"GREAT GLORY NECESSARILY PROCEEDED FROM PROJECTS THAT WERE CONCEIVED WITH PROFOUND WISDOM": TARLETON'S HISTORY OF THE CAMPAIGNS OF 1780 AND 1781, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND ITS SOUTHERN CAMPAIGNS, WITH FIVE LARGE MAPS
(AMERICAN REVOLUTION) TARLETON, Sir Banastre. A History of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781, in the Southern Provinces of North America. London: T. Cadell, 1787. Large quarto, original marbled boards rebacked and recornered in period-style brown calf gilt, red morocco spine label.
First edition of Tarleton's significant account of the southern campaigns in the American Revolution, illustrated with five detailed maps (three large folding) with hand-colored outlines of routes and positions, in original marbled boards.
Tarleton's aggressive, ruthless style on the field of battle during the American Revolutoin earned him the name "Bloody Tarleton." "The work begins with D'Estaing's fruitless attack on Savannah in the autumn of 1779, and proceeds with great minuteness of detail to give the military events of the Carolinas and Virginia down to the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, October 19, 1781. The history is in general a compilation of the official letters of the British officers, both in the sea- and land-service, and of the American and French commanders, which had appeared in the newspapers… This book has great value, especially because it contains many documents that cannot be found elsewhere without great labor" (Church 1224). Featured in this handsome volume are five maps (three large folding), each with hand-colored outlining, that depict the sieges of Charlestown and Yorktown, the battles of Camden and Guildford, and a general map of Cornwallis' movements in the American South. With mispagination of p. 236 (as in Church); with rear advertisement leaf. Sabin 94397. Howes T37. Clark I:317. ESTC T97251. Early owner signature above title page.
Text and maps fresh with only light scattered foxing, minor expert repair to one fold in folding map; only very light wear to marbled boards.An excellent copy.