Recollections of Seventy Years.
Galena: The Gazette Publishing Company, 1899. Hardcover. 8vo. Original green blind-embossed cloth with gilt lettering. 304pp. Frontispiece, decorative endpapers. Errata slip tipped in. Very good. Faint binding edgewear only (mainly at spine head/tail), else internally tight and near fine. Item #52492
Tight, attractive first edition of this scarce memoir by one of Galena, Illinois' famed nine generals, U.S. Grant among them. This extraordinary copy is not only inscribed and signed by Chetlain, but tipped to the front pastedown and front flyleaf are two Autograph Letters Signed from him to the same recipient. In Chicago, former Galenian Chetlain befriended noted Chicago accountant Charles Catlin and they served on a variety of civic boards together. Inner flyleaf bears the bold inscription to "Charles Catlin Esq with the / Compliments & best wishes of / the Author / AL Chetlain / Chicago Sept 1904." Tipped to front flyleaf is an ALS, 1p, 6" X 9½", Chicago, IL, 26 August 1904. Addressed to Catlin, "My esteemed Friend & Brother." Very good. Minor wear and folds. From his home in Rogers Park on Chicago's north side, Chetlain chats with his friend, discussing summer travel plans with wife and daughter before bringing up his memoir: "Did you ever become possessed of a copy of my book 'Recollections of Seventy Years' published four years ago & now out of print. Please tell me as I was fortunate enough to find two copies in old Galena last spring while visiting there & desire to place one in your hands, as a Token of my friendship & appropriation of your many acts of kindness to me...." Nicely penned in brown ink and signed at the close. Tipped in on the facing front flyleaf is a followup Autograph Letter Signed, 1p, 5¼" X 7 3/4", Chicago, IL, 3 September 1904. Catlin must have told Chetlain he did not own a copy, for he notes: "Herewith I send you a copy of my book of 'Recollections.' Hoping its perusal will help you to pars away an occasional half hour pleasantly...." Signed in full. This special copy also has laid in loose a promotional leaflet for the book that we've never encountered: 3¼" X 5½", 4pp, printed in dark green on pale green stock. Very good. Typical of such promo material of that time, the first page consists of excerpts from newspaper reviews praising the book (The Galena Gazette, The Dubuque Daily Herald, The Tribune of Mineral Point) followed by three pages of lavish comments by eighteen notables of the day (including another of Galena's generals, John Corson Smith). On the first page of this unique leaflet, Chetlain pens a note around the edge: "[ ? ] by the Publishers in 1901" and "The 1st Edition was exhausted in 1902." Interesting that despite the first edition selling out in a couple of years the publisher never brought out a second printing. William E. Parrish critiques Chetlain's memoir: "Although the great bulk of these memoirs recounts Chetlain's experiences as a soldier, the book also contains many insights of wartime Galena, Ill." Chetlain (1824-1914) was supposedly the first Illinoisan to volunteer in the Civil War, and formed a regiment with his friend Grant; he participated in a number of major battles and rose to the rank of brevet brigadier general; after the war he served as an Internal Revenue assessor in Utah (1867-69), then as U.S Consul in Brussels (1869-72) before entering banking in Chicago, serving as director of the Chicago Stock Exchange and as an active philanthropist and civic leader. FLAKE 1264. NEVINS II, 145.
Price: $900.00