1881 – The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government – Jefferson Davis | First Edition

First published in 1881, Jefferson Davis’s Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government was an important book on the history of the Confederate States with a plethora of explanations on the causes that led to the Civil War, particularly slavery. Davis discusses the history of slavery and defended the fundamentals of its morality. Prominent figures discussed include Lee, Jackson, and Calhoun, alongside detailed engraved maps covering major military operations in Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government
• Author: Jefferson Davis
• Publisher: New York: D. Appleton and Company
• Edition: First Edition, 1881.
• Format: Octavo, two volumes
• Binding: Hardcover
• Size: ~ 9.5 in x 6.5 in (24 cm x 16.5 cm)
• Collation:
  • Vol. I – xxi, [3], 707, [5]; 9 engraved plates; 1 fold-out map
  • Vol. II – xvii, [3], 808, [4]; 10 engraved plates; 17 maps (13 folding, 4 in-text)
• Illustrations: 19 engraved plates; 18 maps total
• Contents Include:
  • Davis’s account of the Confederacy’s formation and dissolution
  • Arguments on constitutional law and state rights, including slavery
  • Cabinet structure and key internal decisions
  • Military movements and firsthand reactions to battlefield losses
  • Complete transcripts of speeches and documents
• Reference(s): Howes D 120; Nevins II, 51
  • “…conceals more than it reveals of the inner history of the Confederacy…An argumentative dissertation on secession and states’ rights.” – Nevins

Condition:

Very Good. Volumes bound in original leather with marbled boards. Some rubbing at corners and spine visible. Text-block secure and strong, pages complete.

Why Collect This?

• Complete first edition
• All maps and engravings present, including rare fold-outs
• The only extended postwar publication by Jefferson Davis

• Ideal for Civil War collectors and American historical archives

Item Number: #29723