[HISTORIES]. SMITH, Justin Harvey. The War with Mexico, 1846-1848. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1919. 2 vols. Vol. I: [i-vi] vii-xxii, 1-1572 pp., 1 colored map; Vol. II: [i-iv] v-xiv, 1-620 pp. 8vo (22.5 x 16 cm), original navy blue diapered cloth with gilt lettering on spines. Light outer wear, upper hinges open (but holding). Interior fine.

First edition. Basic Texas Books 189n: “Remains the most comprehensive and most controversial study of the Mexican War, and contains a great deal relating to Texas.” Connor & Faulk 27. Garrett & Goodwin, pp. 48-49: “Considered by many a classic on the Mexican-American War.” Harvard Guide to American History, p. 372. Howes S636. Tutorow 3236: “Generally regarded as the most thoroughly researched work ever made by an American historian.”

An astonishingly thorough and detailed work that is still consulted today. The amount of documentation takes up nearly one fourth of the book. For this work, the author won the third Pulitzer Prize in History in 1920 and the first Loubat prize in 1923. Smith (1857-1930) was best known as an historian. In addition to this work, he also wrote The Annexation of Texas.