Publication: Printed by G Hunckel and published by A D Geisler in May of 1862, Bremen, Germany
29 x 45,7 cm. [11 1/2" x 18"] Civil War map. This German Civil War era map depicting the southern seat of war is centered on Tennessee and extends to the western Carolinas as well as northern Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. It shows good detail of the lines of communication in the region including the Tennessee River, Mississippi River, and several railroads indicated by a dash line. There is text below the map which describes the recent battle of Shiloh. in which Ulysses Grant overcame a surprise attack and subsequently pushed the Confederate forces back into northern Mississippi. Inked manuscript notation on top right corner, one small, closed tear to the top margin, a bit of minor wear to the extremities, and two tiny tears at fold points, overall a very good copy.
Complete translation of the text: After a short period of rest, another big battle between the troops from the south and north has been fought. The decision of this fight is not yet clear. Has one lost a battle if one forces the enemy to abandon his purpose and retreat? No, the Lesser will say, "Very well, then the army will not have lost the two-day battle on the upper Tennessee. The honored reader may only take the "Main Map of the Theater of War" in hand, then the same finds "Norfolk" at the top. - Today's third supplementary card gives us the squat scene of "Corinth," "Savanah," "Memphis," "Iceland No. 10" at the top. Still higher up on the right: "Fort Donelson," - The reports received so far about this battle are varied. The only thing that is certain is that on Sunday, April 6, General Grant and his army corps (35,000 men) opened the battle. The room does not allow for a detailed report here. The events and the further course can be summarized in the following consideration:
The struggle near Corinth, on the middle course of the Tennessee River, close to the dividing line of the front and southern states of the Union, will, if all else fails, be of more decisive importance to the future of North America than anything that has hitherto occurred in this theatre of war. Due to the strength of the troop masses, which on the first days of the battle there increased its forces considerably, as well as by the severity of the losses on both sides, even if they were doubled by the first rumor, makes this battle stand out from all previous ones. And it holds out the prospect of even bloodier ones in the near future. The victory has remained a draw. The Confederates attacked the Confederates, and the offensive brought them brilliant successes over their opponent at first, so it is said, but the latter received reinforcements, and so they were finally compelled to retreat. But they will have retreated to their old lines, will in their turn draw reinforcements from the south, and so in all probability the struggle will soon flare up again. So far we have only a very poor report from the unionist side. It sounds very lukewarm; to the 12th D. Had to report in Washington by the federal generals triumph. Rather the opposite.
The most important junctions that come into consideration here, in which the west-east and south-north iron roads unite, counting from the west, are Grand Junction (Pocahontas) in southern Tennessee, where the Mississippi-Central Railway, which connects New Orleans with the north, begins; Corinth in the northern Mississippi, which mediates the north by the Mobile-Ohio Railroad with Mobile, and also connects with the Mississippi-Central Railroad by a branch line, Decatur in Alabama (from here the Iron Road leads to Nashville, etc.), and Chattanooga in Tennessee, a very important junction in which Iron roads from Virginia, Carolina, Georgia (Savanah) and which is of course also connected with the aforementioned southwestern states through the Memphis-Charleston Railway."
Printed by G. Hunckel
Inventory Number: 52875