Union Army 1861 65 (3)

This book describes and illustrates the uniforms and personal equipment of the troops fielded by the Midwestern and Western states that fought for the Union during the Civil War. During the American Civil War, the United States Army, pitted against the forces of the fledgling Confederacy, fought to defend and preserve the Union during five long years of bitter conflict. As the war continued into 1862 and beyond, both sides mobilized huge numbers of troops, necessitating a massive expansion of military logistics in order to clothe, equip and feed the soldiers as they fought on a variety of fronts, from California to Virginia. This volume, the third in a three-part study, describes and illustrates the uniforms, insignia and personal equipment of the soldiers fielded by the Midwestern and Western states for the Union cause. While the majority of these troops were infantry, substantial numbers of artillery, cavalry and other specialists such as riflemen and engineers were also sent to fight the Confederate armies. Eight plates of original artwork showing officers and enlisted men of the Union Army are complemented by rare photographs depicting soldiers and items of uniform from some of the most comprehensive collections in the United States.