1892 · Mobile, AL
by De Leon, T.C. (Thomas Cooper, 1839-1914)
Mobile, AL: The Gossip Printing Company, 1892. Octavo. Author's autograph edition with portrait frontispiece signed. In addition, he has written a long note: "It is not the deeds men do, as much as their manner of doing that makes impression on an era." J.C. DeLeon, Mobile, January, 1896. [1-2]3--12, (1) pp. dedication, 5-6, [i]-vii, [11]-376 pages. The author was from a prominent Jewish family (his brother became the first Surgeon-General of the Confederacy). De Leon saw the sad failures of the Confederate government from the financial mismanagement to his description of the horrendous prices that led the women of Richmond to start the "bread riots" (meat, butter, pork $35 a pound; common shoes $200-800 a pair; a barrel of flower $1400). He writes that the Richmond papers were often seen more editorials of emotion while the Northern papers were often considered more reliable. Ralph Jeffrey Newman lists this as one of the essential books for a serious Civil War Library. Bound in brown decorative cloth lettered and decorated in black and gilt, , spine lettering gilt, floral endpapers, p. 375 shows a bit of separation at the gutter, a spot of rubbing to upper board, mild bumping to corners. previous owner's name stamped on endpapers. A very good copy. [Howes D-241: Nevins, II, 218.].
(Inventory #: 028183)