Sanitary Fairs: A Philatelic and Historical Study of Civil War Benevolences (review)

280CIVIL WAR HISTORY were involved. This may reflect a contrast between radical immigrants of an urban background and more conservative newcomers drawn from the intertwined ranks of rural smallholders and marginal village artisans. Scholars studying religiously affiliated Germans have done no more than labor historians in investigating the extent to which their two constituencies overlapped. (One of the few that does, David Gerber's 1989 book on Buffalo, is not cited by Levine.) But The Spirit of 1848 helps prepare the way for this admittedly challenging task. With respect to both prose style and organization, the book is a pleasure to read. A well-constructed index rounds out the volume. However, with the bibliography restricted to primary sources and contemporary publications, and endnotes failing to give full citations at the beginning of each chapter, tracking down references becomes a major chore. Walter D. Kamphoefner Texas A&M University Sanitary Fairs: A Philatelic and Historical Study ofCivil War Benevolences. By Alvin Robert Kantor and Marjorie Sered Kantor. (Glencoe, IU.: SF Publishing , 1992. Pp. 304. $75.00.) This coffee table-style volume is the result of some thirty years of collecting on the part of the Kantors during which they have secured a nearly complete set of covers (envelopes) and stamps from the various sanitary fairs held during the Civil War. Their Odyssey began at a 1961 meeting ofthe Chicago Philatelic Society, when Mr. Kantor first became cognizant of the fairs, their purpose and their significance, through some stamps on display from the Philadelphia fair. His curiosity piqued, he began searching for them through subsequent philatelic contacts and in the process began the acquisition of covers as well. In addition to collecting the memorabilia, Kantor has delved into the history of the fairs and particularly their philatelic aspects. Organized by the various auxiliaries of the United States and Western Sanitary Commissions to secure needed funds for their ongoing efforts to provide needed clothing and dietary and medical supplies for both the men at the front and in the hospitals , these fairs raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. They contained a wide variety of displays, promoted various types of contests, and were often frequented by distinguished military and civilian guests who mingled with the crowds they attracted. AU of the fair buildings had a post office, usually attended by the young women members of the auxiliary. Although not officially recognized by the postal service, these stations served as drops for those who wished to send some type of message to a friend or relative indicating that they had visited the fair. Special sanitary stamps were available for a small fee and could be attached to elaborately designed covers, which were also for sale. While some of these would be held at the fair post office for personal pick up by BOOK REVIEWS28 1 their addressee, others, with proper federal postage attached, would be taken to a regular post office for delivery elsewhere. Of the many local fairs, only the eight largest, beginning with that in Brooklyn in December 1863 and ending with that in Springfield, Massachusetts , a year later, issued sanitary stamps. Of these, the most numerous are from the Philadelphia Fair held in June 1864. The Kantors provide a synopsis of each of these fairs and a detailed description of their philatelic offerings. They also have a briefchapter describing various medals and commemorative sheet music produced by the different fairs. In addition, they provide brief overview chapters of the work of the United States Sanitary Commission and the United States Christian Commission. The last third of the book is devoted to a discussion of military and hospital mail, Civil War prison correspondence, and a variety of wartime benevolences , including those of the Confederates. Two appendices contain the order of the secretary of war appointing the United States Sanitary Commission on June 9, 1861, and a list of all military hospitals (both Union and Confederate ) and their bed capacities. There is also an extensive bibliography, arranged by topic. For all of that, this is primarily a volume of interest to collectors, philatelic and otherwise. Profusely illustrated with both color and black-and-white depictions ofthe various stamps, covers, medals, and sheet music, the descriptions of...