RARE BOSTON 1774 EDITION OF "THE MANUAL EXERCISE AS ORDERED BY HIS MAJESTY"

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/27/2020

[EDWARD HARVEY]. "The Manual Exercise as Ordered by His Majesty in 1764. Together with Plans and Explanation of the Method generally practis'd at Reviews and Field Days." Boston: T. and J. Fleet, at the Heart and Crown, in Cornhill [1774]. Quarto, 39, [1] pp. 2 foldout plates. Printed in accordance with the resolve of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts-Bay, October 29, 1774, recommending the study of this manual. Evans 13319. Sabin 30771. Winsor VI, pp. 116-17. Bound in later 19th century marbled boards with quarter leather binding. The "Patriots'" edition, extremely rare. When the Massachusetts General Court in September, 1774, defiantly changed its name to Provincial Congress and moved to Concord under John Hancock's presidency, one of its earliest acts, along with organizing the militia and Minutemen, was to order the printing of this military manual with the resolution: "That it be recommended to the Inhabitants of this Province, that in Order to their perfecting themselves in the Military Art, they proceed in the Method ordered by his Majesty in the Year 1764; it being in the Opinion of this Congress, the best calculated for Appearance and Defence. A true Extract from the Minutes, Benjamin Lincoln, Sec'ry." (from the verso of the title page). Printing this book was one of the first "official" warlike moves by the Americans; other editions followed in New York and Philadelphia and did much to encourage and direct the military spirit of the colonists. CONDITION: toned, with some staining on upper and lower margins of title page; all text pages and plates loose in broken binding, but otherwise a good and complete copy of a scarce work. JLK Illustrated and discussed on pp. 70-71 of "For Liberty I Live."