BOOK DESCRIPTION: Small folio, unpaginated, mounted plates with tissue guards. With original clear dust wrapper, the additional paper dust wrapper, and original box with cardboard padding. CONDITION DESCRIPTION: As new; rarely removed from box with no evidence of use. Pages are uncut on fore-edge as printed. Original box is well rubbed and worn with top half edges broken and repaired. CONTENTS DESCRIPTON: A very fine copy of the famous, and quite scarce, publication of Douglas Freeman s famous editorial. The artful mounted photographic prints are of the famous, and now removed, Confederate Monuments. The publication has a remarkable history that began in June 1932 when a small group of surviving Confederate veterans gathered in Richmond for the 42nd annual reunion of the United Confederate Veterans. With their advanced age, it was assumed this would be their last parade. Mr. Freeman wrote a commemorative editorial for the local Richmond paper; ending with these lines: Today the city has seen its last review. The armies of the south will march our streets no more. It is the rearguard, engaged with death, that passes now. Who that remembers other days can face the truth and still withhold his tears? The dreams of youth have faded in the twilight of the years. The deeds that shook a continent belong to history. Farewell; sound taps! And then a generation new must face its battles in its turn, forever heartened by that heritage. Douglas Johnson writes in his biography, Douglas Southall Freeman: Freeman titled the piece: The Last Parade and placed it in the paper on the final day of the reunion. It unexpectedly became his fourth published work. The Richmond publishing firm of Whittet & Shepperson printed the editorial in a handsomely crafted book, complete with pictures of the Confederate statues on Monument Avenue. Only five hundred copies were printed and, after they were on the market for a short time, Freeman bought the remaining copies and presented them through the years as gifts to friends and associates. A printed note from a Richmond, VA bookseller previously offering this book indicated this copy was from the estate of Dr. Freeman s daughter, and was one of his copies reserved for personal distribution. REFERENCES: IN TALL COTTON #60: "A moving tribute by the premier historian of the Confederacy. This was published in an edition of five hundred copies. It was never offered for sale and, according to Freeman, is much the rarest of his publications." NEVINS II pg 14: "An immensely moving essay that honors Southern soldiers and leaders and at the same time shows broad understanding of the whole war."
