Observations on Military Law, and the Constitution and Practice of Courts Martial, with a Summary of the Law of Evidence, as Applicable to Military Trials; Adapted to the Laws, Regulations and Customs, of the Army and Navy of the United States
New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1846. Full Leather. Very Good binding. Item #11011
Octavo. viii, 433, [1], [6 (adverts)] pp. First edition. As issued, in sheep with morocco title label on the spine. Discreet coloring of some damaged areas of the leather and what looks to be a treatment of the surface are evident, but not distracting, this remains a reasonably attractive copy; a fairly solid copy; contents are toned and foxed throughout; previous owner pencil marginalia and underlining is found scattered throughout.
Remarkably uncommon first edition of De Hart's work. De Hart (1800-1848) was a cadet at the Military Academy rising in the ranks to Captain of the 2nd Artillery. He was placed on Special Duty to prepare this present work between through much of 1845 and 1846, He spent 1847 engaged in the War with Mexico and was placed on sick leave late that year and died the following year. Early bookplate with accompanying stamp of the Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department on the front pastedown and title page respectively. 19th century bookseller's ticket is over the Navy bookplate. On the title page in pencil is "M. S. Corvette 'Dale' / May 1857" on the first blank and again: "'Dale' 1857-'58" on the title page. We've been unable to identify this, but is seems possible that this was on the USS Dale that was commission in 1839 and was off the coast of Africa in the 1850s, but we can't confirm that. American Imprints 46-2060; Cullum's Register, 236.
Price: $300.00