The Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union -- The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy

Garden City: Doubleday & Company, 1971. Hardcover. Complete 2-volume set. 8vo. Burgundy cloth with gilt spine lettering, dust jackets. 454pp, 444pp. Frontispieces. Good plus/very good. Jackets slightly edgeworn, with large chip on second volume at head of spine; both book spines a bit rubbed and lightly soiled, and bottom page edges somewhat darkened. A tight and decent reprint edition of these classic 1952 (Billy Yank) and 1943 (Johnny Reb) texts, which James I. Robertson Jr. (in the Nevins bibliography) rightfully calls "the encyclopedia for army life of the men in blue" and "equally authoritative work for the men in gray." Contains a choice autograph addition from Wiley (1906-80): Tipped to the front flyleaf of "Billy Yank" is a Typed Document Signed, 1p, 7¼" X 10½", Atlanta, GA, n.d. [5 December 1970 penned on verso in recipient's hand]. Near fine. On letterhead of "The National Historical Society" listing Wiley as Chairman, this letter is his annual mimeographed Christmas letter sent to friends and family, a lengthy, detailed, single-spaced recording of the year's events: Trips across the country and overseas, his wife's health issues, etc., all quite interesting. On the generic "Dear Friends" opening Wiley crosses out "Friends" and pens "Arnold above this, and at the letter's close he boldly signs "Bell" in blue ballpoint. Along the blank top margin he adds a handwritten postscript to recipient Arnold F. Gates (1914-93, noted Lincoln and Civil War scholar): "I enjoy your book column in Lincoln Herald. Congratulations on the well deserved degree! Hope our paths will cross again! Bell." A fairly nice set of these classics bearing a unique and interesting author letter. NEVINS I, 178.