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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Melville, Herman (1819-1891) Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00768.01 Author/Creator: Melville, Herman (1819-1891) Place Written: New York, New York Type: Book signed Date: 1866 Pagination: 272 p. 19 x 13 cm Order a Copy

First edition of Melville's only book of poetry. Inscribed on inital blank facing the titlepage: "Major Edward Y. Lansing from H. Melville. As a souvenir of his soldier hospitality at the cavalry camp in the Virginia woods, April 1864." Also inscriped by Lansing in pencil on page 187 above the peom "The Scout toward Aldis": "Major Edwin Y. Lansing's cavalry camp in the Virginia woods, April 1864." In April, 1864 Melville and his brother obtained a pass to visit the front to search for their cousin, Colonel Henry Gansevoort. Melville met Lansing in a scouting party he and his brother accomanied, and experienced a brief skirmish with the enemy.

Notes: Bookplate of Richard Maney. Green fine pebble cloth. In 12s. BAL 13673; Leyda, Melville Log 667-8; Sadleir, Excursions 232.

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