[HISTORIES]. ALCÁRAZ, Ramón et al. (editors). The Other Side: or Notes for the History of the War between Mexico and the United States. Written in Mexico. Translated from the Spanish, and Edited, with Notes, by Albert C. Ramsey.... New York: John Wiley, 161 Broadway, and 13 Pasternoster Row, London, 1850. [i-v] vi-xv [1], [1] 2-458 pp., 10 lithographed portraits (including frontispiece), 14 maps and plans, including: (1) Plan of the City of Matamoros 1846 (20 x 24.1 cm); (2) Plan of the Country to the North East of the City of Matamoros 1846 (19.6 x 27.1 cm); (3) Plan of the Positions which the Mexican Troops Occupied in the Action with the Americans on the 9th of May 1846 in the Resaca de Guerrero (18.2 x 26 cm). 12mo (20 x 13.5 cm), original brown blind-stamped cloth, title gilt lettered on spine. Headcap snagged, lower spine and hinge slightly rubbed, spine title abraded. Scattered light browning mainly confined to blank edges of leaves, 2 maps browned and some slightly chipped and browned at margins, otherwise interior is fine. With printed ticket of Naples bookseller Detken on front pastedown and pencil signature of F? S? Heffmann? On front flyleaf.

First edition in English (the first edition, published at Mexico in 1848, was suppressed by Santa Anna). Connor & Faulk 142: “The work accuses the U.S. of shameless territorial aggression in Texas, but little mention is made of California and none of slavery as causes. Tends to exonerate Mexico of culpability, yet calls the Paredes revolution shameful. Excellent accounts of the military actions but disappointingly little on internal Mexican politics.” Garrett & Goodwin, pp. 3-4: “An excellent source of material for the Mexican side of the War.” Haferkorn, p. 8. Howes A105. Kurutz & Mathes, p. 119. Larned 2008: “The best source on the conduct of the war.” Tutorow 3254. Much on Texas. Ron Tyler, in his preliminary survey on Texas lithographs cites the portraits of Santa Anna, Arista, and Ampudia.

A book that has generally been uniformly lauded since its publication and is still consulted to this day.