THE PICTORIAL FIELD-BOOK OF THE REVOLUTION; OR, ILLUSTRATIONS, BY PEN AND PENCIL, OF THE HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY, SCENERY, RELICS, AND TRADITIONS OF THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE

New York: Harper & Bros., 1859.. Two volumes. xxxii,33-783,[5]pp. including 523 in-text illustrations, plus color frontispiece; [4],viii,9-772,[4]pp. including 570 in-text illustrations, plus one plate. Lithographic and letterpress titlepages in both volumes. Contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards, spines in six compartments, gilt labels. Both volumes somewhat rubbed and scraped. Text slightly foxed and tanned but otherwise quite clean internally. Very good. Later edition of Lossing's popular and extensively illustrated history of the Revolutionary War. Originally issued in 30 installments from June 1, 1850 to Dec 1, 1852, Lossing's work was a great success and was reprinted several times before the end of the decade, in different formats and with additional illustrations and notes. The author went on a journey to view all of the important locations of the Revolutionary War, learn their stories, and sketch them, many of which original sketches appear in this volume. According to his preface, he wished to follow a narrative of his travel more than of the war, and thus the chronology is "broken into fragments, arranged, in the exhibition, in accordance with the order in which each locality was visited."

Lossing was known as a particularly apt historian with an uncommon care for accuracy and detail; he checked a variety of primary sources, interviewed veterans and locals, and carefully examined the discrepancies between his sources. "Contains many details and anecdotes which are not to be found in any other work; indeed, the great variety and numerous items of information contained in these volumes, make the work a cyclopaedia of the American Revolution." - Sabin. HOWES L477. SABIN 42129.