BOOK OF MILITARY TEXTBOOK ENGINEERING PLATES BELONGING TO JAMES MERCUR, US ENGINEERS AND WEST POINT INSTRUCTOR

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This is a book of fold out plates, many with “explanatory tables,” illustrating battlefield deployments, camp layouts, diagrams of fortifications, etc. They come from a two-volume work, title not given, and consist of about 20 plates keyed to Volume 1 bound with 12 from Volume 2. Some of these are more than one part. The covers are present, boards with marble paper, but detached and show wear. Many of the plates have small stains or foxing, along with some separations along vertical folds. Only two or three have a missing piece from a panel or are missing one of the folded panels. We have tried to note them in order below.

The front cover is signed in ink inside: “Jas. Mercur / 1st Lt. of Engrs.” James Mercur entered West Point in 1862 from Pennsylvania, graduated Number 2 in his class in 1866, was assigned to the Engineers, usually the posting for top grads, as 2nd Lieutenant as of 18 June 1866. He made 1st Lieutenant 7 March 1867 and Captain 9 December 1875, dating the inscription to that period. He was involved with river and harbor improvements and defensive works in New York, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. He was made Professor of Civil and Military Engineering at West Point 29 September 1884 and died 26 April 1896. He revised Mahan’s Permanent Fortifications and was author of Elements of the Art of War, Military Mining, and Attack of Fortified Places.

The plates are as follows. Plate 1) Battle of Casilinum; 2) Plate showing two battalions in order of battle; 3) (two parts)  Representation of a regiment of infantry, and of a regiment of cavalry in orders of march and battle, with posts of officers (tear and folds upper right, tear at center;) 4) (two parts- cannon and mortars) with 3 explanatory tables of dimensions, ranges, etc. Plate with mortars missing 2x2 inch piece bottom center, stains; 5) Gun carriages, with two explanatory tables; 6) Camp of a division of the army; 7) position of Caesar’s camp at Cambray, separation on fold, explanatory table; 8) Battle of Malplaquet, explanatory table; 9) Battle of Hondtschoote, explanatory table 10) Last campaign of Viscount Turenne, explanatory table. 11) measurements for layouts of forts 12) “Disposition of cannon, howitzer and mortar batteries…,” left panel only. 13) fort layout 14) fort layout near water; 15) diagram of pontoon and river crossings. 16) defenses around city in loop of river, right panel separated; 17) defenses of river crossings, left panel in place, three panels to right separated; 18) Battle of Neerwinden- explanantory table is there, plate is missing; 19) Battle of Fleurus, 1690, torn along right fold; 20) Battle of Fleurus 1794, plate and explanatory table. Bound with, Plates 1 and 2, Volume 2, cross sections of fortifications, each two parts; Plate 3) Battle of Turin; Plates 4 to 6, all cross-sections of fortifications, separations along folds; Plates 7 -12, with explanatory table of plate 7, Bastioned Systems. Stains, separations along folds, etc.

We include a copy of Mercur’s biography from Cullum’s Register.  [sr][ph:L]

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