This 1964 Civil War Centennial First Day Cover features the 5¢ Battle of the Wilderness stamp issued May 5, 1964, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Art Craft cachet depicts the chaotic 1864 battle scene with portraits of Major General Ulysses S. Grant and General Robert E. Lee flanking the title.
The Battle of the Wilderness marked the opening engagement of Grant’s Overland Campaign, fought May 5–6, 1864, in dense Virginia woodland. Despite heavy casualties on both sides, Grant pressed southward, a strategic shift that ultimately led to Union victory.
The cachet’s dramatic artwork and dual-portrait design, together with the “Wilderness Station” first-day cancel on the stamp, make this an appealing Civil War topical for collectors.
A fine example of mid-1960s Art Craft cachet work, this cover displays well and fits neatly into any Civil War Centennial or U.S. commemorative FDC collection.
