Sale 2471 - Printed & Manuscript African Americana, March 29, 2018

“A BRAVE BLACK REGIMENT” 265 c   (MILITARY—CIVILWAR.) Emilio, Luis F. History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. 9 maps and plans (2 folding), 20 plates. xvi, 410 pages. 8vo, publisher’s cloth, minor wear, with gilt title “A Brave Black Regiment” on front board and spine; minimal wear to contents. Boston, 1891 [1,200/1,800] first edition of the history of the famous 54th Mas- sachusetts Infantry—perhaps the most famous regiment of the CivilWar.The first regiment of African-American soldiers recruited in the north, its distinguished record included a heroic charge at the Battle of FortWagner in July 1863.The regiment’s story was told in the popular 1989 film Glory. The author, Luis Fenollosa Emilio (1844-1918), was the son of white immigrants from Spain. Despite his youth, he was chosen as one of the 54th’s original officers in 1863. He rose to the rank of captain, and during the carnage at FortWagner, he became the de facto commander of the entire regiment, after casualties to the colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, and all of the other company captains. His history was reprinted in 1894. The last copy we trace of either edition at an American auction house was at a Swann sale, 7 December 1962, lot 49. Afro-Americana 3486; Blockson 3033; Nevins, Civil War, page I:86;Work, page 399.