A Popular Life Of General George A. Custer, Major-General Of Volunteers, Brevet Major-General U. S. Army, And Lieutenant-Colonel Seventh U. S. Cavalry

FREDERICK WHITTAKER

Publication: Sheldon & Company, 1876, New York

First edition (variant title and variant binding). 8vo. Also published as "A Complete Life Of Gen. George A. Custer" with all contents being the same. Original decorated green cloth, titles stamped in gilt on the front cover and spine, x, 648 pp., preliminary remarks ,frontispiece, illustrated, plates, map, index. Faded penciled inscription on front free fly leaf: "Mrs. Eugenia P. Edgerly, Middle St. No. 13, Dishua, N.H. Nov., 13, 1878." Since the year of the inscription is 1878, and the book published in 1876, and the lady's last name was "Edgerly" and she lived in New Hampshire it is possible that she was married to a close relative of 2nd Lt. Winfield Scott Edgerly who was born in New Hampshire on 5-29-1846. According to his biography in "Roll Call On The Little Big Horn" Edgerly was born in New Hampshire, was appointed to West Point from New Hampshire, and died 9-10-1927 in Framington, New Hampshire ... a long time after this book was published and Eugenia P. Edgerly had signed her name and address in it. Frederick Whittaker migrated to America from London in 1850 and fought for the Union in the Civil War. Though he did not serve with General Custer, the two met briefly in 1875. News of Custer's death at the Battle of Little Big Horn soon after their meeting prompted a devastated Whittaker to contact Custer's widow with a proposed biography. Extensively "based on papers made available by Elizabeth Bacon Custer" (Lamar, 281), Whittaker produced this massive volume "with remarkable speed, publishing it in December 1876." This is the first biography of Custer, published only three months after his death at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Light wear to the spine ends and covers lightly rubbed else a very good copy.

Inventory Number: 50450