Jacob Donelson Cox (1828-1900). Atlanta. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1882. Volume 9 of Scribner's series Campaigns of the Civil War. 8vo. Original blue cloth gilt. First edition. Eicher 111.

INSCRIBED BY GENERAL SHERMAN: "General Sherman 1882, from the Author / No. 75 West 71 St. New York"

General Sherman's personal inscribed copy of an account of his career-defining campaign. Historian David J. Eicher lauds the work, despite its one-sided nature: "This work is outstanding and one of the best of volumes in the Scribner's set. Its author not only commanded a division in the battles for Atlanta but was well trained in literature, military affairs, and politics." (David J. Eicher, The Civil War in Books, 111).

John D. Cox was a lawyer from Ohio who was appointed a brigadier general at the start of the war. He served in the Eastern Theater, seeing action during the Maryland Campaign,, eventually assuming command of the IX Corps. Promoted to major general, he commanded the 3rd Division, XXIII Corps, Army of the Ohio during the Atlanta, Franklin-Nashville, and Carolina Campaigns, giving him the experience to write his narrative of the “March to the Sea.” After the war, Cox was elected the 28th Governor of Ohio before returning to his legal practice.

Condition: very fine.

PROVENANCE:

The Sherman-Fitch Library

Primarily assembled by General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891), the collection of books was inherited and curated by his son, Philemon Tecumseh Sherman (1867-1941). Before his death, Philemon transferred the library to his niece, Eleanor Sherman Fitch (1876-1959). Eleanor was the granddaughter of General Sherman through his eldest daughter, Maria "Minnie" Ewing Sherman Fitch (1851-1913). Until now, the Sherman-Fitch library was held at the family estate in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

The library includes a range of diverse material owned by General Sherman that principally relates to the Civil War, American history, and the Sherman family. Many works in the Sherman-Fitch library are historically significant, including General Sherman's annotated copy of Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs, the Sherman family bible, and Barnard's "Photographic Views of Sherman's Campaign."

Most examples in the collection are affixed with bookplates that bear both General Sherman's and Philemon's names. In some cases, where General Sherman's ownership was clear, his bookplate was not always affixed. However, books with just Philemon's bookplate were generally acquired after his father's death in 1891. General Sherman’s bookplates were likely added by Philemon after his father’s death. Philemon’s bookplates were placed by Tecumseh Sherman Fitch (1908-1969) after he inherited the library in 1942.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate, Books, Generals, Signatures, Ephemera]