A Collection of Reconstruction Era Documents, Pamphlets, and Journals Relating to the Improvement of Coastal and Siege Artillery

various sizes. An extensive collection of over 15 items from Fort Monroe, Virginia, with holograph emendations and signatures of various Civil War generals. Including: Six printed Artillery School circulars, including hand-corrected copies, five of which are signed and inscribed with endorsement by 1st Lieutenant JOSEPH C. BRECKINRIDGE (1842-1920), (cousin to CSA General John C. Breckinridge), of the 2nd US Light Artillery, from 1872-1873 at Fort Monroe, Va. Additional signatures on the circulars include one by Brevet Captain JAMES WILLIAM PIPER of the 5th US Light Artillery, who was brevetted for gallantry at Mechanicsville on June 26, 1862, another by Brevet Major General WILLIAM F. BARRY, and one by Brevet Brigadier General JOSEPH ROBERTS. With: two handwritten pamphlets on the service of certain guns, with signed endorsement by BRECKINRIDGE Dated January 4, 1872 and January 11, 1873, at Fort Monroe, VA. With: printed copy of "Form of Drill and Tables of Elevations & Ranges for the 15-Inch Sea Coast Gun, with Counterpoise Handspike Attachment," Headquarters Department of the East, New York, 1872. Booklet includes hand-revisions, as well as signed endorsement by BRECKINRIDGE on back cover, dated Jan. 11, 1873 at Fort Monroe, VA. WITH: printed copy of Charles A. L. Totten's "Notes on Compensating-Powder: Being a Brief Consideration of a New Mechanico-Chemical Explosive, for Heavy Artillery Purposes". Military Department, State Agricultural College: Amherst, MA, 1877. WITH: three leather bound workman's journals containing progress entries on various types of artillery, including a "10" W. W. Cast Iron Rifle," a "7" Steel B. L. Howitzer," a "10" B. L. Rifle," and others. At least one journal contains entries from years 1889-1890. With: reprinted article by Mansfield Merriman, from the Journal of the US Artillery, with several handwritten pages of mathematical charts and drawings. WITH: Two United States Patent Office documents, with diagrams of (1) Charles A. Totten, 'Improvement in Pyrotechnic Shells, and (2) Alonzo E. Mittenmore and Charles L. Totten, "Improvement in Compensating Powder. WITH: A hand-written Tabular Statement of French Artillery, in French, by Le Comte de Noue. WITH: miscellaneous handwritten notes and paperwork about artillery mechanics, including one letter to the adjutants of the Artillery School. Kentuckian, JOSEPH CABELL BRECKENRIDGE, SR. (1842-1920) served the Union Army as an officer during the Civil War, while two of his older brothers fought for the Confederacy. He went on to become adjutant of the Artillery School at Fort Monroe in 1870, and was promoted to captaincy in 1874. He later served as Inspector General of the Army and became major general of volunteers in the Spanish-American War. Expected wear, some soiling and toning, else very good.…