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Mr. Philip D. Burden
P.O. Box 863,
Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks HP6 9HD,
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0) 1494 76 33 13
Email: enquiries@caburden.com
The rare first edition of one of the five great illustrated works on the American Revolution according to Schwartz and Ehrenberg. It also has the accolade of being the first book to receive copyright in the United States. Although applied for in 1785 it was not granted until 20 April 1789.
David Ramsay (1749-1815) was born in Pennsylvania and educated at Princeton, he settled in Charleston becoming a physician. His tutor, Benjamin Rush stated that he was ‘far superior to any person we ever graduated at our college.’ He served in the Continental Congress and as a military surgeon during the war later became President of the South Carolina Senate. He was also a keen historian, this work is an accurate record of the events in the southern theatre of the Revolution.
Thomas Jefferson wrote to the author on 31 August 1785 replying with regard to a portion of the printing sheets sent to him by Ramsay: ‘I am much pleased to see that a commencement of those special histories of the late revolution which must be written first before a good general one can be expected. I shall be more pleased to see the remaining parts as well executed as this which sets the example’ (Jefferson to Ramsay, 31 August 1785).
The maps are amongst some of the earliest American cartographic illustrations. They include ‘A Sketch of Charleston Harbour’, the first map of Charleston published in the USA and ‘South Carolina and Parts Adjacent’ similarly the first of South Carolina. That entitled ‘A Sketch of the Operations before Charleston’ is here in the first state with ‘approatches’ in the references lower left. ‘A Sketch of the Situation & Stations of the British Vessels, under the Command of Sir Peter Parker on the Attack upon Fort Moultrie on Sulivan Island June 28th 1776’ is followed by only the fourth American printed plan of the battle of Yorktown. The book is one of several which helped to build the idea of national identity following the Revolution. Evans (1969) 19211; Howes (1962) R36; Sabin (1868-1936) 67691; Schwartz & Ehrenberg (1980) p. 202; Streeter sale 1135; Wheat & Brun (1985) nos. 545, 593-4 & 596-7; Wooldridge (2012) pp. 176-8; Walsh (1988) p.13.
David Ramsay (1749-1815) was born in Pennsylvania and educated at Princeton, he settled in Charleston becoming a physician. His tutor, Benjamin Rush stated that he was ‘far superior to any person we ever graduated at our college.’ He served in the Continental Congress and as a military surgeon during the war later became President of the South Carolina Senate. He was also a keen historian, this work is an accurate record of the events in the southern theatre of the Revolution.
Thomas Jefferson wrote to the author on 31 August 1785 replying with regard to a portion of the printing sheets sent to him by Ramsay: ‘I am much pleased to see that a commencement of those special histories of the late revolution which must be written first before a good general one can be expected. I shall be more pleased to see the remaining parts as well executed as this which sets the example’ (Jefferson to Ramsay, 31 August 1785).
The maps are amongst some of the earliest American cartographic illustrations. They include ‘A Sketch of Charleston Harbour’, the first map of Charleston published in the USA and ‘South Carolina and Parts Adjacent’ similarly the first of South Carolina. That entitled ‘A Sketch of the Operations before Charleston’ is here in the first state with ‘approatches’ in the references lower left. ‘A Sketch of the Situation & Stations of the British Vessels, under the Command of Sir Peter Parker on the Attack upon Fort Moultrie on Sulivan Island June 28th 1776’ is followed by only the fourth American printed plan of the battle of Yorktown. The book is one of several which helped to build the idea of national identity following the Revolution. Evans (1969) 19211; Howes (1962) R36; Sabin (1868-1936) 67691; Schwartz & Ehrenberg (1980) p. 202; Streeter sale 1135; Wheat & Brun (1985) nos. 545, 593-4 & 596-7; Wooldridge (2012) pp. 176-8; Walsh (1988) p.13.
RAMSAY, David
The History of the Revolution of South-Carolina, from a British Province to an Independent State
Printed by Isaac Collins, Trenton, 1785
Octavo, 2 volumes (190 x 120 mm.), recent binding to style, full marbled sheep, gilt panelled boards, spine with gilt ruled compartments, red and black calf gilt titles. With typographic title and half title to each volume, pp. xx, 453, [1]; xx, 574, with 5 folding engraved maps, two of which have expert repairs.
Stock number: 10335
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