Fort Sumter National Monument, South Carolina / Manassas (Bull Run) National Battlefield Park, Virginia / Shiloh National Military Park, Tennessee / Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia / Antietam National Battlefield Site, Maryland / Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania / Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi / Chickamauga and Chattanooga Battlefields: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia-Tennessee / Richmond National Battlefield Park, Virginia / Petersburg National Military Park, Virginia.
Washington, DC: National Park Service, 1961. Hardcover. Two-volume set. Small 4to. Rebound in full black leatherette with gilt lettering. 48pp, 47pp, 47pp, 55pp, 60pp, 52pp, 60pp, 60pp, 46pp, 56pp. Extensive illustrations and maps. Fine. Item #36650
Ten volumes in the National Park Service's popular "Historical Handbook Series" (in bound order, Numbers 12, 15, 10, 18, 31, 9, 21, 25, 33 and 13) originally issued in various years throughout the 1950s but here all 1961 reprint editions. (Only nine authors are listed because Tilberg authored both the Antietam and Gettysburg volumes.) All of the original stiff pictorial wrappers in various colors have been bound in. Spine and front cover gilt titles both read "Battles of the Civil War," Volume I and Volume II, plus the name Daniel C. Davidson -- presumably the Civil War buff who had them custom bound in this handsome fashion. This unique set bears two choice autograph additions: Tipped to an inner flyleaf of the first volume is a good content Typed Letter Signed from FREDERICK TILBERG (1896-1979), probably the best known of the "Historical Handbook Series" authors, 1p, 8" X 10½", Gettysburg, PA, 1960 July 8. Addressed to noted Lincoln and Civil War scholar Arnold F. Gates (1914-93). Near fine. On "United States Department of the Interior" letterhead. Chats cordially about various New York Civil War Round Table events and other Civil War matters. Signed boldly in full. Tipped to an inner flyleaf of the second volume is a partly-printed Autograph Note Signed from CONRAD L. WIRTH, 1p, heavy blue 5" X 3" stock, New York, NY, 1966 October 11. On a preprinted reservation card for a meeting of the Civil War Round Table of New York, Wirth signs boldly in full in blue ballpoint, adding "Sorry I can't attend I will be in Washington D.C." Wirth (1899-1993) was National Park Service director (1951-64) and his name appears in each volume.
Price: $125.00