September 26, 2018 O'Connor's Americana Collection
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2018
[SMITH, William]. AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST THE OHIO INDIANS, in the YEAR 1764, UNDER THE COMMAND OF HENRY BOUQUET, ESQ;...INCLUDING His Transactions with the Indians, relative to the delivery of their prisoners, and the preliminaries of Pace. : WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ACOUNT Of the Preceeding Campaign, and Battle at BUSHY-RUN, TO WHICH ARE ANNEXED MILITARY PAPERS CONTAINING Reflections on the war with the Savages; a method of forming frontier settlements; some account of the Indian country, with a list of nations, fighting men, towns, distances and different routs. : The whole illustrated with a Map and Copper-plates. Published from authentic Documents, by a Lover of his Country. Philadelphia: William Bradford, 1765. 1st edition. quarto (9 1/2 x 7 1/4 in.), [2], xiii, 59 pp. and 1 plate (originally published with 1 folding map and two plates--Hutchins map and Plate I missing]. Disbound copy, plate separated down center with chipping in margins, toning, edge wear and some light soiling. "George Gathland Serjeant in the RNB [Royal North British] Fuzileers" written in 18th century hand with iron gall ink on recto of plate.
EXTREMELY RARE FIRST EDITION. After a victorious expedition to relieve Fort Pitt at the outbreak of the Pontiac War, Colonel Bouquet entered the Ohio territory and ended the hostilities without further significant fighting. Bouquet had fought in America for eight years, and his successful adaptation of the guerilla tactics necessary for wilderness warfare gained the respect of his Native American foes. In 1765 he won the release of hostages and put an end to the Indian attacks on the western frontier. Bouquet died of a fever in September 1765, and William Smith of Philadelphia edited this account of his service from Bouquet's own notes and journals. The frontispiece map by Hutchins is very rare and was absent even in the Siebert copy. A complete copy copy of this First (Philadelphia) Edition, complete with map and 2 plates, last sold for $27,000 in 2003.