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Auction: 317 - The Collector's Series
Lot: 582

[American Revolution]. Clinton, Sir Henry: The Narrative of Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B., Relative to His Conduct During Part of His Command of the King's Troops in North America; Particularly to that which respects the unfortunate Issue of the Campaign in 1781. With: Cornwallis, Earl: An Answer to that Part of the Narrative of …Clinton; With: Clinton, Sir Henry: Observations on Some Parts of the Answer. London, printed for J. Debrett, 1783. Octavo, contemporary full tan calf, red morocco spine. Sixth edition, published in the same year as the first edition, of Sir Henry Clinton's justification of his actions in the American campaign, bound together with a first edition of Cornwallis' response, and a first edition of Clinton's rejoinder, with folding chart illustrating the respective strengths of the military forces deployed in North America. Clear guard over covers bound down on inside board. Rear joint starting, trivial pencil notations endpapers, otherwise the contemporary binding is in excellent condition, and the contents clean and bright. Very Good. Sir Henry Clinton arrived in Boston in 1775 along with Major Generals William Howe and John Burgoyne to strengthen General Gage's position. In 1778, Clinton succeeded to the supreme command of British forces in North America after General Howe's resignation. After the fall of Charleston, which Clinton had under siege, he returned to New York leaving his second-in-command Lord Cornwallis in charge of the subsequent operations that led to the capitulation in Yorktown and the peace treaty which recognized American independence. Clinton returned to England in 1782 to find himself blamed for the defeat at Yorktown and Cornwallis conversely viewed with sympathy. With this "Narrative," Clinton defends his actions in the war and lays the blame at Cornwallis' feet. An indignant Cornwallis, in turn, defends himself with an Answer to the Narrative, which is then rebutted and replied to by Clinton in Observations on Some Parts of the Answer - both included here.

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