Reference Guide to the U. S. Military, 1815-1865

Provides information on military organization, accounts of battles and events, biographies of military and civilian leaders, locations of military bases, and descriptions of military awards from colonization to the 1980s

This second part of a five-volume series launched in 1991 covers a lot of ground in American military history, from the end of the War of 1812 to the conclusion of the Civil War. This volume is divided into three sections comprising a chronological narrative, a biographical dictionary, and articles on battles and events. The narrative, which details the organization and history of the armed forces, is conveniently divided into clear, concise chapters. All aspects of the period on land and sea are described here. The biographical dictionary covers all the major personalities, including presidents and politicians, in signed essays. A short bibliography is included when possible. The third section, Battles and Events, includes entries for treaties. In all, this is a comprehensive, easy-to-use reference tool. A similar source is Robin Higham's A Guide to Sources of U.S. Military History (Archon, 1975), which is supplemented every five years, but Higham's work is strictly a bibliography. Strongly recommended.
- David Lee Poremba, Detroit
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.