The National tribune., 1883-05-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

With the publication of The Virginia Cam
paign of "a aud 90; the Army of the Potomac
and the Army of the James, by Major General
Andrew A. Humphreys, U. S. A, Scribner's
series OF the Campaigns OF the Civil War" is
completed, and the last volume is by no means
the least interesting. In size it is fully twice
as bulky as those which have preceded it, bat
it covers the most interesting period of the
war, and it would have been impossible to have
crowded the narrative into smaller compass
without seriously impairing its historical value
As 1t is, General Humphreys has given US a
very concise, accurate, and comprehensive his
tory OF military operations in the East during
the last year of the war, and it viii be regarded
as authoritative for many years to come. In
some respects the author possessed unusual
qualifications for the task. 1t was to him. as
chief OF staff, that the duty of preparing pro-
Ject for the forward movement of the Army of
the Potomac from its position between the
Rapidan and Rappahannoek, in the spring of
'64, upon General Grants assumption of COM
mand, was cOnfided, and, being personally famil-
lar with the plan of the campaign that followed,
he has at the outset great advantage over
previous historians Then, too, he has evil
IDENTIFY made a searching examination of the
records; and, indeed, the publication of the
book was purpOSely delayed for that purpose.
So far as its literary quality is concerned, the
work is perhaps less striking than that of
Swintons, but as q straightforward, eonscien-
tiOus narrative of events in which he himself
participated, and 10 the elucidation of which
he has brought all the resources of military
science, it is simply invaluable. With some of
his conclusions his brother officers may dis
agree but all must cOncede that in discussing
mooted points he has shown himself to be actu-
ated solely by the desire to get at the essential
truth. 1t is scarcely necessary for US to say
that no soldiers library viii be complete without
this book. Charles Scribner's Sons, publishers,
New York for sale in Washington by Robert
Beall, No. 495 Pennsylvania avenue.
G.. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, have lust
issued the first number of "TOpics of the
Times, "a series of representative essays on
questions ofthe day,-under the title of Social
Problems" The volume, which is edited BY Ii
tus Munson Coan, contains eight papers by emf
nent foreign writers, o glance at the titles of
which convey an idea of the scope Of Social
Problems" They are World Crowding" by
Robt Giffen; Z" Europe in Straits Blaekroods
Magczine; Secret Societies in France" by Je-
han De Paris; Home Rule, Socialism and Sc
eession," by ]. Woulfe Flanagan; "A Demo-
crat on the Coming Democracy" by Henry La
bouchere, NJ. p; 8 A Politician in Trouble about
his Soul" by Auberon Herbert " The Euro
pean Terror" by Emile De Layeleye and 'aThe
Naturalization of the Land . Edinburgh Rsrie,r
The book is for sale by Robert Beall, 495 Penna.
ave, Washington.
As supplementary volume to their series of
Campaigns of the Civil War;" Charles Serb
ner's Sons have just Issued a Statistical Rec
ord of the Armies of the United States" COM
piled from the official records by Frederick
Phisterer, late captain U. S. A. This is work
which has long been needed, and to many it
will prove the most interesting and valuable of
recent military publications. 1t gives the va
rious calls for troops, list of the organizations
mustered into the service, the military divis-
ions and departments, strength of the army at
various dates, honors conferred by Congress,
number and location of National cemeteries.
chronology of the war, record of general officers
during the war. and much other information
OF a useful character. For sale in Washington
by Robert Beall, No. 495 Penna. ave.