Our Branch and its Tributaries. Being a History of the Work of the Northwestern Sanitary Commission and its Auxiliaries, during the War of the Rebellion
Chicago, IL: Alfred L. Sewell, 1868. 1st Edition. 8vo. Good+. Item #18515
Exceptional provenance with this copy of this scarce history of the work of the United States Sanitary Commission's work related to successful North Western Sanitary Fairs in Chicago and other work done during the Civil War.
This particular copy was from the personal library of influential suffragette and well-known Unitarian minister Mary A. Safford, with her bookplate. Laid in is a holographic letter from famed abolitionist, orator, and womens' rights activist, Mary Livermore, with her signature.
Livermore's letter was written during the first North Western Sanitary Fair in 1863, of which she was an organizer. The letter was written on behalf of show volunteer, Arabella Rankin, allowing her free transportation from the fair. Livermore writes -
"This is to certify that the bearer Mrs. Rankin has attended this Fair as a working member of same and is well entitled to a return ticket by RR free of charge. Mary A, Livermore".
When the American Civil War broke out, Livermore became connected with the United States Sanitary Commission, headquarters at Chicago and performed a vast amount of labor of all kinds by organizing auxiliary societies, visiting hospitals and military posts, contributing to the press, answering correspondence, and other things incident to the work done by that institution. She was one of those that helped organize the great fair in 1863, at Chicago, when nearly $100,000 was raised and for which she obtained the original draft of the Emancipation Proclamation from President Lincoln, which was sold for $3,000, and funded the building of the Soldiers' Home.
Green cloth with titling in gilt. Both hinges starting. Mild to moderate rubbing and edge wear, with cloth worn on corners. Safford's bookplate is attached to the rear pastedown, upside down. On the verso of a front prelim is a newspaper clipping biography of Mother Bickerdyke, one of the most influential Civil War nurses and administrators, who was responsible for establishing 300 field hospitals during the war and served as a lawyer assisting veterans and their families with obtaining pensions after the war. Presents handsomely in archival mylar.
An exceptional piece of Civil War and USSC history!
Price: $600.00