(History of Military Cartography- 31 plans, Frederick the Great): Secret Strategical Instructions, of Frederic the Second, for His Inspectors General, Translated from the German,

by Smith, Captain C. H. (Charles Hamilton)

First Thus

[30 Day Return Guarantee] Price: $7,800.00

Book Description

London: Printed for the Author (Sold Also By Longman , Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, and others), 1811. Very good, all 31 hand colored, engraved maps / plans with the separate textual explanations of each plate (complete as issued). x, 28, (31) (plus the errata slip bound between the text and plates).This is an 11 inch 4to, in a contemporary red, full morocco presentation binding, with the recipient's name in gilt on the covers (Lieut. Genl. Robert Brownrigg..). Very slight scuffing, binding tight, a.e.g., with Brownrigg's armorial bookplate on the front pastedown. This is a very scarce item (online copies at Library of Congress, British Library, Duke, Princeton, New York Public Library, US Army Military History Institute, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin). According to the DNB, Smith was a soldier-scholar, published naturalist, and contributor to the Encyclopedia Britannica. His preface indicates that London publisher declined to produce the work at their expense, in part becasue of the costs of the engraving and translation. According the the LOC entry (card no. 19-17251) the text of the original German edition is ommitted, and only the plate translations appear here. On the verso of the title page there appears a "Translation of the German Motto. It is a mistaken Idea to believe that the Science of War requires no Study. V. Bulau." General Brownrigg, also according to the DNB, was a protoge and special friend of the Duke of York, and eventual Governor of Ceylon. There is a hand-penned note by the Translator (Smith) to Brownrigg on the first blank binders leaf. The plans are not complex, but are very well organized after their individual textual explantions, and the plates are quite clean. Overall a very good copy of an unusual book. Smith had a long list of other military publications, including a "History of the Sevens Years War in Germany..", and the military portion of Coxe's "Life of the Duke of Marlborough". The plans of the battle campaigns for the atlas accompanying the latter were largely constructed under Smith's direction. He was also well-known for his "Costumes of the Army of the British Empire".. First Thus. Very Good.

Bookseller Terms of Sale

We accept cash, check, money order, American Express, Visa, Discover and Mastercard. Virginia sales tax will be added to instate purchases. Shipping charges are billed at cost, and will be added to the invoice. We usually include insurance with the postage, and as a result we do not routinely use media mail. If you wish the book sent via the latter route, it would be at your risk. For heavy items, there may be extra shipping charges. If there are any problems with our secure server, please contact us at problems@theprimemeridian.com. Any item maybe returned (postpaid and carefully packed by purchaser) within 7 days of receipt. We do not generally refund postal charges. Please notify us before sending a return. We do not share customer information with any outside sources; all details and addresses are confidential.