September 22, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/22/2011
Newspaper, Frank Leslie's Illustrated, WAR SUPPLEMENT, March 15, 1862, complete issue, 16pp., disbound, paper a little limp, very minor foxing, VG. Just an extraordinary issue contains a four page fold out, 45" x 16,"centerspread. These foldouts rarely survived. "The War in Tennessee - View of the Principal Works at Fort Donelson, Including the Water Batteries with the National Gunboats on the Cumberland River and a Distant View of the Town of Dover - Morning of Surrender - Exhibition of White Flags on the Works - Capitulation of the Rebels, and the National Troops Marching to Occupy the Fortifications." Although both Harper's and Leslie's printed earlier engravings the week before this issue, this is without question the earliest large format printing of the Capture of Fort Donelson. There are several additional engravings of this Federal victory. The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant from an obscure and largely unproven leader to the rank of major general, earning him the nickname "Unconditional Surrender" Grant.
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.