Packed the few online orders.
Researched this one:
Major General Thomas Auguste Le Roy de GRANDMAISON (1715-1801). formerly a captain, with the rank of lieutenant colonel of cavalry, in the Voluntiers of Flanders.
A Treatise on the Military Service, of Light Horse, and Light Infantry, in the Field, and in Fortified Places.
Translated from the French, by Major Lewis Nicola.
Philadelphia: : Printed and sold by Robert Bell, in Third Street., MDCCLXXVII. [1777]
Translation of: La petite guerre, ou Traite' du service des troupes le'ge'res en campagne. (Little War Treaty or service light troops in the field. from 1756) Half-title: General de Grandmaison, on the military service of light troops, in the field, and in fortified places. Bookseller's advertisements, verso of half-title.
8vo. Sheep. Full leather. A solid Good. binding still firm in overall excellent shape for a book almost as old as the United States of America. worn at the rear bottom corner, rub-through to all corners. With both head & foot bands, although the spine head leather is worn away, 5 raised bands with gold gilt around them (mostly worn), lacking the front fly, moderately browned pages, with little minor spotting, the top corner of the last 30 pages is dampstained, but with minor coloring. Ink name 'John ?Setson or Hearyuns or something?' written on the 1/2 tp (twice, once crossed out) & 5th page (chapter 1) dated 1777, ink doodle on the tp, and 15/. at the top right hand corner of the tp (possibly a price) all contemporary to the binding. pencil 1777 on tp below the roman numeral copyright date MDCCLXXVII.
An important early American military manual, published shortly after the first American work of the kind, Roger Stevenson's Military Instructions for Officers (1775). An English translation of an earlier French guide. Often found as a set, with LA VALIERE, Chevalier de, et al. The Art of War. also published by Robert Bell 1776, although they were issued separately. The work was translated by the American Major Lewis Nicola after the original by Thomas Grandmaison, the father of French cavalry tactics. Bell intended the works to be seen as a set (the second work includes an advertisement for the first opposite its title-page), and they are often found with the ''W'' and ''G'' stamps on the spines. This copy has the ''G'' stamp. While this was earlier seen by some observers to indicate ownership by George Washington, the appearance of multiple copies with this stamping dashes such hopes.
WorldCat shows 15 copies in the US library system making this a rather rare item. A copy sold at auction on March 30, 1904 for $4.25.
Major General Thomas Auguste Le Roy de GRANDMAISON in 1749, the young captain Grandmaison, future General maintained a company of volunteers in Flanders consisting of all light troops. He was later seen as brilliant officer (he distinguished himself many times in the Netherlands during the War of Austrian Succession). He prepared the materials in those small wars, and in the following conflicts, including the Seven Years War.
The translator Lewis Nicola (1717-1807) was born in Dublin, Ireland, served in the British Army, and rose to the rank of Major. He resigned and came to Philadelphia about 1766. He was an army officer in the American army during the American Revolutionary War.
Author of an earlier work: A treatise of military exercise, calculated for the use of the Americans : in which every thing that is supposed can be of use to them, is ... Philadelphia: Styner and Cist, 1776.
Colonel Nicola was a professional soldier, translator of military texts, engineer, and Philadelphia Town Mayor. He was commissioned Col. of the Invalid Corps by Congress on June 23, 1777. This unit, originated by him, was made up of men fit only for limited service -- the progenitor of World War II's Coast Guard Reserve.
Nicola translated two French works for the use of the Continental army: Louis Andre' de la Mamie de Clairac's L'ingenieur de Campagne, or, Field Engineer (Philadelphia, 1776), which he completed in seven weeks although ''afflicted, during three of them, with an intermitting fever,'' and Thomas Auguste Le Roy de Grandmaison's Treatise on Military Service of Light Horse and Light Infantry (Philadelphia, 1777). The first work Nicola dedicated to the Continental Congress an institution that had already earned his ''unfeigned respect''.
But he is best remembered as the author in 1783 of the Newburgh letter to George Washington on behalf of his officers suggesting to George Washington that he become the ''King of the United States''.
An excerpt from Nicola's Letter to Washington: [This war must have shown to all, but to military men in particular the weakness of republicks, and the exertions of the army has been able to make by being under a proper head, therefore I little doubt, when the benefits of a mixed government are pointed out and duly considered, but such will be readily adopted; in this case it will, I believe, be uncontroverted that the same abilities which have lead us, through difficulties apparently insurmountable by human power, to victory and glory, those qualities that have merited and obtained the universal esteem and veneration of an army, would be most likely to conduct and direct us in the smoother paths of peace.
Some people have so connected the ideas of tyranny and monarchy as to find it very difficult to separate them, it may therefore be requisite to give the head of such a constitution as I propose, some title apparently more moderate, but if all other things were once adjusted I believe strong argument might be produced for admitting the title of king, which I conceive would be attended with some material advantages.
I have hinted that I believe the United States would be benefited by my scheme, this I conceive would be done by having a savage and cruel enemy separated from their borders by a body of veterans, that would be as an advanced guard, securing the main body from danger.]
Nicola was only speaking for himself; he was not advocating the overthrow of the government of the United States, but the establishment of a new state on its western border; and he did not offer Washington a crown directly.
To which Washington immediately replied: [Newburgh, May 22, 1782
Sir: With a mixture of great surprise and astonishment I have read with attention the Sentiments you have submitted to my perusal. Be assured Sir, no occurrence in the course of the War, has given me more painful sensations than your information of there being such ideas existing in the Army as you have expressed, and I must view with abhorrence, and reprehend with severety. For the present, the communication of them will rest in my own bosom, unless some further agitation of the matter, shall make a disclosure necessary.
I am much at a loss to conceive what part of my conduct could have given encouragement to an address which to me seems big with the greatest mischiefs that can befall my Country. If I am not deceived in the knowledge of myself, you could not have found a person to whom your schemes are more disagreeable; at the same time in justice to my own feelings I must add, that no Man possesses a more sincere wish to see ample justice done to the Army than I do, and as far as my powers and influence, in a constitutional way extend, they shall be employed to the utmost of my abilities to effect it, should there be any occasion. Let me conjure you then, if you have any regard for your Country, concern for yourself or posterity, or respect for me, to banish these thoughts from your Mind, and never communicate, as from yourself, or any one else, a sentiment of the like Nature. With esteem I am.]
The receipt of this vehement reply from his revered commander in chief caused Nicola to write an abject apology on the following day. He was ''extremely unhappy that the liberty I have taken should be so highly disagreable to your Excellency ... nothing has ever affected me so much as your reproof.'' Nicola asked Washington to attribute any errors he might have fallen into ''more to weakness of judgment than corruptness of heart.'' Nicola concluded that ''[h]owever wrong the sentiments I have disclosed to your Excellency may be, they cannot have done any mischief, as they have always remained locked up in my breast.''
For further information about the myth of Washington's Kingship
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