Furansu keihohei teishiki [Light Infantry in the French Style]

28 folding engraved plates. 74; 86; 60; 35 folding leaves. Four vols. Oblong 8vo, orig. patterned wrappers, orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers, new stitching. Tokyo: Government Publication issued under the Author's name [Yosoda Masayoshi, a pen name for Tanabe], 1869.

First edition in Japanese, translated from an unidentified French text, which, according to the Preface, was issued in 1863, with a sequel in 1867. Tanabe also states that this work includes information gained from the French military mission of 17 men (four officers, ten non-commissioned officers, and two soldiers, led by staff captain Charles Sulpice Jules Chanoine), who came to Japan in early 1867 at the request of the Japanese Shogunate for training in Western warfare. Several of these men became deeply involved in Japanese politics, unsuccessfully fighting on the side of the Shogunate.

Tanabe wrote several works on military subjects, including military formations (1865), a glossary of French military terms with Japanese translations (1867), military gymnastics and training exercises (1868), and our work.

This is a complete work on infantry drills and tactics, including training of new soldiers, how to form tactical units and deploy them effectively, how to operate a variety of weapons, etc.

The fine copper-engraved plates depict military formations, tactical positions, military stances, etc.

Fine set.