Offered in this lot is a rare 1887 1st edition of “Hard Tack and Coffee: or The Unwritten Story of Army Life (civil war)” written by John D. Billings and illustrated by Charles W. Reed. “Hardtack and Coffee” is one of the few books to give a detailed picture of how ordinary soldiers lived every day in camp during the American Civil War. John D. Billings of Massachusetts enlisted in the Army of the Potomac and experienced the conditions he recorded. Charles W. Reed, a fellow soldier, made sketches of their experiences in the field. It is now considered one of the most important books written by a Civil War veteran. The book has six color plates and over two-hundred sketches. The book is bound in bright red linen with black and gold embossing on the cover and spine. The book is in good condition with slight damage to the back spine. The book measures 9" x 6 1/4' x 1 1/2".