Battles and Leaders of the Civil War.

New York, NY New American Library: Meridian , 1989. Paperback First Edition Thus (1989), First Printing indicated by a complete numerical sequence. First published in 1956, in this form, from the 1887-1888 original. Near Fine in Wraps: shows only the most minute indications of use: just a hint of wear to the extremities; the backstrip is a bit concave, but remains square and secure; the text is clean. The text pages have tanned somewhat, due to aging. Free of creases to the backstrip. Free of creased or dog-eared pages in the text. Free of underlining, hi-lighting, notations, or marginalia. Free of any ownership names, dates, addresses, notations, inscriptions, stamps, plates, or labels. A handsome close-to-new copy, structurally sound and tightly bound, showing very mild wear and a couple of unobtrusive cosmetic flaws. Bright and clean. Close to 'As New'. NOT a Remainder, Book-Club, or Ex-Library. 8vo. (9 x 6 x 1.75 inches). xiii, 626 pages. Language: English. Weight: 1.5 pounds. First Edition Thus (1989), First Printing indicated by a complete numerical sequence. First published in 1956, in this form, from the 1887-1888 original. Trade Paperback. Ten years after the 1871 death of Charles Scribner, his self-named periodical was retitled Century Magazine. This publication flourished in the 1880s thanks mainly to a three year series of articles penned by 230 participants in the American Civil War, men of all ranks on both sides of the struggle. Toward the end of that decade, these writings were gathered into four comprehensive volumes called BATTLES AND LEADERS OF THE CIVIL WAR, still the greatest source of first-hand information on this momentous internecine conflict. In 1956, Ned Bradford, editor-in-chief of Little, Brown & Co., compiled a highlight volume of these reminiscences, often drawing on more than one contribution of top commanders. Thus, Ulysses Grant remembers Shiloh, Vicksburg and Chattanooga, while James Longstreet describes the Maryland campaign and Fredericksburg. Gen. Lee's artillery chief, Col. Porter Alexander, paints a vivid picture of George Pickett's doomed charge on Day 3 of Gettysburg from the Confederate viewpoint. Alexander's Union counterpart, Maj. Gen. Henry Hunt has chapters on each day of that defining battle. This 638 page 2001 Random House reissue of "Battles & Leaders" opens with Abner Doubleday's article on forts Moultrie and Sumter and concludes with R.E. Lee's 4/65 farewell to his troops. In-between are the thoughts of Lew Wallace (on Ft. Donelson), George McClellan (on the Peninsula campaign), John Hood (on the defense of Atlanta), Jubal Early (on his 1864 march to Washington's outskirts), Adm. David Porter (on opening the lower Mississippi) and so much more, all in chronological order. Included are repros of maps and etchings that originally appeared. A few are a bit dark. One is struck by the clarity of these men's writings. They're fascinating first-hand accounts that are essential reading for anyone interested in the North/South war of 1861-65.