Rare books from Victor Sutcliffe

London: for J Davis, 1817. 2 volumes. vi and 550 pages; ii and 209 pages. A fine pair in modern half black calf with cloth sides. Properly speaking there are six journals - the Campaign in Italy by a General Officer, Berthier, Denon and Miot on Egypt and Syria, Petit on Marengo and an anonymous Siege of Genoa presumably attributed by the English publisher to Massena. The last part of the second volume has a separate titlepage and is filled with 'official narratives of the campaigns of Bonaparte since the Peace of Amiens; being a complete collection of the whole of the bulletins'. J Davis also published the Royal Military Chronicle and had already used some of the journals - for example Miot's narrative of Egypt which was first published in English as a supplement to RMC volume 3.The last part of the second volume has the bulletins for the campaigns of the Grande Armee. (For other books about the Napoleonic Wars please search my stock using the keyword napoleonic.)

London: RUSI, 1930. 2 volumes. xx, xv and 1049 pages. 92 illustrations, 41 maps and plans. Large 4to. Publisher's plain blue cloth with small gilt crest on the front boards. The first volume includes chapters on amphibious operations during the Peninsular War, 60 pages on the American War of 1812 and 70 pages on the Crimean War. Most of the second volume is about the First World War. (For other British army regimental histories please search my stock using the keyword regimental.)

Worcester: Thomas Hayes, 1836. v and 144 pages. 12mo. Later quarter cloth and boards with laid on paper label. Sergeant Coates served with the 28th in Egypt in 1801. He includes an eyewitness account of the Battle of Alexandria and of the famous 'right about' order when his regiment turned to face an attack from behind. In later years the 28th had the unique privilege of wearing its cap badge at the back of the cap. Back Badge Day is still commemorated every 21st March by The Rifles which is the successor regiment of the 28th. (For other books about the Napoleonic Wars please search my stock using the keyword napoleonic.)

London: Henry Colburn, 1848. 2 volumes. ix and 306 pages; vii and 370 pages. 2 portraits, 1 view, 1 map. Later quarter calf with blue cloth sides and red leather labels, the labels are slightly chipped. Mrs Ward's husband was a captain in the 91st. Her book is the best eye-witness account of the War of the Axe. (For more books about the military history of the British in Africa please search my stock using the keyword africa.)

London: Longman Orme and Co., 1835. xvi and 291 pages. 6 hand coloured lithographs. Presentation binding in full straight grain morocco with the royal arms stamped in gold on both boards within elaborate gold rules; the headcap is very slightly pulled. Ogilby Index 157 (1) - first state of the first edition. (For other British army regimental histories please search my stock using the keyword regimental.)

London: Smith Elder, 1913-. 4 volumes published between 1913 and 1923. Colour and other plates, maps.
Specially bound in half morocco for Astley Terry (co-author of the appendix volume) and with 65 extra illustrations including 7 colour plates taken from Heath's Wellington's Victories. Relevant correspondence from S M Milne and other notes neatly inserted.
Volume 1. The Royal Americans. xxiv and 379 pages. 12 plates (two of which have been replaced by the original engravings), 7 maps, 24 extra illustrations including semi-pictorial plans.Volume 2. The Green Jacket. xxiii and 348 pages. 8 plates (three of which have been removed and placed in volume 1), 12 maps and 6 pocket maps, 22 extra illustrations including 7 colour plates taken from Wellington's Victories by Heath (see Ogilby Index 421).Volume 3. The 60th: The KRRC. xxviii and 334 pages. 8 plates, 6 maps, 12 extra illustrations.Appendix dealing with uniform, armament and equipment. viii and 52 pages. Frontispiece portrait (replaced) and 5 extra… Read More

London: James Macrone, 1836. 273 pages and xxx appendix. Later half calf and marbled boards. Ownership signature of James Grant. General De Lacy Evans raised a force of British half pay officers and mostly Irish volunteers to fight on behalf of Queen Christina against the usurping Don Carlos. Thompson was wounded in the hip at San Sebastian on 5th May 1836.

Shewing:1. The frauds practised by the officers, from the general to the corporal, to render the poor private centinell miserable.2. The art of inlisting men: or the secret history of a remarkable officer of dragoons in the year 1735.3. Practices after inlisting, whereby the horses are deprived of their corn, the men of their money, and the KIng of his soldiers, by false musters....10. Articles of war, and other valuable papers relating to the regulation of the army. With the artifices made use of to prevent the publication of this book.
London: W Warner, 1738. xxiv and 149 pages. A good copy in contemporary sprinkled calf, the title label is missing, the front hinge is cracked but sound, there are two small wormholes.
Railton enlisted into the Second Troop of Horse Guards in 1734. He was discharged at his own request and immediated re-enlisted into the dragoons. At first objecting to stoppages of pay, he later extended his ambit to false musters and other abuses, and persistently petitioned the… Read More

Delhi: Government of India Press, 1945. viii and 260 pages. 29 plates, 26 maps and panoramas. Later half maroon calf; a few of the maps have been carelessly refolded but none are damaged. 750 copies were printed but this original edition is harder to find than that figure suggests since many copies had not been distributed before Indian Independence. (For other books about the military history of the British in India please search my stock using the keyword india.)

London: T Egerton, 1811 third edition. viii and 371 pages. Folding general map, 6 folding plans. A very good copy in contemporary half calf. The third and best edition is enlarged by 45 pages from the second edition to take in Marmont's retreat from Badajoz in 1811. The extra plate is a plan of Albuera. (For other books about the Napoleonic Wars please search my stock using the codeword napoleonic.)

London: T Egerton, 1812. viii and 346 pages. Later quarter calf with cloth sides. The title label (see photo) gives Wilson as the author. This is wrong: the author is John Scott Lillie, whose anonymity is uncovered when Mayne in his preface thanks 'one of the more meritorious flowers of the corps for this well arranged narrative'.

London: without imprint, 1891. Each section separately paginated - 472 pages altogether. Frontispiece portrait and 38 zincographs. Full red leather carefully restored and sympathetically rebacked. Extremely scarce. This copy is signed and dated November 1891, Blickling Hall, Aylsham. It was presented to the Officers Library at the Depot of the Somersetshire Light Infantry, Kerr's old regiment which he led in the Mutiny.

London: Samuel Bentley, 1841 for private circulation , 1841. x and 325 pages. Frontispiece portrait and 11 views and portraits from Le Marchant's own drawings. A very good copy in half calf and marbled boards; some light foxing mainly affecting the plates. Uncommon life by his son of Le Marchant who died at the head of the decisive heavy cavalry charge at Salamanca. According to the publishers of the recent reprint only 90 copies were made of this original edition.

London: Constable, 1909. 2 volumes. xviii and 777 pages. 33 plates including 6 in colour, 9 maps. Presentation copy specially printed on large paper and bound in half morocco. This copy was inscribed by the author for his sister. The volumes which measure 30 cm by 24 cm are about one and a half times larger than the volumes of the trade edition which measure 26 cm by 19 cm. The text and illustrations are unaltered but are placed within more generous margins.

London: Richard Bentley, 1836. 3 volumes. Full green morocco, spines faded to brown, minor wear to the extremities, an attractive mellow set. The memoirs of Harry Ross-Lewin of the 32nd were condensed into one volume and published in 1904 by John Wardell. The original three volumes are hard to find. This was an Eton leaving present for Edward Fellows presented 'by his friend H G Liddell'. Liddell was later Dean of Christ Church and father of Alice made famous by Lewis Carroll as Alice in Wonderland.