GRIERSON RAIDS, and HATCH'S SIXTH-FOUR DAYS MARCH, with Biographical Sketches. And The Life and Adventures of Chickasaw, the Scout (7th Illinois Cavalry Regimental History)

Surby, Richard W.

Published by Rounds and James Steam Book and Job Printers, Chicago, 1865

About this Item

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 8vo, 396 pgs, 4 illustrations and 5 portrait plates lithographed by Chas. Shober, the Chicago lithographer. Decorative gilt stamped cover with gilt titled spine. CONDITION DESCRIPTION: Original cloth with rubbing and wear to corners and spine ends, slight fading. Interior has new endpapers, else age foxing and toning to otherwise clean pages. CONTENTS DESCRIPTION: Scarce Chicago pre-fire imprint; here the first edition of Surby's travelogue based on his war diary. Canadian-born Surby was the son of a British soldier. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, he was in Illinois and enlisted in the United States Army. His account describes plantations, Libby Prison, and railways along his routes. The 7th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry was mustered into service at Camp Butler, Illinois, on October 13, 1861. Grierson's Raid was a Union cavalry raid during the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. It ran from April 17 to May 2, 1863, as a diversion from Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's main attack plan on Vicksburg. The regiment was mustered out on October 20, 1865. The excellent Civil War movie, The Horse Soldiers, directed by John Ford, and starring John Wayne and William Holden, based on the Harold Sinclair novel of the same name, are fictional variations of Grierson's Raid. The fine illustrations are of particular interest; since they are accompanied by very full sub-titles, tying the subject matter into the text. REFERENCES: DORN ll #28; NEVINS I pg 45: "An early, sometimes colorful narrative by an Illinois sergeant; based largely on his own journal." NEVINS GI pg 165: "A revealing and accurate narrative of Grierson's raid through Louisiana.; author spent some time as a prisoner of war; two enlarged editions of the work appeared later." COULTER 439: "The work is decidedly a travel book, based in part on the author's war diary. On the Grierson raid he noticed plantations and their inhabitants, and on the trip to Libby Prison he was specific in describing railway accommodations and the route traveled." Howes S-1140. A PRE-FIRE CHICAGO IMPRINT. Seller Inventory # 1022048

Bibliographic Details

Title: GRIERSON RAIDS, and HATCH'S SIXTH-FOUR DAYS ...

Publisher: Rounds and James Steam Book and Job Printers, Chicago

Publication Date: 1865

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Edition: 1st Edition