Swann Galleries - Printed & Manuscript African Americana - Sale 2408

359

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(MILITARY—CIVIL WAR.)

Infantry Tactics for the Instruction and

Maneuvers of the Soldier, a Company, Line of Skirmishers, and Battalion, for

the Use of Colored Troops.

370 pages and [63] plates, many folding, plus 47 pages of

drum rhythms and bugle calls; lacks general title page, which seems to have never been

bound in. 12mo, original gilt and blind-stamped brown cloth,

OWNERSHIP SIGNATURE OF

HIRAM A OAKMAN

, 1

ST LIEUTENANT IN THE

TH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY

AND

TH U

COLORED INFANTRY

. I

N A SPECIALLY MADE GILT MOROCCO

BACKED CLOTH CLAMSHELL

CASE

Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1863

[3,500/5,000]

EXCEEDINGLY RARE

A COPY

WITH A FINE ASSOCIATION

having belonged to Hiram A.

Oakman, First Lieutenant with the 7th Massachusetts Infantry, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of

the 30th U.S. Colored Infantry. Manuals such as this were meant to be literally “pocket-size.” The

pagination is unusual; following 370 pages of text and music [48 pages of drum beats and bugle

calls], there are 63 plates, with erratic numbering. In the original binding, which was once purple, now

evenly faded to reddish brown. This is the first edition of the first and only such manual printed for

the exclusive use of Colored Troops. Curiously, there exists no difference at all between the manual for

use by white troops and this little volume for black troops. The only real distinguishing factor is the

cover, which reads “U.S. Infantry Tactics for Colored Troops. 1863.” This seems to have been more of

a gesture to people like Frederick Douglass, Martin Delany and others in the black community who

had been agitating for the use of colored troops from the outset; something to inspire pride as well as

provide instruction.

ONLY THE SECOND COPY AT AUCTION IN THE LAST

YEARS AND ONE

THAT SAW ACTION

The 30th Colored Infantry saw action at Fort Fisher, Wilmington and other campaigns, mostly in

North Carolina.