# Is "Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era" by James M. McPherson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson (Oxford University Press, 1988) is identified by: Oxford University Press, New York, 1988; the sixth volume of the Oxford History of the United States. The US Oxford University Press (New York) edition is the true first, 1988.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Oxford University Press, New York, 1988; the sixth volume of the Oxford History of the United States
- First printing shown by a full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page with no later-printing statement
- Bound in blue cloth with a gilt-lettered spine and red endpapers; the first-state dust jacket was designed by Honi Werner and retains its printed price
- Publisher imprint reads Oxford University Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James M. McPherson |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Oxford University Press, New York, 1988; the sixth volume of the Oxford History of the United States |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Oxford University Press, New York, 1988; the sixth volume of the Oxford History of the United States. First printing shown by a full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page with no later-printing statement. Bound in blue cloth with a gilt-lettered spine and red endpapers; the first-state dust jacket was designed by Honi Werner and retains its printed price.

## Is this the true first?
The US Oxford University Press (New York) edition is the true first, 1988. It won the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for History.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies typically lack the printed jacket price and may show a blind-stamp to the rear board; confirm first status by the descending number line ending in 1 and the blue cloth with red endpapers.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era* by James M. McPherson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/battle-cry-of-freedom-the-civil-war-era
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.