[CALIFORNIA]. DU PONT, Samuel Francis. Official Dispatches and Letters of Rear Admiral Du Pont, U.S. Navy. 1846-48. 1861-63. Wilmington, Del.: Press of Ferris Bros., Printers, 1883. [4], 1-531 [1, blank] pp. 8vo (23.5 x 16.5 cm), original black cloth, gilt-lettered spine, beveled edges. Spine slightly worn at ends, upper cover discolored, light shelf wear. Interior very fine. With pencil presentation from Du Pont’s wife to her nephew, Leighton Coleman, on front flyleaf. Rare, privately printed account.

First edition, limited edition (supposedly only fifty copies were printed for private distribution). Conner & Faulk 445. Cowan II, p. 843. Eberstadt 132:174. Garrett & Goodwin, p. 207. Howes D589. Kurutz & Mathes, p. 133. Nesser 7599. Nevins, I 223. Smith, Civil War 761. Tutorow 4098.

Printed by Du Pont’s widow, this book, according to Eberstadt, is even rarer than Du Pont’s 1885 Extract, of which it is the basis. The Mexican-American War covers pp. 1-38; the rest of the documents were written from the Wabash off Port Royal, S.C., and concern his Civil War service. Du Pont commanded the Cyane off the California coast during the Mexican-American War and was instrumental in securing the Californias under U.S. control.