JOSEPH REED: A HISTORICAL ESSAY. New York: W.J. Widdleton, 1867. 64pp. BOUND WITH: [Reed, William Bradford]: PRESIDENT REED OF PENNSYLVANIA. A REPLY TO MR. GEORGE BANCROFT AND OTHERS. Philadelphia: Challen & Campbell, 1867. 132pp. BOUND WITH: Reed, William B.: A REJOINDER TO MR. BANCROFT'S HISTORICAL ESSAY ON PRESIDENT REED

Philadelphia: Printed for the Author, 1867. 114pp. Contemporary three quarter calf and boards (bound without wrappers). Extremities rubbed, ink name on one title, minor soiling, otherwise very good. First editions. The three most important separate pamphlets attending this controversy. In volume IX of his HISTORY..., Bancroft had revived old doubts as to the loyalty to the Revolutionary cause of Joseph Reed, based partially on earlier accusations and partially on his own confusion of Reed with Col. Charles Read. Reed's grandson replied with these two vitriolic attacks on Bancroft. A decade later, Bancroft's error was proven to his satisfaction, and an apologetic acknowledgement was included in the Centenary edition of his HISTORY. BAL 677 and ref. (Inventory #: WRCLIT23597)