"CIVIL WAR IS UPON US": TOMES' & SMITH'S WARTIME HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR, WITH OVER 65 MAPS, VIEWS AND PORTRAITS, MANY AFTER MATHEW BRADY

TOMES, Robert and SMITH, Benjamin G. The Great Civil War: A History of the Late Rebellion with Biographical Sketches of Leading Statesmen. New York: Virtue and Yorston, [1864-65]. Three volumes. Large quarto, contemporary three-quarter tan morocco gilt, raised bands, all edges gilt. $2200.

Early edition of this exemplary three-volume Civil War history, published during and immediately after the war, with over 65 full-page engravings of battles, maps (most in color) and portraits of leaders such as Lincoln, Davis, Grant and Lee, many after photographs by Mathew Brady.

When Robert Tomes began his contemporary wartime account of the Civil War, it was believed that the war would end quickly and that a single volume would suffice for a complete history. As the war stretched out over years, Benjamin Smith was hired to complete the work, which ultimately filled three large volumes. Written with a focus on the North and wartime politics, this work is richly illustrated with over 65 full-page engraved views, maps (most in color) and portraits, including those of Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Generals Grant and Lee, McClellan, Sherman, Custer, Sheridan and many more. Both the engraved and letterpress title pages in each volume read The Great Civil War. Tomes' work first began publication in 1862 under the title The War with the South. Copyright statements on the engraved title pages or frontispieces are dated 1864 and 1865. Dornbusch III:256. Nicholson, 843. Seagrave, 645. Broadfoot, 455. Nevins II:29. Owner pencil signature.

Scattered foxing, rubbing to extremities and joints, bindings sound. Very good in publisher's morocco.