patriotic design of an elephant carrying a banner, free-franked "CH Vanwyck MC" (Charles Van Wyck, member of the House of Representatives from the state of New York), blue "Baltimore Md. Jul 27" datestamp, addressed to Beverly, Massachusetts, barely reduced at right, very fine, due to his fervent anti-slavery stance Van Wyck was the victim of an assassination attempt in Washington, DC on February 22, 1861, and he went on to serve as a commanding officer of the 56th New York Infantry Regiment during the Civil War