American Revolution — Rev. Elias B. Hillard | Photographs of Revolutionary War veterans

(American Revolution) — Rev. Elias B. Hillard

The Last Men of the Revolution. A Photograph of Each from Life, together with Views of their Homes Printed in Colors. Accompanied by Brief Biographical Sketches of the Men. Hartford: N.A. & R.A. Moore, 1864

8vo (190 x 130 mm). Six mounted albumen photographic portraits of veterans and six handcolored lithographs, tissue guards; some scattered foxing and soiling. Publisher's morocco-backed black cloth, gilt-ruled and -lettered; extremities somewhat rubbed.

First edition Biographies, photographic portraits, and lithographs of the homes of the last surviving Revolutionary War veterans still alive during the Civil War: Samuel Downing, Daniel Waldo, Lemuel Cook, Alexander Millener, William Hutchings, and Adam Link. A chapter on James Barham is unillustrated as he could not be found, although there was no record of his death. 

A remarkable production, designed to stir patriotism in a nation at war with itself. "The photographs were made uniformly under makeshift circumstances as would have been required if the photographs were made in situ while Hillard visited each for a personal interview" (Truthful Lens).

REFERENCE

Bennett, p. 56; Howes H490 (stating that the facsimile letter by Edward Everett is not present in every copy);  Revolutionary Hundred 100; Sabin 31871; Truthful Lens 86