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Latey, John Lash (editor) : The Illustrated London News. No. 1098. Vol. XXXIX. Saturday, July 13, 1861. AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

(London: George C. Leighton, 1861)

400 x 280 mm; magazine, disbound from volume XXXIX, without wraps (as issued), and contained within a film fronted bag; pp. [25-46]; several woodcuts. Regular light browning; some soiling and fingering throughout; some glue remnants to stitching; a few short tears. Noteworthy events receiving attention in this number include the visit of the Prince of Wales to Ireland, and, particularly, the early stages of the American Civil War. Important illustrations relating to the American Civil War are: "How the outlying sentries of the Federal Army are killed by Secessionist scouts" and "Unionist scouting party in the Virginian woods in the neighbourhood of Alexandria" (p. 28). Civil War news, which takes events as reported in New York up to the 29th of June, is focused particularly on the various states' allegiances and the capture of British vessels said to be contravening the embargo on trade with the South. Some excerpts: "The Southerners, in addition to their other wants, stand in need of lucifer-matches and quinine. In many places they are obliged to have recourse to the old-fashioned tinder-box. The demand for quinine suggests the idea of fever and ague, so endemic in the Southern and Western States. A Philadelphia house refused lately to supply even a Kentucky [neutral state] purchaser with this valuable drug. … Charges of brutality, and even of assassination, are rife in the Unionist camp against the Secessionists, who, doubtless, have countercharges with which they also could horrify us, had they, like their rivals, the ear of Europe; for all camps are sure to be infested with desperadoes who, under the garb of patriotism, prowl about to gratify their own evil purposes. The sentry duty at the front of the Unionist camp is, we are told, extremely hazardous and very few of those who are posted at night expect to see another day dawn. The country all round is thickly covered with wood, and in the darkness the Secessionists, acquainted with every cowpath, creep softly towards the poor fellow pacing to and fro on the road, taking advantage of every shadow, and profiting by the rustle of every falling leaf, until close upon him, where either the bowie-knife or a rifle-shot does the rest. One night our Special Artist accompanied a scouting party, of which the annexed is an Illustration, twelve miles into the enemy's country. The men were dressed in round slouched hats, rough flannel blouses, and carried revolvers and bowie-knives in their belts. Two in advance carried guns, ready cocked, keeping a sharp look out for ambuscades on each side among the trees. The Lieutenant in command and our artist were in the centre."

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