The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 2 (of 2) or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for Independence

About this book

The work is a richly illustrated travelogue by Benson John Lossing that blends personal narrative with a survey of Revolutionary‑Era sites across the former Southern colonies. It opens on a brisk November day in 1848, when the author departs New York on a self‑propelled wagon‑haul, intent on tracing the battlefield and settlement landmarks that shaped the war for independence. From the first pages he recounts the practical difficulties of moving through untamed country, mountains, swamps, pine forests, and sandy plains, while sketching the scenes that inspire his patriotic reflections. The opening passage then shifts to a detailed description of his arrival at South Amboy, New Jersey, offering historical context for the town’s founding, its early civic leaders, and its role in the conflict, before moving on to a series of vivid sketches and anecdotes about places such as Crosswicks and Trenton.

Lossing’s voice is that of a 19th‑century antiquarian who writes with a blend of earnest travel memoir, scholarly footnote, and occasional poetic flourish. The style is dense, factual, and peppered with period‑specific diction, making the text feel like a companion to a historic atlas rather than a modern guidebook. Readers who relish immersive, primary‑source accounts of the American Revolution, especially those interested in early American topography, local histories, and illustrated documentation, will find this volume rewarding. It also appeals to scholars of 19th‑century historiography and to anyone who enjoys a measured, detail‑rich narrative of a bygone landscape.