1851, 3c Washington imperforate with a vertical tear tied by New York Jan. 20 datestamp on small folded letter from Mosul, Iraq cover to St Louis, USA. With directive at lower left "Steamer/D.W. Marsh/Mosul". 3-page letter datelined "Mosul, Mon. Nov. 23 1856". The letter was brought to Baghdad by steamer along the Tigris River and then transported by British camel service through the Syrian Desert to Beirut, where it went onboard a packet ship. Postal route opened by the British in 1843; the letter travelled almost 3 months to its final destination in St Louis.
Representing the earliest use of a postage stamp in Iraq! Letter written by the missionary Dwight Whitney Marsh who was posted at Mosul 1850-1860. In the correspondence, the writer mentions the Anglo-Persian War (1 Nov. 1856-4 April 1857); "News from Persia and India is warlike but Persia will probably yield and England be saved the cost of another war - Persia ought to be humbled, she has treated England hautighly". He concludes the letter by saying "I hope slavery will not prevail tomorrow" in reference to the US presidential elections which took place 4 Nov. and in which Democrat James Buchanan defeated Republican nominee John C. Fremont.
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