When a Book has a Life of Its Own
Everything about “The Great Rebellion; A History of the Civil War in the United States” makes me appreciate the artistry of writing
When it comes to books currently in my possession, the one I treasure most is a very old book about the Civil War.
How old, you ask?
Well, in the Publisher’s Notice at the front of the book the editors proclaim this to be Volume I of a history of the American Civil War, with a promise that a follow-up Volume II “will be prepared as fast as the receipt of authentic material by the Author will permit, and be issued within six months after the close of the war.” (italics mine)
In other words, what I have is a book about the Civil War that couldn’t be completed in a single volume because the author didn’t know yet how the war was going to end.
Man, that’s old.
And what’s more, there is an air of mystery about this book because I don’t even know how I ever came to be its caretaker.
The Beginning
Published in 1862 by Hurlbut, Williams & Co. of Hartford, Connecticut, The Great Rebellion; A History of the Civil War in the United States, Volume I, was written by Joel Tyler Headley (1813–1897). A New England Yankee, Headley was, at turns in his professional life, a clergyman, historian, author, newspaper editor, and politician.
In his roles as historian and author, he wrote prolifically about such notable figures as Napoleon Bonaparte and Andrew Jackson. (With a few travel arrangements and a lot of luck he could have interviewed them if he wanted to.)
Headley then turned his pen to what he conspicuously refers to as “The Rebellion of 1861.” (Apparently, it wasn’t even being called the Civil War yet, at least not by the esteemed editors of Hurlbut, Williams & Co. of Hartford, Connecticut.)
In 500-plus pages, Headley gives his best narrative for every major battle and military commander from the time the first shots were fired at Fort Sumter through June of 1862 when General Robert E. Lee was given command of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. (A little internet research verified that Volume II to The Great Rebellion was indeed published later in 1866, but unfortunately, all I have is Volume I.)
For all its weathered vintage, my copy of Volume I remains in remarkably good shape. The engraved hardcover is worn and cracked, but the binding remains solid. Its pages remain gilded a handsome gold at the edges and include “fine steel Engravings” which depict sketched portraits of various Generals and battle scenes.
With its neat typeface, every word still holds clearly and legibly. So all in all the book is in pretty good shape for being over a century-and-a-half old.
The Middle
So how did I come to be its latest keeper? My father was a Civil War buff and a skilled writer in his own right. Somehow he came in possession of Headley’s book years ago. But he passed away before I ever had any interest in such things so I never got to ask him how he got hold of the book. Believe me, that’s a conversation I wish I could have now, but fate decided that long ago.
I found it inconspicuously tucked in with other books on a shelf in the basement when I was cleaning out my parent’s house for the last time. As soon as I pulled it out I knew I had an old treasure on my hands. Then I cracked open the cover and saw the publishing date — 1862.
“Holy — — !”
Hey, it’s not every day that works of art and history over a hundred-and-fifty years old fall into one’s lap without some kind of explanation.
But that’s exactly what happened here.
The only clue regarding any of the books’ prior owners is a faded, almost ghost-like name written on the inside front cover. In a delicate, swirling style reminiscent of a much earlier time is the signature of I.L. Whitmore. I have absolutely no idea who I.L. Whitmore ever was.
But that got my imagination churning. It could have been the name of a soldier who fought in one of the campaigns described in the book. Perhaps a New England gentleman who years after the war fancied himself a scholar and expert on what went on during the War Between the States. Maybe he was an old southern aristocrat yearning for the glory days of the Confederacy. Who knows, maybe I.L. Whitmore was once a plantation slave?
See, that’s one of the things I enjoy about history. I’m drawn to the little facts and anecdotes that reveal more about people than just simple facts and dates. I especially like it when a touch of mystery is involved. Like this book, for instance.
I page through the book now and then and think about my father and untold others who found pleasure in it over all these years.
They’re all gone now, but not this book. It survives.
Sure, I could say the same about a lot of objects that have survived their owners. But there’s something more personal and intimate about books. In the dark ages before television and the internet, books were the sole means of entertainment and, often enough, education. There was no peace, no prosperity without books. You know the prior owners had to have treasured this book.
I’m proud — and grateful — to carry on the tradition.
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” — Stephen King
The End…?
As I write this I glance up at the top shelf of my writing desk where The Great Rebellion; A History of the Civil War in the United States, Volume I sits regally, a testament to the lasting power of the written word.
That’s enough to inspire me always to do the best I can with my own humble writing; to make it worthy. That’s the mark of any good book. I can’t say what will happen to the book after I’m gone, but I feel honor-bound to leave it in good hands.
Thanks for doing your part and reading a little bit about this grand book.
