Search Results: Authors starting with I from Auger Down Books

Massachusetts, 1898. The 2nd Massachusetts Volunteers mustered into service in May, 1898, and within a month saw significant action in Cuba at the Battle of El Caney. They were one of three volunteer units from Massachusetts to see action on the Santiago Campaign. The regiment was inexperienced - 55% were untrained recruits. The lack of experience, combined with their rifles giving off a very visible black smoke, led to a heavy casualties in the Battle of El Caney. After an encampment near Santiago de Cuba in which a large number of the soldiers became ill with disease - estimates are as high as 65% - the regiment returned home in August. Historians have noted that soldier demographics changed considerably from the Civil War to the Spanish American war, as the smaller number of troops and the lack of a draft led to a more enthusiastic army with higher morale. The photographs in this group are interesting as a typological grouping of images of untrained soldiers, and also for their historical… Read More

Philadelphia, 1814. Composite broadside measuring 20 ½ x 17 inches, consisting of an engraving credited to Barralet and Seymour measuring 17 x 13 inches at upper portion and the text of Emmet's speech, measuring 17 ½ x 7 ½ inches on lower portion. Verso with various reinforcements including with two manuscript receipts dated 1814, which would date the print to around that time, when all three men were in Philadelphia. "No 111" written in margin in ink. Various creases, small tears and some soiling to engraving, good overall and quite presentable. Good. A fabulous mock-up for a broadside created by the artist John James Barralet, the engraver Samuel Seymour, and the printer John Binns in Philadelphia, this being a preliminary version of OCLC 191261216, which would be entitled A correct copy of the speech of Robert Emmet, Esq. delivered at the Sessions House, Dublin, on the 19th September, 1803, before Lord Norbury, one of the chief judges of the Court of King's Bench, and others, before whom he… Read More

New York, 1863. Document measuring 9 ¾ x 8 inches, folded. Signed by George Opdyke and others. Very Good with some splitting at folds else fine. Very Good. In July 1863, the Civil War draft in New York City led to protests, escalating into widespread riots by July 14th. The Irish-born Colonel Henry O'Brien, who had been put in charge of recruiting for the New York 11th Infantry, would die gruesomely in the riots, highlighting the class elements of the unrest which existed alongside the racial elements. Born in Ireland in the 1820s, O'Brien had served with Company H of the 155th New York State Infantry before resigning in February 1863. He returned to New York, promoted to Colonel in June, tasked with recruiting for the 11th New York State Volunteers. The aggressive mandate coincided with high casualty rates for Irish New Yorkers in the Union Army. The Battle of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg increased the challenges, coupled with the perceived injustice of the $300 exemption clause in the… Read More

Philadelphia, 1860. Album measuring 6 ¼ x 5 ¼ inches. Wear and tearing to binding, images excellent, a few empty spaces in albums though no evidence of removal such as annotations, etc., very good condition overall. With thirteen cartes-de-visite and thirty-four tintypes, most of the CDVs with identifications of Philadelphia photographers to verso and one image showing the Gurney and Son studio at 707 Broadway. Very Good. A compelling album of images of Irish-American immigrants in Philadelphia in the 1860s. We cannot identify precisely which Kate Mulligan the album belonged to, as several Kate Mulligans with plausible genealogical records exist. The album is an uncommon survival in complete, unbroken form, and several of the portraits are quite compelling. The album includes an image of Father John Kelly, who we assume to be the founder of the Saint Malachy Church in North Philadelphia, which was founded in 1850 and would match the time period. The photographs in traditional dress provide a… Read More