The Last Leaf Observations, during Seventy-Five Years, of Men and Events in America and Europe

"The Last Leaf" by James Kendall Hosmer is a historical account written in the early 20th century that reflects on significant people and events in the author's life across America and Europe. As the author approaches his eightieth year, he prepares to share memories of influential statesmen, soldiers, and intellectuals he encountered, weaving personal anecdotes with broader historical narratives. The opening of "The Last Leaf" presents the author's foreword, where Hosmer introduces himself as a long-time observer and participant in crucial historical moments. He expresses a desire to recount his experiences with notable figures such as Millard Fillmore and Abraham Lincoln, as well as other influential personalities from the Civil War era. He emphasizes the importance of preserving these memories, not as formal biographies, but as vivid snapshots of a time rich with change and significance. This narrative approach sets the stage for a series of reflections that blend personal history with collective memory, inviting readers to engage with the past in a relatable and poignant manner. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

James Kendall Hosmer was an American (Union) soldier during the American Civil War, a pastor, library director, historian, author and a professor of history and literature. Members of the Hosmer family fought in the French and Indian War, American Revolution and the Civil War. As a pastor of the First Church in Deerfield, Massachusetts he left the ministry, feeling duty bound to join the U.S. Army to serve in the Civil War, insisting to serve at the front, where he participated in several major campaigns. As an author and historian he later wrote and published several works about and involving the Civil War and how he viewed the cause of both the North and South. He also authored a number of other works relating to early American history, along with several novels and a fair number of poems. Hosmer also reviewed and published accounts about the Lewis and Clark Expedition at a time when full accounts of the expedition were very few in number and out of print. During his career he corresponded with many prominent writers and historians involving his works. In his latter life he held several prominent positions in various literary associations, including his position as president of the American Library Association.