[Rarebooks] FS: Nearly 1200 Civil War/NY Related Circulars

[Kaaterskill Books]

We offer for Sale:

New York Commandery. CIRCULAR[S]: MILITARY ORDER OF THE LOYAL LEGION 
OF THE UNITED STATES, COMMANDERY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 1867-1922 
[EIGHT VOLUMES]. New York: [Commandery of the State of New York], 
1867-1922. 8vo. Three quarter morocco over red boards, four raised 
bands ruled in gilt, gilt titles; one volume matching cloth 
(hardback). First edition.

The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, begun in 
Philadelphia in 1865, was modeled on the Society of the Cincinnati, 
and formed to protect the republic amid rumors of a plot to destroy 
the government after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Among its 
members were Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, 
Benjamin Harrison, and William McKinley. By 1899 it had over 8000 
members which included nearly every officer of note. The New York 
Commandery was the second formed after Pennsylvania.

This collection is a nearly complete run lacking perhaps a dozen and 
a half meeting and other notices (out of 1194) prior to 1879, 
otherwise complete through 1922, ending with the dedication of the 
Lincoln Memorial. Contains circulars, papers, and annual meeting 
notices (as well as a few unnumbered items such as letters, 
publication advertisements, etc). The meeting notices are nearly all 
signed, corrected, and annotated by the New York Commandery 
recorders; they were then sent to the Illinois Commandery for their 
records. Written in hand in the early volumes, and by stamp latter 
on, the disposition of each person seeking membership was noted; the 
first volume contains additional and extensive handwritten notes and 
a letter explaining the rejection of a candidate by Horatio King 
(1811-1897) who was Postmaster General of the United States under 
James Buchanan and the first recorder. A later volume contains a 
tipped in typed and signed letter, explaining an expulsion for 
"conduct unbecoming of an officer." Beginning in the first volume is 
the appearance of the first black bordered "In Memorium" notice, 
usually four pages, with a biography of the deceased. These 
biographies will,slowly come to make up the bulk of the circulars as 
the former officers passed away. A wealth of information and a very 
scarce collection, made irreplaceable by the annotations and 
corrections of the recorders.  A very good set with the bookplate of 
the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, 
Commandery of the State of Illinois on front pastedowns of most 
volumes, shadow of sticker on foot of most backstrips. spine ends and 
joints scuffed on most volumes, well bound, most circulars quite 
clean.  [31853] $4000.00


Regards,

Charles Kutcher
Kaaterskill Books
P. O. Box 122
East Jewett, NY 12424
email: books at kaaterskillbooks.com
phone: 518-589-0555
www.kaaterskillbooks.com
Members ABAA/ILAB/IOBA


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