(CIVIL WAR KENTUCKY) The Volunteer Devoted to the Interest

Sale 2533 - Lot 69

Price Realized: $ 1,625

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 500 - $ 750

"HOW IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A PAPER TO BE PRINTED SO POORLY?" (CIVIL WAR--KENTUCKY.) The Volunteer, Devoted to the Interest of the Union. 2 pages, 10 1/4 x 7 3/4 inches; separations at folds, foxing, and other wear without substantial loss of text. Nicholasville, KY, 6 December [1862]

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The first and probably only issue of an ephemeral Union newspaper in central Kentucky, "published frequently, once in a while, if not oftener." The editors A.C. Getten and A.V. Blair explain that "even after we have made our debut as military editors, the quasi secesh here in Kentucky will still lie in a critical situation. . . . We have engaged in this enterprise with the most limited capital." The front page is illustrated with a very crude woodcut "by our own artist" titled "Bragg's Retreat from Perryville." The second page answers a question which we had already been wondering ourselves: "It may be a mystery to many of our readers, how it is possible for a paper to be printed so poorly." The editors explain that "the Press was found in a back yard, all in pieces and apparently in ruins--it supplied the place of posts to support the fence . . . and is nearly ruined by rust, but by considerable ingenuity we accomplished the work of putting it up in a room. . . . We have no blanket and have to supply its place by paper, we suppose it was stolen by the secesh to make a suit of clothes." In response to rumors of a visit by Morgan's Raiders, "Morgan will always be a most welcome guest to Genl. Baird's camp, and can have a banquet of blood . . . at any time." We trace no other issues of The Volunteer in OCLC, at auction or elsewhere.