Americana

Hamilton, Alexander. [James Kent]

The Examination of the President’s Message at the Opening of Congress December 7, 1801.

Printed and Published at the Office of the New York Evening Post : New York, 1802.

First separate edition of Hamilton’s analysis of Jefferson’s first Annual Message to Congress which first appeared in the Evening Post, under the signature of Lucius Crassus. Howes H112. Octavo, bound in quarter morocco. Association copy, from the library of American jurist James Kent with his ownership signature to the title page. American jurist, New YorkContinue reading "The Examination of the President’s Message at the Opening of Congress December 7, 1801."

James, William

A Full and Correct Account of the Chief Naval Occurrences of the Late War Between Great Britain and The United States of America; Preceded by a Cursory Examination of the American Accounts of Their Naval Actions Fought Previous to That Period.

London : Printed for T. Egerton, 1817.

First edition of James’ naval history of the War of 1812, which inspired Theodore Roosevelt’s account from the American perspective: The Naval War of 1812. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf with gilt ruling to the spine and panels, red morocco spine label lettered in gilt, rebacked. In very good condition.

Lincoln, Abraham

Abraham Lincoln Amnesty Proclamation and Signed Pardon of December 8, 1863.

Washington, D.C. : War Department, Adjutant General's Office, 1864-1869.

Rare autograph Oath of December 8 endorsement signed and entirely in the hand of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln with an exceedingly rare contemporary printing of Lincoln’s Amnesty Proclamation which includes the wording of the oath itself and a rare carte-de-visite of Lincoln [Providence, RI: Salisbury, Bro. & Co., n.d.]. OneContinue reading "Abraham Lincoln Amnesty Proclamation and Signed Pardon of December 8, 1863."

Billings, John D

Hardtack and Coffee or The Unwritten Story of Army Life.

Boston : George M. Smith & Co, 1887.

First edition of Billings’ classic Civil War memoir. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with six color plates and over two hundred sketches by Charles W. Reed. In very good condition. First editions are rare.

Leaves From A Trooper’s Diary.

Philadelphia : Published by the Author, 1869.

First edition of an Anderson Cavalry officer’s Civil War memoir. Octavo, original cloth decorated in gilt. In good condition. Rare.

Bickham, William Dennison

Rosecrans’ Campaign with the Fourteenth Army Corps, of the Army of the Cumberland: A Narrative of Personal Observations, with a Appendix, Consisting of Official Reports of the Battle of Stone River.

Cincinnati : Moore, Wilstach, Keys & Co, Moore, Wilstach, Keys & Co..

First edition of William Dennison Bickham’s Civil War memoir. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. In good condition. Ex-library.

Parker, William Harwar

Recollections of a Naval Officer 1841-1865.

New York : Charles Scribners Sons, 1883.

Coffin, Charles Carleton

Freedom Triumphant: The Fourth Period of the War of the Rebellion From September 1864, To Its Close.

New York : Harper & Brothers, 1891.

First edition of the acclaimed journalist’s work on the fourth period of the Civil War. Octavo, original cloth decorated in gilt, illustrated. In very good condition.

Chetlain, Augustus L

Recollections of Seventy Years.

Galena : The Gazette Publishing Company, 1899.

First edition of Major General Chetlain’s Civil War memoir. Octavo, original cloth, patterned endpapers, frontispiece portrait. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Eugene F. Estey Esg. with the best wishes of the author.” In near fine condition. Uncommon in this condition and signed.

Young, Jesse Bowman

What A Boy Saw in the Army: A Story of Sight-Seeing and Adventure in the War for the Union.

New York : Hunt & Eaton, 1894.

First edition of Young’s account of his experiences as a soldier boy in the armies of the Union. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. In very good condition.

Stephens, Alexander H

A Constitutional View of the Late War Between the States; It’s Causes, Character, Conduct and Results. Presented in a Series of Colloquies at Liberty Hall.

Philadelphia : National Publishing Company, 1868.

First edition of the “most elaborate—and best—argument for the constitutional validity of the doctrine of state sovereignty and the right of secession” (Howes), featuring 16 full-page steel engraved portraits, several facsimiles and a map of Manassas. Octavo, two volumes bound in full cloth with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, illustrated with 16 full-page steelContinue reading "A Constitutional View of the Late War Between the States; It’s Causes, Character, Conduct and Results. Presented in a Series of Colloquies at Liberty Hall."

Porter, Horace. [Ulysses S. Grant]

Campaigning with Grant.

New York : The Century Co., 1897.

First edition of Horace Porter’s Civil War memoir. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with portraits and maps. In good condition. First editions are rare.

Morton, Joseph W., editor

Sparks From the Camp Fire, Tales of the Old Veterans.

Philadelphia : Keystone Publishing Co., 1895.

New and revised edition of this collection of Civil War memoirs. Octavo, original cloth decorated in gilt, patterned endpapers, illustrated. From the library of Michael Ellsworth Shoemaker, son of William Shoemaker wounded in the battle of Cold Harbor, June 3rd 1864 with his ownership inscription. In good condition.

Stine, J.H

History of the Army of the Potomac.

Washington, D.C. : Privately Printed, 1893.

Second edition of Stine’s history of the the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Octavo, original cloth, patterned endpapers, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the flyleaf, “With the compliments of the author to a personal friend C.A. Fromm… J.H. Stine.” In very good condition. Rare.

Kerbey, Joseph Orton

On the War Path: A Journey Over the Historic Grounds of the Late Civil War.

Chicago : Donahue, Henneberry & Co., 1890.

First edition of the Civil War Union spy’s autobiography. Octavo, original cloth. In very good condition.

Stowe, Harriet Beecher

Harriet Beecher Stowe Carte-de-Visite and Signed Card.

New York : E & H.T. Anthony, .

Rare original carte-de-visite of the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, accompanied by a small notecard inscribed by her, “Truly yours HB Stowe.” In near fine condition. The carte-de-visite measures 4 inches by 2.5 inches. The note measures 3.25 inches by 1.75 inches.

Monroe, James

Message From the President of the United States Stating the Interpretation Which Has Been Given To The Act Entitled “An Act in Addition to the Acts Prohibiting the Slave Trade. [with] A Report of the Committee to Whom was Referred So Much of the President’s Message, of the 7th of December last, as relates to the Suppression of the Slave Trade.

Washington, D.C : Printed by Gales & Seaton, 1819-1826.

Two rare printed pamphlets regarding President James Monroe’s position on the prohibition of the Slave Trade. Octavo. In very good condition. Rare.

[Stanton, Edward M.; George B. McClellan]

Letter of The Secretary of War, Transmitting Report on the Organization of the Army of the Potomac, and of Its Campaigns in Virginia and Maryland, Under the Command of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, From July 26, 1861, to November 7, 1862.

Washington : Government Printing Office, 1864.

First edition of Stanton’s official report on the organization and campaigns of the Army of the Potomac. Octavo, original cloth. In very good condition.

Tocqueville, Alexis Charles Henri Clérel. Translated by Henry Reeve

Democracy in America.

London : Saunders and Otley, 1835.

First edition in English of Tocqueville’s magnum opus. Octavo, 2 volumes, bound in three quarters period calf over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, half-titles, folding engraved map. I very good condition. An attractive contemporary binding.

Adams, Henry

A Letter to American Teachers of History.

Washington, D.C. : Privately Printed at the Press of J. H. Furst Co. Baltimore, 1910.

First edition of Adams’ classic treatise on education. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Henry Adams at the conclusion of the introduction. From the library of Charles H. Rammelkamp, Jr. with his ownership signature to the front free endpaper. Charles H. Rammelkamp, Jr. was an American scientist and physician. He discovered that streptococcus can cause rheumaticContinue reading "A Letter to American Teachers of History."