A RARE REVOLUTIONARY WAR MANUAL PUBLISHED IN PHILADELPHIA, 1776.

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024

[Lambart, Richard, 6th Earl of Cavan]. "A New System of Military Discipline, Founded Upon Principle." Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by R[obert]. Aitken, Printer and Bookseller, Opposite the London Coffee-House, Front- Street, MCCLXXVI [1776.] viii, 266 p. Original owner’s name inscribed on title page in ink: “Harman Davis”. A rare and important American imprint and scarce even in the English edition--probably the most difficult manual to find of all of those printed by Aitken prior to- and during the war. Richard Lambart was then a major general in the British Army and colonel-commandant of the 15th Regiment of Foot, a crack line regiment that served in the Revolutionary War with great merit, fighting in three campaigns in North America before spending the balance of the war campaigning in the West Indies. Cavan's manual is one of the most practical and modern works, embracing less cumbersome tactics, recommending more practical clothing and equipage and a wealth of other details, based on his own military experience. CONDITION: original 18th century calf boards, but rebacked spine; pages with light toning; light dampstaining to lower right margin areas for the first few signatures.