Forbes, Edwin:

$3,500 · Offered by William Reese Company · No longer available

LIFE STUDIES OF THE GREAT ARMY. Edwin Forbes was one of the most notable illustrators of the American Civil War. From 1862 on he was a correspondent for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, producing illustrations to accompany war news. During most of this period he accompanied the Army of the Potomac on its campaigns in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Although Forbes portrays battle scenes, he was much more interested in depicting the everyday life of the private soldier in camp and on the march. Typically, his scenes include such topics as "Washing Day," the camp cook, vendors of supplies to soldiers, picket duty, and other incidents of camp life. A number of other illustrations show life on the march, fording streams, the supply train, and the like. More than a few feature Black soldiers and aides, and the entire series ends with a plate titled "Sanctuary," depicting an African-American family celebrating the arrival of the Union Army. All of the plates are etchings, evidently executed by Forbes himself from his original drawings (which were mainly pen and ink wash). The forty plates contain fifty-nine scenes, since some plates have two or three scenes, and one has five. A table of contents appears on the inside of the front board, while each plate has a more lengthy textual gloss as well. The front board proclaims that the publication was sold "to subscribers only." One of those subscribers was William T. Sherman, who was so impressed by this work that he purchased

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.