Another Major Civil War Auction - June 2008

The Heritage Auction Galleries will present another auction of significant Civil War artifacts with online bidding available throughout most of June. The auction will feature collectible items of every stripe, including uniforms, letters, other documents, photographs, weaponry, and some books.

Among the few notable books is the Personal Memoirs of Major General D. S. Stanley. David Sloane Stanley graduated from West Point in 1852, where he became a close friend of Philip Sheridan. When the Civil War broke out, Stanley was offered but refused a commission in the Confederate army. He saw action for the Union at Wilson's Creek, under John C. Frémont. Promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on September 28, 1861, Stanley commanded a division in the fighting at New Madrid and Island No. 10 under Major General John Pope in early 1862. More fighting soon followed at Iuka and Corinth, Mississippi. In November 1862, General William Rosecrans appointed Stanley chief of cavalry of the Army of the Cumberland, whose fighting strength Stanley greatly improved.

Stanley became a major general in April of 1863, and led a division throughout the 1864 Atlanta Campaign. His reputation suffered when Sherman thought he was too slow at Jonesborough, thereby allowing the Confederates to escape destruction. Stanley improved his reputation when he served well in the Tennessee campaign in November 1864, and was seriously wounded at Franklin. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions there and later recounted his wartime experiences in this beautiful 6" x 9" Moroccan leather-bound reminiscence. This scarce 271-page book was published in 1917 by the Harvard University Press and includes a pull-out map of wartime Tennessee. According to this online bio, Stanley's memoir also contains many colorful pictures of his extensive post-war service on the Texas frontier.

It appears to be a rather uncommon book as there are presently no copies offered for sale on ABE or bookfinder.com.