The Red Mist, A Tale of Civil Strife by Randall Parrish (1914 First Edition) - Signed Christmas Gift 🎄⚔️🇺🇸

The Red Mist, A Tale of Civil Strife is a dime novel and work of historical fiction set during the American Civil War. The core narrative is a gripping adventure, intrigue, and romance story, featuring a Confederate sergeant who courageously crosses enemy lines disguised as a Federal recruiting officer. The plot centers on the high-stakes dangers and moral ambiguities of the conflict.

The volume contains illustrations by Alonzo Kimball, a popular illustrator of the period, whose art brought a vivid visual component to Parrish's dramatic narratives. The chapter list reveals the intense military focus, with titles such as "On Special Service," "I Join the Federal Cavalry," "The Night Attack," and "A Marriage by Duress". The book's literary structure provides a compelling, immediate engagement with the trauma and heroism of the Civil War era.

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️

Randall Parrish (1858–1923) was a highly prolific American lawyer, journalist, and author specializing in historical fiction and dime novels. He had a colorful life, having been a lawyer and journalist before dedicating himself full-time to writing after the success of his first novel in 1904. His historical novels, particularly those focused on the Civil War like My Lady of the North and My Lady of the South, were steeped in popular historical romanticism.

Parrish was known for meticulously crafting adventure tales set against the tumultuous landscapes of American history, including the Civil War and the Western frontier. His narratives often explored themes of honor, sacrifice, and the challenges faced by veterans in a fractured nation. The Red Mist is one of his key works focused on this conflict, solidifying his role as a popular voice that helped define the American public's understanding of the Civil War in the early 20th century.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

This book was published in September 1914, just one month after the eruption of World War I in Europe. America was officially neutral, but the looming global conflict profoundly intensified public interest in war narratives and tales of national heroism.

The publication of a Civil War story like The Red Mist in 1914 speaks to the nation's ongoing fascination with its past conflicts as a means of processing the new global threat. The novel provided an escape to a time of domestic heroism and definitive moral struggle, reinforcing themes of national identity and military valor just as the U.S. began its long march toward involvement in World War I. This volume is a cultural time capsule, illustrating the reading preferences of Americans as they transitioned from the nostalgic narratives of the Civil War to the realities of a globalized, modern conflict.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This volume is tailored for a Curator of American Military Fiction and a Scholar of Early 20th-Century Popular Culture. The Ideal Collector is someone who appreciates the documentary value of personal inscriptions and the aesthetic appeal of a period-perfect historical novel.

The book belongs in a collection focused on Civil War narratives, Dime Novels, and the works of Alonzo Kimball, the noted illustrator. The Christmas 1914 inscription makes it a non-replicable piece of social history, highly appealing to those who collect books with a verified, intimate chain of ownership.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This book is an authenticated First Edition, First Printing from 1914 and is 111 years old. Its value is anchored in its definitive edition status and its century-plus survival as a highly readable artifact.

The mandatory deduction principle is applied due to the lack of the original dust jacket. However, the extremely early and specific Christmas 1914 gift inscription significantly elevates the book's worth. This personal record, created just three months after publication, transforms the volume into an artifact of social history that commands a price premium, justifying its position as a strong investment in a documented cultural asset.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

This is an authenticated First Edition hardcover lacking the original dust jacket. The binding is a red cloth with gold gilt stamping.

• Positive Qualities:

  • The binding remains tight and square, providing good structural integrity.

  • The gilt lettering on the front board is clean and legible.

  • The full-page illustrations by Alonzo Kimball are intact and clean.

  • The gift inscription is clearly legible and dated to the year of publication.

• Imperfections:

  • The spine is sunned and darkened compared to the front board, and the gilt on the spine is rubbed.

  • The endpapers and outer pages show moderate foxing and toning.

  • The cloth boards exhibit general shelf wear and rubbing to the edges and corners.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• Randall Parrish's initial success with When Wilderness Was King in 1904 was so immediate that the manuscript was accepted when only half completed.

• The novel's illustrator, Alonzo Kimball, was a highly sought-after artist in the early 20th century who frequently illustrated works by popular authors like Parrish, including My Lady of the South and Love Under Fire.

• Parrish was heavily influenced by his life experiences, including working as a railroad man and a sheep driver after his health failed him as a lawyer in Kansas.

• The inscription "Christmas 1914" provides a rare, documented glimpse into the personal consumption of American popular fiction at the start of World War I, marking the book's entry into a private library.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Title: The Red Mist, A Tale Of Civil Strife

• Author: Randall Parrish

• Illustrator: Alonzo Kimball

• Year of Publication: 1914 (Published September 1914)

• Publisher: A. C. McClurg & Co.

• Place of Origin: Chicago, Printed in USA

• Format/Binding: Hardcover, Red Cloth Boards with Gilt Stamping

• Edition: First Edition, First Printing (Based on 1914 Publication Date)

• Rarity: Moderate Scarcity (First Printing), Unique Inscription

• Verbatim Transcription of Inscription/Marking: "To Clarence L Birch, Christmas 1914. From DWC".