Postal cover featuring "The Pathfinder"

An unused example of Walcott #537, featuring a vignette portrait of John C. Frémont (1813-1890). A noted explorer, military officer, and Republican political leader, Frémont gained national fame in the 1840s for his western expeditions, which helped map and publicize large portions of the American West and earned him the nickname "The Pathfinder." He became the first Republican nominee for president in 1856 before serving as one of the Union's early major generals during the Civil War, where his independent command in the West led to both significant initiatives and eventual controversy with the Lincoln administration.