[CIVIL WAR] CSA General Isaac Trimble’s Book, WIA & POW Gettysburg, Pickett’s Charge

Alexis de Tocqueville. Henry Reeve, translator. Democracy in America. New York: George Adlard, 1838. 8vo, publisher’s brown-green cloth. Second American Edition. Inscription as prisoner-of-war to front free endpaper: “I.R. Trimble, Maj Genl. P.A.C.S. Johnson’s Island, Aug. 2 64”. With additional ownership inscriptions “Wm T. McClintock” front free endpaper and title page.

Isaac R. Trimble (1802-1888) graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1822 and was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant of artillery, serving for 10 years with the 3rd and 1st US Artillery regiments. After leaving the regular army in 1832, he was an engineer and surveyed routes for the Baltimore and Ohio railroads.

After the onset of hostilities in 1861, Trimble led a regiment of Maryland state militia to burn railroad bridges around Baltimore. When Maryland did not secede from the Union, Trimble traveled to Virginia and joined the Confederate provisional army as a colonel of engineers. He was promoted to brigadier general by August.

Trimble first saw combat during Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign in the spring of 1862. His brigade was engaged in heaving fighting throughout Northern Virginia, playing a major role in the Battle of Manassas. Trimble's leg was wounded severely during his defeat at Second Bull Run, and he endured a taxing rehabilitation with severe infections. During this time, he campaigned for further promotion, stating to General Stonewall Jackson "before this war is over, I intend to be a Major General or a corpse!”

Trimble was successful, receiving promotion to major general on 17 January 1863, though he was unable to join field command until the Gettysburg Campaign. On the 3rd day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Trimble was one of three division commanders in Pickett’s Charge, participating in the left section of the assault. During the fight, his leg was wounded again, necessitating amputation. Trimble was unable to join retreating Confederate forces for fear of further infection and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner at Fort Warren and Johnson’s Island, from where this ownership inscription is written. He was paroled a week after the surrender at Appomattox.

Condition: some fading to cloth.

[Civil War, Confederacy, Union, Gettysburg, Books, Manuscripts, Signatures, Prisoners of War, POW, West Point, U.S. Military Academy, Ephemera]