Army List for 1797, large paper copy with fascinating annotation.

A List of the Officers of the Army and Marines, with an Index; a Succession of Colonels; and a List of the Officers of the Army and Marines on Half Pay. Also with an Index. 1796. Large Paper Copy.

War Office, London, 2d January1797. Hard Bound. 1st Edition. Large paper copy [12½  x 9ins].  641pp, [ix Alterations and Additions]. Contemporary full straight grain crimson morocco gilt with green title label gilt [ARMY LIST 1797], original boldly marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, spine split and very worn but the boards with elaborate rolls including Greek key pattern, despite some marks and wear are quite good. The stitching has rotted and the text block, although clean, is currently in three sections. The front endpaper has the armorial bookplate of Leonard Morse F.R.S. and S.A., the front free endpaper has a manuscript presentation Presented to the Library by Sir A Halliday, Depy Insp Genl of Hospitals, 31st July 1833 together with an ink stamp of the Royal Army Medical College, the title page has the same stamp to the top margin with two stamps of Fort Pitt Medical Library [A short lived Fort near Chatham circa 1805-20] .This style of fine binding in crimson leather with elaborate gilt tooling is typical of the style used in George III’s library and those of the royal dukes. From similar volumes we have or have we know this one once belonged to William, Duke of Clarence, later to be William IV. Size: 4to [ 13 x 9 ins].    may1/2

Although in need or a binder’s attention this is an especially interesting volume which includes some regiments not usually seen in Army Lists – Scotch Brigade, Irish Brigade, York Rangers and York Fuziliers, Officers of Reduced Corps, etc. It also has much manuscript amendments to the lists showing officers replacing those printed [mainly by purchase one imagines] with precise dates, additional officers appointed, occasional knighthoods, etc – all this in extraordinarily neat calligraphy. This year was important in India and the list shows the King’s Army as it was when the Lt Col the Hon Arthur Wellesley [later the Duke of Wellington] landed in February in command of the 33rd Regt of Foot [its Colonel was Marquis Cornwallis] and within weeks he was at Seringapatam. His brother became Governor of Madras at about this time.