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American Conflict, by powerful New York publisher Greeley, is an important “contemporary history of the war steeped in the emphatic ideals of slavery and freedom.” In the first of these two handsomely illustrated volumes, Greeley records “his version of the entire history of the nation from 1776 to the second year of the Civil War. The second analyzes the final three years of the war and includes substantial material on emancipation and the crushing of the rebellion… Greeley traces the seeds of the war and includes a large cache of public documents and speeches to make his case. Failed compromise is the predominating theme… Composed during the war, the work is particularly notable for the presentation of predictions about the years to come, particularly regarding the slavery question” (Eicher 741). A “fair and certainly honest history of the events” (Sabin 28482), American Conflict “is still important to Civil War scholars. Besides offering extensive accounts of battlefield events, Greeley traced compassionately the troubled story of African Americans” (ANB). Greeley’s “furnishing of bail for Jefferson Davis after the war brought a storm of abuse upon him and killed the sale of his book” (Kunitz & Haycraft, 314). Thousands of subscriptions were cancelled and even early editions are scarce. Vol. 1 as you can see has a cover that has split some but both vols come with a clear cover that will keep the cover from detaching further. Vol. II binding is VG, all pages and text very good. Very scarce set, a must have for any historian. $225.00
