1914 THOMAS SMYTH. Autobiographical Notes, Letters & Reflections of Charleston, S.C. Presbyterian during Civil War!

This guy had one of the toughest jobs in the country from 1861 to 1865. Sent by Charles Hodge to Charles to fill in in the 1830's, everything was going alone fairly well. Large, prominent Presbyterian church, a growing book collection of some 20,000 volumes [he was a famed bibliomaniac . . . his wife was not; she sold half is collection to Columbia without his consent!], and a penchant for lengthy exposition [they installed a tube from the back of the church to near his ear in the pulpit so the choir master could tell him when he was going too long . . . it didn't deter him from preaching double the usual time.

Then, the Civil War. He was a moderate to luke-warm anti-slavery Presbyterian [believing that slavery as an institution was an evil, but necessary as a Christianizing nursery that would eventually mature black Americans and they could "graduate" into society]. Tough position to hold in Charleston, South Carolina where 25% of all African Americans can trace their lineage to as slaves, seat of the Secession, and one of the most radical Confederate cities in the South. It didn't go well. 

Fascinating work with nearly 200 pages of letters, correspondence, etc., from the period of the Civil War. 

Very rare with no copies on the market. 

Smyth, Thomas; Louisa Cheves Stoney [ed.] Autobiographical Notes, Letters, and Reflections. Charleston, S. C. Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co. 1914. 784pp.

Good with some wear, small tears and through at extremities. Hinges just through paper and lightly shaken. A large, heavy volume.