalks at left and standing farmer at the right. Issuer 'L.E. CARTER' above textual protector, below 'Redeemable in NEW ORLEANS in Confederate Notes....' At lower left 'NEW ORLEANS' with date below. At the lower right is the signature position and in fine capitals underneath, 'SUTLER 3[R]D REGIMENT MISS. VOLUNTEERS. No imprint, however the style is diagnostic to S.S. Callender & Co. print 21 Gravier street New Orleans used on Pass Christian, MS issues from Carter.
Unlisted Regiment and Issuer in Keller. Kraus 55493; Rarity 7. Cited in the introduction to his sutler section as Louisiana as well and considered the only ''strictly'' defined Sutler on Mississippi. As such, a significant sutler issue, one perhaps not readily recognized due to the fine line printing under the signature. Carter issued Mississippi scrip from Pass Christian (prior to this note we believe, see next lot). However, the note is clearly Louisiana with engraved city and date. Redemption back to New Orleans certainly made these more inviting in the field, particularly this higher denomination that was more in the line of an officer's pay than an infantryman's.
The only other example we surveyed in our auction catalogue research was the Western Reserve Historical Society Collection example sold as part of (of course) Mississippi lot 479. Despite the discrete placement, it still brought (with 25¢ and 50¢ Smith Army Miss. notes) a whopping ''Three Grand'' hammer to Douglas Ball. That note's present whereabouts is unknown, but it likely resides in an advanced Louisiana collection.
Though this note does not measure up to the Western Reserve specimen, it is still quite lovely. Fine, but trimmed all around and into the margin lines and tint lathe. The imprint, likely along the bottom, is long gone. However where it counts the note is all there and with a paper type such as this, very few probably survived at all.
Ex Byron Cook, February 2, 1966.
The 3rd Mississippi was organized at Enterprise in the Spring of 1861. They fought at Vicksburg, Atlanta, and Tennessee.
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