Subject: Southwestern United States
Period: 1848 (published)
Publication:
Color: Black & White
Size:
22.9 x 11.6 inches
58.2 x 29.5 cm
This is the House edition of Emory's important report documenting the 1846-1847 journey of the advanced guard of General Kearny's Army of The West. Emory was Brevet Major of the Corps of Topographical Engineers. This report features full-page lithographs of the natives, rivers, landscapes, towns and pueblos, flora and fauna that were encountered during the march to the Pacific. Emory's reports are enjoyable reads with passages such as "I stopped in the little town of Isoletta, to visit my friend, the alcalde, who has the reputation, Indian though he be, of being the most honest man and best maker of brandy in the territory."
This expanded edition contains Emory's report plus the reports of Lt. Abert, Col. Cooke, and Capt. Johnston. Together these reports summarize the activity of the U.S. Army of the West after the capture of New Mexico with important early views of the region. It is illustrated with 63 of 64 lithographed plates (39 Emory + 24 Abert - the San Diego plate is missing), 3 battle plans, and 1 (of 2) folding maps. The folding map entitled Sketch of Part of the March and Wagon Road of Lt. Colonel Cooke, From Santa Fe to the Pacific Ocean shows the route of the Mormon Battalion from Santa Fe to the Gila River. The other folding map, Map of the Territory of New Mexico..., was not available for the earliest issues of the report. Among the important illustrations are views of Santa Fe, several New Mexican pueblos, San Diego, and Sketch of the Battle of Los Angeles Upper California Fought Between the Americans and the Mexicans Jan. 9th 1847 (not referenced in Wagner & Camp). Printed by Wendell and Van Benthuysen. 614 pages. Octavo. Hardbound in contemporary brown cloth with original paper label on spine.
References: Howes #E-145; Wagner & Camp #148:7; Wheat (TMW) #505.
Condition: B
The folding map has light foxing and a minor crease in the bottom left corner. Most of the plates are in B+ or B condition, with light to moderate foxing and a few sheets that are lightly toned. There is scattered foxing, minor pencil notations, and stamps of previous owners in the text. Covers are stained and worn. Spine backstrip is chipped at bottom and partially detached.