The morning air is getting "crisp," but there's still time for some good summer reading. These last three months we've recommended to you books on Revolutionary and Civil War history. We think it's time for a change, so--are you ready for this?--how about reading a romance?
The display case outside the Bullis Room is full of romance books from the collection. We're going to list a few of them here, but we hope you can stop by in the next few weeks and look over the whole group. In the interim, we suggest you consider reading one of the following:
When Knighthood Was In Flower..., by Edwin Caskoden (Charles Major), published in 1898.
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, by John Fox, Jr., published in 1908.
Lalla Rookh, An Oriental Romance, by Thomas Moore, published in 1856.
Rose Mather, by Mary J. Holmes (who lived 40 miles west of Macedon, from 1852 until her death in 1907).
The Mine With the Iron Door, by Harold Bell Wright, published 1923.
The Iron Trail: An Alaskan Romance, by Rex Beach, published in 1913.
Enjoy!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
SCHUYLER COLFAX
Here are the answers to the questions we posted pertaining to Schuyler Colfax:
First question: Why is there a sketch of Schuyler Colfax included in the Bullis Collection book, A Person History of Ulysses S. Grant: with a portrait and sketch of Schuyler Colfax by Albert D. Richardson (published in 1868). Perhaps because he served as a long-term member of Congress and was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. In the ending pages of his book, Richardson heaped great praise on Colfax with these words:
"He is now in his third term as Speaker. No abler presiding officer ever sat in the chair of the House....Despite the bitterness of our recent contests, opposition members usually join unanimously at the close of a session in voting him thanks for his invariable impartiality." (page 559)
Second question: Who was Schuyler Colfax? In addition to being a member of Congress, he was also the 17th vice president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1873 under President Ulysses S. Grant. Again quoting from Richardson's sketch:
"In May, 1868, a national republican convention at Chicago unanimously nominated him for the second place on the ticket with Grant...It was the greatest personal triumph ever achieved in such a body." (pages 559-560)
And yet with this admirable background, Schuyler Colfax was not chosen as President Grant's second-term vice president. Various historical sources indicate that Colfax left office under a cloud, involving the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad. A sad ending to what now appears to have been a successful career in public service.
You can read the entire sketch when you stop by the Bullis Room.
First question: Why is there a sketch of Schuyler Colfax included in the Bullis Collection book, A Person History of Ulysses S. Grant: with a portrait and sketch of Schuyler Colfax by Albert D. Richardson (published in 1868). Perhaps because he served as a long-term member of Congress and was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. In the ending pages of his book, Richardson heaped great praise on Colfax with these words:
"He is now in his third term as Speaker. No abler presiding officer ever sat in the chair of the House....Despite the bitterness of our recent contests, opposition members usually join unanimously at the close of a session in voting him thanks for his invariable impartiality." (page 559)
Second question: Who was Schuyler Colfax? In addition to being a member of Congress, he was also the 17th vice president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1873 under President Ulysses S. Grant. Again quoting from Richardson's sketch:
"In May, 1868, a national republican convention at Chicago unanimously nominated him for the second place on the ticket with Grant...It was the greatest personal triumph ever achieved in such a body." (pages 559-560)
And yet with this admirable background, Schuyler Colfax was not chosen as President Grant's second-term vice president. Various historical sources indicate that Colfax left office under a cloud, involving the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad. A sad ending to what now appears to have been a successful career in public service.
You can read the entire sketch when you stop by the Bullis Room.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
Two items grabbed our attention this week when we looked over one of those "this week in history" lists:
1. On July 27, 1866: "Cyrus W. Field finished laying out the first successful underwater telegraph cable between North American and Europe (a previous cable in 1858 burned out after only a few weeks' use)."
and
2. On July 25, 1866: "Ulysses S. Grant was named General of the Army of the United States."
We searched the Bullis archives for information on both these subjects and came up with nothing on the first (but we're still looking!) and lots of stuff on the second.
Here's what we found when we did a search on General Grant. There are six books on the subject in the collection. All of them are worth our time to at least scan through, and some of them warrant a serious read. Here's a list and we offer it to you for your reference and consideration for further reading:
Military History of Ulysses S. Grant: from April, 1861 to April, 1865, by Adam Badeau, published by D. Appleton in 1881.
The Travels of General Grant, by Joel Tyler Headley, published by New World Publishing, in 1881.
A New, Original and Authentic Record of the Life and Deeds of General Ulysses S. Grant, by Frank A. Burr, published by H. B. Graves in 1885.
The Life of Ulysses S. Grant: General of the Armies of the United States, by James Harrison Wilson, published by Gurdon Bill & Co., in 1868.
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant, by Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) Grant, published by C. O. Webster & Co. in 1885-86.
A Personal History of Ulysses S. Grant: with a portrait and sketch of Schuyler Colfax, by Albert D. Richardson, published by American Publishing Co. in 1868.
You'll find maps, facsimilies, prints, and illustrations in these books. And a lot of good reading. Enjoy.
(P.S. Why is there a sketch of Schuyler Colfax included in the last book listed above? Who was he?)
1. On July 27, 1866: "Cyrus W. Field finished laying out the first successful underwater telegraph cable between North American and Europe (a previous cable in 1858 burned out after only a few weeks' use)."
and
2. On July 25, 1866: "Ulysses S. Grant was named General of the Army of the United States."
We searched the Bullis archives for information on both these subjects and came up with nothing on the first (but we're still looking!) and lots of stuff on the second.
Here's what we found when we did a search on General Grant. There are six books on the subject in the collection. All of them are worth our time to at least scan through, and some of them warrant a serious read. Here's a list and we offer it to you for your reference and consideration for further reading:
Military History of Ulysses S. Grant: from April, 1861 to April, 1865, by Adam Badeau, published by D. Appleton in 1881.
The Travels of General Grant, by Joel Tyler Headley, published by New World Publishing, in 1881.
A New, Original and Authentic Record of the Life and Deeds of General Ulysses S. Grant, by Frank A. Burr, published by H. B. Graves in 1885.
The Life of Ulysses S. Grant: General of the Armies of the United States, by James Harrison Wilson, published by Gurdon Bill & Co., in 1868.
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant, by Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) Grant, published by C. O. Webster & Co. in 1885-86.
A Personal History of Ulysses S. Grant: with a portrait and sketch of Schuyler Colfax, by Albert D. Richardson, published by American Publishing Co. in 1868.
You'll find maps, facsimilies, prints, and illustrations in these books. And a lot of good reading. Enjoy.
(P.S. Why is there a sketch of Schuyler Colfax included in the last book listed above? Who was he?)
Friday, July 22, 2011
LIFE IN DIXIE
Last week we posted a list of Bullis books that cover the Civil War. This week we took a closer look at one of them...Life In Dixie During the War, 1861-1862-1873-1864-1865 by Mary A. H. Gay, published in 1894. This book is now at the top of our blogger's non-fiction reading list.
According to one source, Mary Gay lived most of her life in Decatur, Georgia. She wrote a number of books, but Life in Dixie is the most famous and one that deserves to be read (or re-read) during this 150-year anniversary of the Civil War. The eyewitness accounts from a woman's point of view are unique as well as fascinating.
According to several sources (including Google eBook), Life in Dixie "...gave Martha Mitchell the idea for Gone with the Wind." Continuing to quote Google eBook, the book has "...terrific insights into the life and perspective of southern whites during the war, the character and deeds of union soldiers."
For this reason (and many others) we strongly recommend this book for your summer or wintertime reading. Either online...or here in the Bullis Room.
According to one source, Mary Gay lived most of her life in Decatur, Georgia. She wrote a number of books, but Life in Dixie is the most famous and one that deserves to be read (or re-read) during this 150-year anniversary of the Civil War. The eyewitness accounts from a woman's point of view are unique as well as fascinating.
According to several sources (including Google eBook), Life in Dixie "...gave Martha Mitchell the idea for Gone with the Wind." Continuing to quote Google eBook, the book has "...terrific insights into the life and perspective of southern whites during the war, the character and deeds of union soldiers."
For this reason (and many others) we strongly recommend this book for your summer or wintertime reading. Either online...or here in the Bullis Room.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
MORE GOOD READING
July 21, 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the First Battle of Bull Run. Therefore, this past week we continued to look at Bullis books on the subject of the Civil War. We focused on the four listed below because they represent a variety of view points...youth, men, women, Union, and Confederate. Here they are for your reference...and interesting reading.
1. Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, published by the G.P.O. in 1863.
2. A Youth's History of the Great Civil War in the United States, from 1861 to 1865, (with illustrations) by R. G. Horton, published by Van Evrie, Horton & Co. in 1868.
3. Life in Dixie During the War, 1861-1862-1863-1864-1865, by Mary A. H. Gay, published by The Foote & Davies Co. in 1894.
4. Four Years in Secessia: Adventures within and beyond the Union lines: embracing a great variety of facts, incidents, and romance of the war..., by Junius Henri Browne, published by O.D. Case and Company in 1865. (Dedication: "To the private soldiers of the union, the unrecorded and fameless heroes of the war, who deserve the eternal gratitude of the republic they have preserved, this unpretending volume is admiringly inscribed.")
5. The American Conflict: a history of the great rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-'64;....
by Horace Greeley, published by O.D. Case & Company in 1865-66. ("...illustrated by portraits on steel of generals, statesmen, and other eminent men; views of places of historic interest; maps, diagrams of battlefields, naval actions, etc.; from official sources")
6. War Pictures from the South, by Bela Estvan, published by D. Appleton and Co. in 1863.
Most of these books can be accessed on line. As always, you're also invited to stop by the Bullis Room to take a look at the real thing.
1. Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, published by the G.P.O. in 1863.
2. A Youth's History of the Great Civil War in the United States, from 1861 to 1865, (with illustrations) by R. G. Horton, published by Van Evrie, Horton & Co. in 1868.
3. Life in Dixie During the War, 1861-1862-1863-1864-1865, by Mary A. H. Gay, published by The Foote & Davies Co. in 1894.
4. Four Years in Secessia: Adventures within and beyond the Union lines: embracing a great variety of facts, incidents, and romance of the war..., by Junius Henri Browne, published by O.D. Case and Company in 1865. (Dedication: "To the private soldiers of the union, the unrecorded and fameless heroes of the war, who deserve the eternal gratitude of the republic they have preserved, this unpretending volume is admiringly inscribed.")
5. The American Conflict: a history of the great rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-'64;....
by Horace Greeley, published by O.D. Case & Company in 1865-66. ("...illustrated by portraits on steel of generals, statesmen, and other eminent men; views of places of historic interest; maps, diagrams of battlefields, naval actions, etc.; from official sources")
6. War Pictures from the South, by Bela Estvan, published by D. Appleton and Co. in 1863.
Most of these books can be accessed on line. As always, you're also invited to stop by the Bullis Room to take a look at the real thing.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
LEGENDS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
This week, our heads swimming with facts and dates of Bullis history, we decided to take a break from that research and spend some more time with the books in this collection. And since it's been 236 years this week since General George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts, we focused on him.
Many books have been written about General Washington and the Revolutionary War. (A search of one online seller produced 4,447 results of books on that subject.) However, we think we found a unique volume on the Bullis Room shelves, one that we'd overlooked in the past.
Titled Washington and his generals, or Legends of the American revolution, the book was written by George Lippard and published about 1847. A series of historical pictures make up the contents of the book. Some of the chapter titles are:
Many books have been written about General Washington and the Revolutionary War. (A search of one online seller produced 4,447 results of books on that subject.) However, we think we found a unique volume on the Bullis Room shelves, one that we'd overlooked in the past.
Titled Washington and his generals, or Legends of the American revolution, the book was written by George Lippard and published about 1847. A series of historical pictures make up the contents of the book. Some of the chapter titles are:
Retreat - Washington's Agony
The Legend of General Agnew
Valley Forge
Andre the Spy
Nathan Hale
Anthony Wayne at Brandywine
Romance of the Revolution
The soldier Returning Home
The Memory of Alice
An Old Mansion in the Dark Dell
The Last Kiss
The Declaration: its source; its action upon mankind
The Message of the Bell to the World
We think you'll find a lot of good reading in this book. And you can access it online...and then stop by the Bullis Room to see the real thing.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
THE REST OF THE STORY
Over the last year or so, we've read excerpts of letters written by various members of the Bullis family that are interesting...and informative...up to a point. We have a growing feeling that there is a "rest of the story" that we need to know in order to complete our picture of this family.
If anyone has documents and/or original letters (or notes, stories, poems) written by any of the Bullises, we would greatly appreciate your sharing them with us. There are many, many gaps in the family history that we would like to fill in. And without the complete documents, completion of the task is impossible.
Likewise, if there is any information you are in search of regarding any of the Bullises, just let us know through this blog. We'll certainly be glad to do what we can to help you get the of "rest of the story" that you need, as well.
If anyone has documents and/or original letters (or notes, stories, poems) written by any of the Bullises, we would greatly appreciate your sharing them with us. There are many, many gaps in the family history that we would like to fill in. And without the complete documents, completion of the task is impossible.
Likewise, if there is any information you are in search of regarding any of the Bullises, just let us know through this blog. We'll certainly be glad to do what we can to help you get the of "rest of the story" that you need, as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)