ATLAS TO ACCOMPANY THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES. Published Under the Direction of the Hons. Redfield Proctor, Stephen B. Elkins, and Daniel S. Lamont, Secretaries of War

Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891-1895. 3 volumes. FIRST EDITION. With 175 numbered double-page lithographed color maps and plates on 178 sheets by Bien. Large folio, original bright red cloth covered boards lettered in gilt on the upper covers, the backs and corner pieces in red morocco, the spines ruled in blind on tall bands, with two black morocco lettering labels gilt ruled and boldly lettered, endpapers renewed. 29 pp preface and contents, plates 1-70; plates 71-135; plates 136-175. A beautiful set of this rare and impressive collection of maps of the Civil War. The maps are all well preserved, fresh and bright, some expected minor wear to the cloth, otherwise the bindings are also fine. AN EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE ATLAS PRODUCED BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE TO ILLUSTRATE THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. A beautiful and fascinating accompaniment to the official records of the Civil War. Each massive plate is either an impressively detailed and informative map or contains multiple images providing detailed plans of cities, towns and fortresses, views, panoramas, uniforms, battlefields, bridges, engagements, lookouts, etc., etc.
The maps and plans were primarily reproduced from those that had been drawn during the war by engineers, draftsmen, and sometimes even generals themselves for actual military use. Only a few maps, drawn later by cartographers, were added for historical purposes. Tactical and strategic maps indicate troop disposition; defense lines, redoubts, and fortifications of key sites are clearly shown. Terrain maps often contain picket positions, signal stations, and lines of march. Some were taken from what had been only rough sketches, some from cartographic masterpieces. All are informative and reveal the knowledge, or lack of knowledge, that both sides possessed about the terrain, and the strength and the position of opposing troops. The index to the maps refers to campaigns and battles, rivers, creeks, lakes, bays, islands, bridges, fords, ferries, landings, roads, railroads, mountains, towns, churches, forts, and much more.
An indispensable source of information and imagery from the American Civil War. The atlas was not reprinted till 1958.