For Collectors Only

For Collectors Only EDITED BY RALPH G. NEWMAN 18 East Chestnut Street Chicago 11, Illinois in APML, 1939, the late Douglas souTHALL freeman delivered three addresses at the Alabama College, the State College for Women, to inaugurate the Dancy Lectures. These lectures formed the basis for The South to Posterity, Dr. Freeman's work on the writing of Confederate history, in which he presented his "Confederate Book Shelf." Immediately after the publication of Dr. Freeman's "Shelf," the more than fifty titles therein recommended became the immediate collecting goal of all Civil War enthusiasts. The Freeman list, with additions, still remains the yardstick by which members of the modern corps of literary Johnny Rebs measure their libraries. But what about Billy Yank's books? During the sixteen years that have elapsed since the appearance of the Confederate list, many collectors have expressed the hope that a similar Union book shelf might be prepared . The author of this column often discussed this project with the late Lloyd Lewis, and the author of Sherman, Fighting Prophet would undoubtedly have prepared such a list had he lived. A Union book shelf seems to be an appropriate subject to discuss in CIVIL WAR HISTORY, and I hope to be able to devote the space allotted to me in the next several issues to preliminary investigations and listings of titles which might eventually find their way into a more or less definitive select catalogue. I hope the readers of CIVIL WAR HISTORY and of this column will be kind enough to send their suggestions and comments, and that perhaps as a result of our collaboration we can, in time, present an acceptable list of books relating to the Northern participation in the war of the sixties. 71 72RALPH G. NEWMAN REFERENCE WORKS Certain basic reference works recommended in Dr. Freeman's list are also essential to a Union list. These titles are listed herewith with a few additions and with the elimination of those works purely Southern in character. (Note: In all cases the title and edition listed will be the earliest appearance, unless the work has been superseded by a better edition, in which case the best edition will be recorded. Where there is any doubt, or where more than one edition might be useful to the student, collector or scholar, they will all be listed. ) Atlas to Accompany the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891-1895, 175 plates. Campaigns of the Civil War, 13 volumes. The Navy in the Civil War, 3 volumes. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1881-1885. Johnson, Robert Underwood and Clarence Clough Buel, editors, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. New York: The Century Co., 1884-1888, 4 volumes. MrLLER, Francis Trevelyan, The Photographic History of the Civil War. New York: The Review of Reviews Co., 1911, 10 volumes. Moore, Frank, editor, The Rebellion Record. New York: G. P. Putnam's and D. Van Nostrand, 1861-1868, 11 volumes and supplement. Steele, Matthew Forney, American Campaigns. Washington: War Department , Office of the Chief of Staff, 1909, 2 volumes. The War of the Rebellion . . . Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington: Government Printing Office, 18901901 , 128 volumes. The War of the Rebellion . . . Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies. Washington: Government Printing Office, 18941922 , 30 volumes. PERSONAL NARRATIVES, DIARIES AND LETTERS No Union list of personal narratives could possibly begin without the story of the victorious general. A truly remarkable work, not only in the military field, but as a work of literature, the book itself was the result of General Grant's last and greatest victory — his fight against death itself. The Memoirs belong in any list of 100 great American books. Grant, Ulysses Simpson, Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant. New York: Chas. L. Webster & Co., 1885, 2 volumes. One volume edition, with Notes and Introduction by E. B. Long. Cleveland: The World Publishing Co., 1952. Adams, Charles Francis, Charles Francis Adams, Jr. and Henry Adams, A Cycle of Adams Letters, 1861-1865. Edited by Worthington C. Ford. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1920, 2 volumes. For Collectors Only73 Bates, Edward, The Diary of Edward Bates, 1859-1866...