[MILITARY MANUAL-REVOLUTIONARY WAR]
LAMBART, RICHARD SIXTH EARL OF CAVAN. A new system of military discipline, founded upon principle. By a General Officer. Philadelphia: R.[ichard] Aitken, 1776. First American edition. Contemporary American speckled calf, probably the publisher's binding as we note others similarly bound (i.e. "Bound, ten Shillings" as stated on the title). 7 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches (19 x 11.5 cm); viii, [1], 10-267 [i.e., 265, as 161, 162 were omitted from pagination], [1] pp., text with several woodcut diagrams of troop movements, collating A-2K^(4) [L]1. Binding lightly worn, front joint starting, trace of dampstain to head of front board, minor stain visible towards rear, some paper toning. With the neatly penned 1776 ownership inscription of Fenn Wadsworth (name and date on front free endpaper, name again at the head of A2, the preface).
Printed by Aitken as an instructional manual for Continental and militia officers, this comprehensive treatise discusses almost all aspects of military duties and procedures, and has an interesting appendix of moral and military apothegms e.g. "The more eminent a man is, the more is expected from him" as well as the more obvious "Never appear in an open place of country with an inferior force." The first owner of this work, Fenn Wadsworth, is known to have served as a brigade major to General James Wadsworth (to whom he was presumably related) from September 28, 1776 until sometime in April, 1779. He saw extensive service in the New York theater of the Revolutionary War over that period. His name is seen as an authorizing signature on pay vouchers and similar documents both during, and subsequent to, his retirement from active duty. He appears to have died around 1785. Evans 14815; Spaulding & Karpinski 321.