Is this book special?

[Customx_12]

I found this at an auction in California. Looks like the earliest inscription is 1807 so I don’t know if this was printed shortly after the Revolutionary War or what.

I’m having a hard time reading some of the names. I think one of them is Jacob De Witt. I looked him up and it looks like his dad was a colonel in the Revolutionary War and he served in the War of 1812 before becoming a Congressman from New York.

Can anyone tell me anything about the book itself? Or is anyone able to read any other inscription?

Thanks!

 

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[Mackaydon]

The book is the (or a version of the) Revolutionary War Drill Manual.
In CONGRESS, 29th March, 1779

CONGRESS judging it of the greatest importance to prescribe some invariable rules for the order and discipline of the troops, especially for the purpose of introducing an uniformity in their formations and maneuvers, and in the service of the camp:

"ORDERED, that the following regulations be observed by all the troops of the United States, and that all general and other officers cause the same to be executed with all possible exactness.

CHAPTER I

OF THE ARMS AND ACCOUTREMENTS OF THE OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, AND SOLDIERS

"The arms and accoutrements of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers, should be uniform throughout. The officers who exercise their functions on horseback, are to be armed with swords, the platoon officers with swords and espontoons, the non-commissioned officers with swords, firelocks, and bayonets, and soldiers with firelocks and bayonets."

The entire manual can be found here:

Revolutionary War Drill Manual - Wikisource, the free online library

en.wikisource.org

Don in SoCal

 

[Customx_12]

Oh nice, so it is from the Revolutionary War. Any idea on value? I’m having a hard time finding anything online about it.

 

[Customx_12]

I’m deciphering some of the other inscriptions. What’s strange is the earliest one identifies it as previously belonging to Jacobus DuPuy who died in 1762. Could this be pre Revolutionary War?

It also has his son’s and grandson’s names in it. Benjamin DuPuy Sr. and Jr. Looks like it was Jacobus’ pre war who then gave it to his son Benjamin who then inscribed it as passing down to his son Benjamin Jr.

I’m not really sure how it ended up in De Witt’s possession, though.

 

[Customx_12]

I’m deciphering some of the other inscriptions. What’s strange is the earliest one identifies it as previously belonging to Jacobus DuPuy who died in 1762. Could this be pre Revolutionary War?

It also has his son’s and grandson’s names in it. Benjamin DuPuy Sr. and Jr. Looks like it was Jacobus’ pre war who then gave it to his son Benjamin who then inscribed it as passing down to his son Benjamin Jr.

I’m not really sure how it ended up in De Witt’s possession, though.

Of course, the other explanation is the estimated date of death of Jacobus found online to be of 1762 is wrong and he died after the book’s creation. That or I haven’t fully translated the inscription and maybe it says something about how he is just the son of Jacobus. I don’t know.

Either way, looks like one sold at Heritage Auctions in 2019 for $3,500.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Nice old book !

 

[Customx_12]

Of course, the other explanation is the estimated date of death of Jacobus found online to be of 1762 is wrong and he died after the book’s creation. That or I haven’t fully translated the inscription and maybe it says something about how he is just the son of Jacobus. I don’t know.

Either way, looks like one sold at Heritage Auctions in 2019 for $3,500.

And now I think I misread the Heritage site. Looks like someone offered $3,500 not that it sold for that much. I think they turned down the offer because according to this Pawn Stars episode, it could be worth a lot more:



Of course, mine might be a 2nd or 3rd edition but still from the Revolutionary War. Mine looks like it’s missing a title page, too. But I wonder if the inscriptions might actually boost the value a bit.