16. BAYLIES, Francis. A Narrative of Major
General Wool’s Campaign in Mexico, in the Years 1846,
1847, and 1848. Albany: Little & Company [title
verso: Joel Munsell, Printer], 1851. 78 pp., lithographed
frontispiece portrait of Wool. 8vo, original maize printed
wrappers. Spine sympathetically reinforced with matching
paper. Ink ownership stamp on verso of upper wrapper, light
ink-stamped number on one interior page, light circular
stain on lower wrapper. Pingenot described the condition as
"relatively fine"—the wrappers are quite fresh.
Preserved in a half light brown morocco and marbled boards
and folding box.
First
edition. Connor & Faulk, North America
Divided 152. Garrett, The Mexican-American War,
p. 138: "Provides the basic information on Wool’s
campaign." Haferkorn, p. 41. Howes B262. Tutorow 3380.
Pingenot: This is the first book publication of
Baylies’ narrative after its appearance the year
before in Strykers’ American Register. The
author not only consulted contemporary private and official
sources for his work on Wool’s campaign, but had the
good fortune to interview Wool himself. His work traces the
journey of Wool’s army southward from San Antonio,
describing the people, towns, geography, flora, and fauna
along the way. Although his 900-mile march was without
incident, his forces arrived at Saltillo in time to join
Taylor in one of the major battles of the war, the Battle
of Buena Vista.
($150-300)