Book on CW uniform research?????

[ewtaylor]

I can't for the life of me remember the author or name of the book which includes uniforms, equip., etc. issued to regiments during the War. My wife was going to get it for me for christmas but didn't. Now I can't remember the name of it. I saw the "Uniform of the Civil War" by Smith and Field. Is this a good book for uniform/equip research by states?
thanks in advance for any help,
EWTaylor

[Robert Braun]

Hello...

I believe the book you want is:

Todd, Frederick P. American Military Equipage 1851-1872. Volume
II: State Forces. Chatham Square Press (np), 1983.

There are copies available out there. Good luck and happy reading!

Regards, Bob.

[ewtaylor]

Robert,
That is the one!!! Thanks a million.
ewtaylor





Hello...

I believe the book you want is:

Todd, Frederick P. American Military Equipage 1851-1872. Volume
II: State Forces. Chatham Square Press (np), 1983.

There are copies available out there. Good luck and happy reading!

Regards, Bob.

[markj]

Greetings,

"Todd's" is still a good source of information but a significant amount of the research is 40-50 years old; therefore, "caveat lector" (let the reader beware!). As you can imagine, a huge number of primary sources have surfaced since the 1960's: These have either supplemented, or even contradicted, what is presented in "Todd's." I guess you should follow Ronald Reagan's advice: "Trust...but verify."

You might also want to check works by Don Troiani and the "Osprey Men-at-Arms" series although, in the case of the "Osprey" publications, some of the information in them is problematic too.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Robert Braun]

Greetings,

"Todd's" is still a good source of information but a significant amount of the research is 40-50 years old; therefore, "caveat lector" (let the reader beware!). As you can imagine, a huge number of primary sources have surfaced since the 1960's: These have either supplemented, or even contradicted, what is presented in "Todd's." I guess you should follow Ronald Reagan's advice: "Trust...but verify."

You might also want to check works by Don Troiani and the "Osprey Men-at-Arms" series although, in the case of the "Osprey" publications, some of the information in them is problematic too.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

For those that might be worried by Mr. Jaeger's caveat lector, I would offer the following measure of comfort:

The Chathan Square Press 1983 edition had numerous updates, a large portion of which were provided by the respected historian Michael J. McAfee of the USMA Museum. I am informed that Mr. McAfee and several other historians of note, helped Todd's widow with review of the manuscript and the galley proofs prior to the 1983 publication

This is not to say the the volume does not have some errors and ommissions, because it does. I have noticed several areas where the information on state issue uniforms may have been conjectural, rather than factual. As more and better information has come to light, I have taken it upon myself to write this data into my copy... when I remember to do it, that is!

With respect to Mr. Jaeger's points, I also have significant problems with many of the offerings in the Osprey (so-called) "Men at Arms" series. Several of the texts offer questionable assertion and opinion as fact; offer examples of obvious reenactor equipage as illustrations (without providing the reader with the information that they are NOT looking at artifacts); and even resort to outright plagiarism.

Given a choice between the two, I would take Todd's over Osprey any given day of the week.

[MassPvt]

Here's a link to Barnes & Noble's Used and Out of Print section:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/OopBooks/OopResults.asp?userid=2TWT80V95Q&keyword=frederick+p+todd

There's a few available, but from the looks of it, they don't come cheap!
Good Luck,