The MOUNTAIN MUSE: Comprising the Adventures of Daniel Boone; and the Power of Virtuous and Refined Beauty

Harrisonburg: Printed for the Author: By Davidson & Bourne, 1813. 1st edition (American Imprints 28029; Field 199; Harris Collection, p. 42; Sabin 8787; Wegelin 889). Period full brown sheep binding with red leather gilt stamped title label to spine with 7 horizontal rules to same, speckled edges. General wear to binding. Usual age-toning & foxing to paper; ffep lacking lower quarter. Prior owner signatures [one dated 1858] of Jacob, and Emeline, Ritner. A solid VG copy.. 252, 12 pp. "List of Subscribers" last 12 pages, which lists names, in 3 columns per page [~ 60 names / column], from 11 states: Virginia [7 pp], Kentucky [3 pp], Tennessee [1 page], Ohio [2/3 page] & Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, South Carolina, Connecticut, North Carolina, & Louisiana comprising the last 1+ columns. Of particular interest today is the large number of women so listed throughout this early 19th C. subscriber list, providing strong evidence of their literary interests & financial wherewithal [easily an academic project to research these women, and gather additional demographics for this group]. 12mo. 6-1/2" x 4"

From Harris we learn the author was born in Virginia, served as a State Senator, and subsequently as Postmaster at Georgetown. Captain Jacob Ritner, a self-styled "MOUNTAIN MUSE" [in his hand, under his signature to the front paste-down], played a role in "most of the major military events of the Western Theater: Wilson's Creek, Vicksburg, Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain, the Atlanta Campaign including the Battle of Atlanta, Sherman's March to the Sea, the Occupation of Savannah, and the Carolina's Campaign." Perhaps he viewed himself as a mid-19th Century Daniel Boone? A nice copy of this heroic poem centered on one of America's frontier icons.