Campaigning With Grant [Leatherbound Reprint of the 1897 First Edition, Collector's Library of the CIvil War]

Porter, Horace

Verlag: Time Life Books, Alexandria, Virginia, 1985

Beschreibung

Fine unread condition black leather boards with a blindstamped embossed front cover illustration with gold front cover and spine lettering. Includes a traditional 5 band hubbed spine with each of the 5 double-hubs separated by a gold decoration, gilt page edges on all three sides, and a bound-into-the-spine red satin ribbon page marker. Also includes Author Dedication; Preface by the Author; List of Maps and Illustrations and Index. Illustrated with black-and-white plate drawings, black-and-white photographic plates, a black-and-white photographic frontispiece plate and multi-colored marbled front and rear endpapers. "This leather-bound volume, like every book in the Collector's Library of the Civil War, has been photographically reproduced from a first edition and thus preserves the historical authenticity of the original, including typographical errors and printing irregularities." - from the tipped-in publisher document from The Editors. "During war, staff officers have the best seats in the arena. Their unique position gives them an unobstructed view of combat in all stages and at all levels. Moreover, they are floating links in the military chain of command. Field officers look to them for assistance; line officers look to them for advice; enlisted men look at them with awe. Staff officers are expected to exhibit both youthful enthusiasm and mature judgment. For the most part, their duties, demand that they be bright, resourceful, energetic and perceptive. In return, they enjoy command status without having to bear its responsibilities. Horace Porter epitomized every one of these characteristics. Born on April 15, 1837, in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, Porter grew up in comfortable surroundings. His father was a governor of the state. Young Porter attended the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard, then entered West Point and graduated No. 3 in the class of 1860. He was General George B. McClellan's Chief or Ordinance until 1862, when he transferred to the Western theater to serve in a similar capacity for General George H. Thomas, Commander of the Army of the Cumberland. At the 1863 battle of Chickamauga, Porter demonstrated such gallantry in helping surrounded Federal troops escape that he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He quickly came to the attention of General Ulysses S. Grant. The Army commander liked both Porter's background and personality. In April 1864, Porter joined Grant as a lieutenant colonel and proved to the ablest staff officer ever to serve under the supreme commander. Porter was a witty, shrewd and extremely observant man. He also had a very clear image of himself: A wartime photograph (facing page 64) shows him properly mustached and goateed, with the grim look of the soldier he delighted in being. The last year of the War was one that Porter never forgot. At Grant's side constantly, he was privy to the major developments in the climactic campaigns. He also became thoroughly impressed with Grant. The small, plain-looking general displayed gifts for organization and coordination that Porter admired; but most of all, it was Grant's simplicity that won Porter's lasting admiration. Porter was adept at personal touches and moving prose. His recollections teem with memorable incidents. The night before the Federal Army was to make an attack at Cold Harbor, he observed a group of veteran soldiers - worried that the assault would not succeed - calmly writing their names and addresses on pieces of paper and pinning them to the backs of their shirts so that burial details would be able to identify them. Porter wrote: "Such courage is more than heroic - it is sublime." After Appomattox, Porter continued as military aide to Grant through the latter's first term as President. Porter then became vice president of the Pulman Company and achieved success as a railroad executive. Still he had the time and devotion to help Grant in the writing of the general's memoirs." - excerpt from Editors Note.

Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 005661

Bibliografische Details

• Titel: Campaigning With Grant [Leatherbound Reprint of the 1897 First Edition, Collector's Library of the CIvil War]
• Verlag: Time Life Books, Alexandria, Virginia
• Erscheinungsjahr: 1985
• Sprache: Englisch
• Einband: Hardcover
• Druck: 2nd Printing
• Zustand: Fine
• Verkäuferkataloge:
  • Leatherbound Volumes