Amazing 1879 8th Infantry US Army, Military & Naval Encyclopedia, 1,386 Pages

A rather amazing and no doubt very scarce if not rare 1879 8th Infantry US Army, Military and Naval Encyclopedia.  The 1,386 page encyclopedia was never bound and is two plus inches thick.  The encyclopedia appears to cover Biblical times and even before and up to the year of publication of 1879.  Please see the description from the encyclopedia in blue printing below.  This very unusual encyclopedia was found many years ago at the estate of a veteran in California. 

This encyclopedia is dated 1879 and to see how up to date the encyclopedia was when printed I looked up General Armstrong Custer in the encyclopedia, who was killed three years before on June 25, 1876 at the Little Big Horn.  This encyclopedia was correct and included much information about General Custer including the fact that General Custer died with five companies of the seventh Cavalry in this battle. 

The encyclopedia is titled and states in part

“A MILITARY AND NAVAL ENCYCLOPDIA,

COMPRISING ANCIENT AND MODERN MILITARY AND NAVAL TECHNICAL TERMS, BIOLOGICAL SKETCHES OF DISTINGUSHED OFFICERS, AND HISTORICAL ACCOUNTING OF ALL NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS, AS WELL AS ANCIENT WARLIKE TRIBES.

ALSO THE MILITARTY AND NAVAL BATTLES FROM THE EARLIST PERIOD TO THE PRESENT TIME……………..,

COMPILED FROM THE BEST AUTHORITIES OF ALL NATIONS,

WITH AN APPENDIX CONTAINING THE ARTICLES OF WAR, ETC., ETC, ETC,

BY THOMAS WILHELM, CAPTAIN EIGHTH INFANTRY,

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH INFANTRY, U.S. ARMY, 1879”

The 1,386 page encyclopedia is 5 x 6 ½ inches in size.  The encyclopedia is a little over two inches thick and weights about one pound nine ounces.  The encyclopedia has never been bound and has light wear to the top of a couple of pages and otherwise is in very nice condition.  Please see the other vintage items I have listed on eBay.  Thanks for looking.