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W[illiam]. W[illiston]. Heartsill. Fourteen Hundred and 91 Days, in the Confederate Army....
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$7,500.00
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Description
W[illiam]. W[illiston]. Heartsill. Fourteen Hundred and 91 Days, in the Confederate Army. A Journal, kept by W.W. Heartsill, for four years, one month, and one day. Or Camp Life; Day-by-Day, of the W.P. Lane Rangers from April 19th 1861, to May 20th 1865. [Marshall, Texas: Privately Printed, 1876]. First Edition, one of only 100 copies hand-printed by the author on an "Octavo Novelty Press." 8vo. [viii], 264, [1] pages. Illustrated with sixty-one albumen photographic portraits (including one of the author) mounted on leaves with printed captions identifying the subjects. Five of the albumens have been replaced in facsimile. Original cloth over boards, lacking spine which has been replaced with linen. Period handwritten note added on the albumen of S. J. Burton, "died a natural death." Previous collector's signature in blue ballpoint on front endpaper. Please note detailed condition report below. Additional images available upon request.Heartsill's journal describes his experiences during the Civil War, including material related to Texas ranching activities, Indian and Mexican affairs, and botany; the Texas Secession Convention; generals Braxton Bragg, Stonewall Jackson, Joseph E. Johnston, and John W. Whitfield; his work with the W.P. Lane Rangers; battles of Chickamauga and Vicksburg; prisoners of war; and the Confederate Army Trans-Mississippi Department.
Harwell notes: "This book would be of considerable interest because of the homespun way in which it was produced, even if it were devoid of any other virtues. It is, however, a good narrative in its own right-of the early days of the war in Texas, of operations in Arkansas and Louisiana, of Heartsill's capture and imprisonment in the North, of his travels through the north to City Point, Virginia, for exchange. After some time in Richmond he was attached to Bragg's army in time to participate in the Battle of Chickamauga. Then slowly back to Texas through Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. For a while he guarded Federal prisoners in Camp Ford at Tyler, Texas. He and his comrades in the W. P. Lane Rangers were finally disbanded near Navasota May 10, 1865."
Howes: "Printed by the author, page-by-page, on a hand-press; one of the rarest journals by a Confederate combatant."
Jenkins writes: "The rarest and most coveted book on the American Civil War. Only one hundred copies were printed, of which merely a handful have survived.... The journal itself is historically important.... This four-year record is one of the most vivid and intimate accounts of Civil War battle-life that has survived."
We have previously handled only two other copies of this scarce book, most recently in 2016, selling for $45,000. This copy is in lesser condition, but is a great opportunity to obtain a highly desirable Civil War title.
Condition: Cloth covered boards heavily worn and rubbed, exposing boards at all corners and in some places on the front board. Spine perished and replaced with later linen, likely recased. About 30 percent of the pages have tissue added along the edges and in gutter, with several repairs made to tears. Four albumens facing page 31 and four albumens facing blank page preceding page 191 have cello tape across all tops and bottoms. Two albumens facing page 123, two images facing page 126, and one albumen facing page 186 have been replaced in facsimile. Stains remain on front and rear pastedowns and endpapers where tape has been removed, as well as on the half title and several other instances in the text. Toning, foxing, and scattered stains throughout.
References: Harwell, In Tall Cotton 86; Howes H380. Jenkins, Basic Texas Books, 89.
Auction Info
2024 April 5 Historical Manuscripts Signature® Auction #6285 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
April, 2024
5th
Friday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 1
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 298
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