A collection of four military biographies of William Tecumseh Sherman from his personal collection, all with W. T. Sherman and P. Tecumseh Sherman bookplates, including:

1. Rev. P.C. Headley. Life and Military Career of Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman. New York: William H. Appleton, 1865. 12mo. Original illustrated cloth gilt. First edition. Sabin 31165. Inscription to interior board, "C. Augusta Swords / Cincinnati / July 27th '65"

2. Rev. Faunt Leroy Senour. Major General William T. Sherman, and His Campaigns. Chicago: Henry M. Sherwood, 1865. 12mo. Original brown cloth. First edition. Sabin 79143. INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR: "Maj. Gen. Wm. T. Sherman with the Kindest regards of the Author. Aug 15, 1865."

3. Gen. Samuel M. Bowman (1815-1885). Sherman and His Campaigns: A Military Biography. New York: Richardson & Company, 1868. 8vo. 1/4 tan calf with marbled boards, spine with black morocco gilt labels. Second edition, re-issued with only Bowman credited as the author. (See Lot 93 for Sherman's first edition copy with his annotations). Sabin 7096.

4. Henry V. Boynton (1835-1905). Sherman's Historical Raid. The Memoirs in the Light of the Record. Cincinnati: Wilstach, Baldwin & Co., 1875. 8vo. Original cobalt blue cloth gilt. First edition. Boynton served in the 35th Ohio Infantry, leading them at the Battle of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge under Sherman, where he earned the Medal of Honor.

A unique collection of military biographies owned by their very subject.

Condition: general wear to bindings, expected toning and spotting.

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, Generals, Books, Biographies, Ephemera]