Genesis of the Civil War: The Story of Sumter 1860-1861.

Rare first edition of this classic work on the genesis of The Civil War. Octavo, bound in full green leather with gilt titles to the spine in four compartments within raised bands, vignette stamped in gilt to the front panel, marbled endpapers, silk ribbon bound in, illustrated with tissue-guarded frontispiece, plans, and map. The publishing firm Charles L. Webster & Co. was founded in 1884 by Mark Twain, together with his business partner (and niece's husband) Charles Webster, initially to publish Twain's own works, beginning with Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885. That same year, Twain secured the contract to publish Ulysses S. Grant's Memoirs - a runaway success that launched the firm into producing the memoirs of other leading Civil War generals. In fine condition with toning to the textblock. The scarcest volume in the 'Shoulder Strap' series.