American Military History
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CATALOGUE THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR AmericAn militAry History WILLIAM REESE COMPANY 409 Temple Street New Haven, CT 06511 (203) 789-8081 A Note This catalogue is devoted to American military history from colonial times to World War II, with substantial sections on the American Revolution and the Civil War, but also covering the French and Indian War, earlier colonial conflicts, the War of 1812, Indian wars from the Seminole War to Wounded Knee, the Mexican-American War, and other conflicts. Notable are Mante’s history of the French and Indian War; the Jefferys atlas to the Revolution; the archive of the British commissary general in America, 1774-77; a wonderful collection of letters of leading Confederate generals; Homer’s Life in Camp lithographs; the proclamation of American military government in California at Monterrey in 1847; Revolutionary maps and broadsides; pamphlets describing Oglethorpe’s 1740 expedition against Florida; important Civil War maps; and numerous letters. Some of the items listed here came from the distinguished collection of Charles R. Sanders, one of the great collectors of American military history. Available on request or via our website are our recent catalogues 318 The Caribbean, 319 Western Americana, 320 Manuscripts & Archives, 322 Forty Years a Bookseller, and 323 For Readers of All Ages: Recent Acquisitions in Americana, as well as Bulletins 35 American Travel, 36 American Views & Cartography, 37 Flat: Single Significant Sheets, 38 Images of the American West, and many more topical lists. Some of our catalogues, as well as some recent topical lists, are now posted on the internet at www.reeseco.com. A portion of our stock may be viewed at www.reeseco.com. If you would like to receive e-mail notification when catalogues and lists are uploaded, please e-mail us at [email protected] or send us a fax, specifying whether you would like to receive the notifications in lieu of or in addition to paper catalogues. Terms Material herein is offered subject to prior sale. All items are as described and are con- sidered to be on approval. Notice of return must be given within ten days unless specific arrangements are made. Connecticut residents must be billed state sales tax. Postage and insurance charges are billed to all nonprepaid domestic orders. Overseas orders are sent by air unless otherwise requested, with full postage charges billed at our discretion. Payment by check, wire transfer or bank draft is preferred, but may also be made by MasterCard or Visa. William Reese Company Phone: (203) 789-8081 409 Temple Street Fax: (203) 865-7653 New Haven, CT 06511 E-mail: [email protected] www.williamreesecompany.com ON THE COVER: 153. [Shaw, Col. Robert Gould]: Storming Fort Wagner. Chicago. 1890. A Set of Early American Military Manuals, Printed by Robert Bell 1. [American Military Manuals]: THE ART OF WAR.... [with:] A TREATISE ON THE MILITARY SERVICE OF LIGHT HORSE, AND LIGHT INFANTRY, IN THE FIELD AND IN FORTIFIED PLACES. Philadelphia: Robert Bell, 1776-1777. Two volumes. [8],264; [2],228pp. Half title in each volume. Contemporary speckled calf, gilt-lettered spines. Rubbed, more particularly along hinges; front board of second volume neatly detached. Contemporary ownership signature of Joseph Hiller on front free endpaper of first volume. Internally clean. Very good. In separate cloth chemises within a half morocco and cloth box. Two important early American military manu- als, published shortly after the first American work of the kind, Roger Stevenson’s Military Instructions for Officers... (1775). Both volumes are English translations of earlier French mili- tary guides. Although issued separately and complete in themselves, the works are often found as a set, as here. The first title is actu- ally a compilation of three tracts by Monsieur de Lamont, an anonymous French author, and the Chevalier de la Valiere, respectively. Titled “The Duties of Officers...,” “The Duties of Soldiers...” and “The Rules and Practices of the Greatest Generals...,” they offer a thorough guide to the proper behavior of a military body of the sort so much needed by the fledgling Continental Army. The second volume, translated by the American, Major Lewis Nicola, was originally written by Thomas Grandmaison, the father of French cavalry tactics. The two volumes, intended by Bell to be a set (the second volume includes an advertisement for the first opposite its titlepage), are often found stamped with a “W” and a “G” on their respective spines, leading some who have seen only one copy to surmise their copy once belonged to George Washington. However, the appearance of multiple copies with such markings seems to defeat that hopeful hypothesis. Many Bell bindings are stamped with similar singular letters, suggesting the intrepid printer employed some sort of classification system for his bindings. Throughout the Revolution early military guides such as these were in great demand. Often subjected to extensive study and use, they are rarely found in such fine condition. HILDEBURN 3412, 3553. EVANS 14816, 15319. NAIP w013180, w028183. $7500. With the Map of Battle Lines in Boston, August 1775 2. [American Revolution]: [Boston Map]: THE PENNSYLVANIA MAG- AZINE: OR, AMERICAN MONTHLY MUSEUM. FOR MARCH [& AUGUST] 1775. Philadelphia: R. Aitken, 1775. Two issues. [103]-144; [339]-388pp. Folding plan in August issue. Dbd. Light to moderate soiling and wear. Light foxing and toning. Folding plan sepa- rating at folds. About good. Two issues of The Pennsylvania Magazine, the only magazine issued in the American colonies for most of the crucial years of 1775 and 1776 (the only other one being The Royal American Magazine, which ceased publication in March 1775). Most importantly, The Pennsylvania Magazine was edited from February 1775 un- til May 1776 (all but the first and the last two numbers) by the famous radical, Thomas Paine. The August 1775 issue contains an important folding plate titled “Exact Plan of General Gage’s Lines on Boston Neck, in America.” It includes a reference key on the facing page, indicating various sizes of cannon. The Siege of Boston began in April 1775, right at the opening of the war, and lasted nearly a year. $2500. The British Thrown Out of Boston, with a Fine Woodcut 3. [American Revolution]: TWO FAVORITE SONGS, MADE ON THE EVACUATION OF THE TOWN OF BOSTON, BY THE BRIT- ISH TROOPS, ON THE 17th OF MARCH, 1776. [Boston. March 17, 1776]. Broadside, 17 x 10½ inches. Large woodcut of a harbor fortress and naval vessels exchanging cannon fire (2½ x 6½ inches), text in two columns. One vertical and three horizontal folds. Edges mildly frayed with small losses; several small losses at fold intersections, slightly affecting woodcut and two words of text. Minor foxing, one light stain in woodcut (½ x ¾ inch). Very good. Matted. In a cloth chemise and blue half morocco and cloth slipcase, spine gilt. A rare, large-format broadside containing two songs celebrating the British defeat at Boston to Gen. Washington’s army after a siege that had lasted from April 1775. Winslow noted that the large woodcut had previously been used on a broadside of 1745 describing the siege of Louisbourg. The first song begins: “In seventeen hundred and seventy six, / On March the eleventh, the time was prefix’d, / Our forces march’d on Dorchester Neck, / Made fortifications against an attack.” The supplies and munitions left by the departing British are mentioned, as is a fire set at Castle William during the evacuation. The poet concludes spiritedly: “Let ‘em go, let ‘em go, for what they will fetch, / I think their great Howe is a miserable wretch; / And as for his men, they are fools for their pains, / So let them return to Old England again.” The second song, in a different meter, comprises thirteen four-line stanzas. It commences with a re- membrance of the Battle of Bunker Hill: “It wasn’t our will that Bunker- Hill, / From us should e’er be tak- en....” The American re-occupation of Bunker Hill is described, along with several scarecrows left by the British (to give the impression it was still garrisoned). Then: “The women come, and children run, / To brave Putnam rejoicing, / Say- ing now is the time to man your lines, / For the soldiers have left Boston.” The poet speculates on the British force’s destination: “Some say they’ve sail’d for Halifax, / And others for New-York...Where they are bound there’s none can tell, / But the great God on high, / May all our heads be covered well, / When cannon balls do fly.” A smaller format broadside of the same two songs, set in a differ- ent type but employing the same cut, is entitled, simply, On the Evac- uation of Boston by the British Troops. ESTC locates only three copies, at the Essex Institute, the American Antiquarian Society, and Princeton. SABIN 97588. BRISTOL B4385. SHIPTON & MOONEY 43179. FORD 2040. WE- GELIN 808. ESTC W38633. $17,500. Large Archive of the “Canadian Regiment” 1776-80: An Unusual Part of the Continental Army 4. [American Revolution]: Livingston, James: [LARGE ARCHIVE OF MUSTER ROLLS AND PAYROLLS FOR THE FIRST CANADI- AN REGIMENT UNDER THE COMMAND OF COL. JAMES LIVINGSTON]. [Various places]. 1776-1780. Containing forty-three pay- roll sheets and fifteen muster rolls. Additional documents include a “Proof of Effectives” signed by Colonel Livingston and a copy of Senate Bill S. 186. Some scattered soiling and light toning. Old folds, some light wear, splitting on some folds. Generally in good to very good condition. In a cloth clamshell case, leather label. James Livingston was born in Albany County, New York in 1747. His family was among the British colonials who settled in Canada after its absorption into the British Empire.