Four Brothers in Blue; or, Sunshine and Shadows of the War of the Rebellion: A True Story of the Great Civil War from Bull Run to Appomattox. Washington: Press of Gibson Bros., Inc., 1913.
4to, blue cloth lettered in gilt on front cover & spine (slight cover wear; contents very good). First edition, being the rare "imperfect edition."
A wonderful source on the common soldier during the Civil War, this volume is based on the letters and diaries of the author and his three brothers, who served variously in the 1st Mass. Heavy Artillery and the 22nd Mass. Infantry, Army of the Potomac. Howes cites an edition of 100 copies, but according to John Carroll, there was a separate edition unknown to Howes which has been called the "imperfect edition," this being much rarer. The "imperfect edition" consists of parts from the defunct Maine Bugel, that had illustrations and part from the later 1913 unillustrated text of which 100 copies were printed. Of this "imperfect edition," only 80 coipes were sold and few have survived.