This book examines what the citizen soldiery of the mid-Atlantic states wore when they marched off to save the Union in 1861. An exhaustive search of thousands of newspapers has provided a myriad of reports and personal accounts from soldiers' letters, which offer a hitherto unpublished view of the stirring events during the first few months of the Civil War. Combined with fascinating detail from numerous diaries and regimental histories, this has helped reconstruct the appearance of the Union volunteers of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The book is enhanced by photographs of original items of uniforms from private collections, plus imagery of the day, which show with remarkable clarity the great variety of clothing and headgear worn. Sponsored by the Company of Military Historians, this is an essential reference for collectors, living historians, modelers, and curators, as well as anyone with a general interest in the Civil War.

The sword is an important and multi-faceted symbol of military power, royal and communal authority, religion and mysticism. This study takes the sword beyond it functional role as a tool for killing, considering it as a cultural artifact and the broader meaning and significance it had to its bearer. It should be on the bookshelf of anybody who claims to be interested in the importance of the sword in medieval life and thought and their cultural significance in the past - and present. Robert Woosnam-Savage, Royal Armouries. We see the sword as an object of nobility and status, a mystical artefact, imbued with power and symbolism. It is Roland's Durendal, Arthur's Excalibur, Aragorn's Narsil. A thing of beauty, its blade flashes in the sun, and its hilt gleams with opulent decoration. Yet this beauty belies a bloody function, for it is also a weapon that appears crude and brutal, requiring great strength to wield: cleaving armour, flesh, and bone. This wide-ranging book uncovers the breadth of the sword's place within the culture of high medieval Europe. Encompassing swords both real and imagined, physical, and in art and literature, it shows them as a powerful symbol of authority and legitimacy. It looks at the practicalities of the sword, including its production, as well as challenging our preconceptions about when and where it was used. In doing so, it reveals a far less familiar culture of swordsmanship, beyond the elite, in which swordplay was an entertainment, taught in the fencing school by masters such as Lichtenauer, Talhoffer, and Fiore, and codified in fencing manuals, or fechtbücher. The book also considers how our modern attempts to reconstruct medieval swordsmanship on screen, and in re-enactment and Historical European Martial Arts (or HEMA), shape, and have been shaped by, our preconceptions of the sword. As a whole, the weapon is shown to be at once far more mundane, and yet just as special, as we imagine it.

A comprehensive history and typology of the European knightly sword from c.1050 to c.1550, that draws on evidence from literature and art as well as from archaeology. The resplendent image of the medieval knight is symbolised by his sword, a lethal weapon on the battlefield and a badge of chivalry in that complex social code. Ewart Oakeshott draws on his extensive research to recount the history of the sword from the knightly successors of the Viking weapon to the emergence of the Renaissance sword - roughly from 1050 to 1550. Evidence for dating is adduced from literature and art as well as from archaeology, and a detailed chronological typology of swords is developed, based on entire swords, pommel-forms, cross-guards, and the grip and scabbard. With clear illustrations and invaluable photographic plates The Sword in the Age of Chivalryoffers first-class reference material for all weapons enthusiasts. The late EWART OAKESHOTT was an authority on the arms and armour of medieval Europe. His other books include Records of the Medieval Sword and TheArchaeology of Weapons.

For the first time in print a book identifies each regiment and illustrates the change in uniforms, the colour of the facings and the nature and shape of the lace for the officers, NCOs and private soldiers over the period of the Napoleonic War 1793-1815. In British Napoleonic Uniforms, Carl Franklin's lavishly illustrated third volume for The History Press, these changes to the uniforms of all the numbered regiments of cavalry and infantry are discussed in detail. It is illustrated with more than two hundred full-colour plates of the uniforms and every aspect of their regimental distinctions. The book is divided into four parts. Part One looks at the commonalities of the cavalry and considers uniforms appropriate to each regiment such as headwear, the evolution of the uniforms and horse furniture. Part Two considers the uniforms of the heavy and light cavalry regiments. It includes full-page colour illustrations of the Household Cavalry, the Heavy Cavalry (Dragoon Guards and Dragoons), and Light Cavalry (the Light Dragoons and Hussars). Part Three shows the commonalties of the infantry and considers the uniform appropriate to each regiment, such as those of the Drummers and Highland Regiments, as well as their tartans. Part Four discusses the uniforms and distinctions of the infantry, including the regiments of Foot Guards and Infantry of the Line (Fusiliers, Light Infantry, Riflemen and Highland Regiments). For this revised edition Carl Franklin has updated many of the artworks and provided a colour guide specifically for modellers.

This encyclopedia of firearms is both an authoritative reference work and a stunning visual directory, explaining the development of arms through the centuries. The chronological survey begins with gunpowder and the first crude 14th-century hand cannons, and continues through handguns and the development of machine and submachine guns. Each gun's features are listed, as are the military, political and technological contexts in which the gun was developed. A full list of manufacturers and a glossary complete this easy-to-use encyclopedia. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in gun manufacture and conflicts of war.

Treasures of the Royal Armouries is a photographic journey through Britain's national museum of arms and armour. It reflects the diversity of the Royal Armouries' collection, which was assembled over many centuries at the Tower of London and now spans the ancient world to the present day. At the core of this journey is the museum's unparalleled group of Tudor armours which derive from the Greenwich Armoury of Henry VIII, but European swords, paintings and manuscripts are equally well-represented. Stunning pieces from Asia are included, as are key items from the national collection of firearms, started in 1631 by Charles I and now housed at the National Firearms Centre, as well as larger guns from the National Artillery Centre at Fort Nelson. Each of the 115 entries tell compelling stories, tracing the histories of individuals, campaigns and cultures across millennia. They also consider the place of arms in an increasingly turbulent world and the new challenges that technology presents to a modern army. Treasures of the Royal Armouries is a lavishly illustrated account of some of the most interesting pieces of arms and armour in existence.

Volume: 2 Publisher: London: Bell Publication date: 1920 Subjects: Armor -- History Weapons -- History Notes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there.

This book provides a convenient reference to the history and characteristics of the self-loading pistols that were adopted by the military forces of the nations involved in the two World Wars. It presents a selection of nineteen self-loading pistols - and the firms engaged in their manufacture - during this period, together with a technical appraisal of each weapon. For each pistol a history of both manufacturer and pistol is provided, along with a colour photograph and cutaway views of both the pistol and its breech operation. Details and cutaway views are also provided for the cartridges used by these pistols. All of the weapons illustrated are representative of the pattern issued to the military, and in many cases they continued to be produced for the commercial market.

The origins, development and use of the two-edged knightly sword of the European middle ages, from the great migrations to the Renaissance. Forty years of intensive research into the specialised subject of the straight two-edged knightly sword of the European middle ages are contained in this classic study. Spanning the period from the great migrations to the Renaissance, Ewart Oakeshott emphasises the original purpose of the sword as an intensely intimate accessory of great significance and mystique. There are over 400 photographs and drawings, each fully annotated and described in detail, supported by a long introductory chapter with diagrams of the typological framework first presented in The Archaeology of Weapons and further elaborated in The Sword in the Age of Chivalry. There are appendices on inlaid blade inscriptions, scientific dating, the swordsmith's art, and a sword of Edward III. Reprinted as part of Boydell's History of the Sword series.

This book is a thorough treatment of the evolution of the United States Marine Corps's principal distinguishing insignia, and covers from 1804 through World War I. The large inventory offers an objective basis for the identification, classification, and dating of over 300 emblems. The reader will find answers to questions about individual emblems such as: What is it, and what was its function? What is most significant, including its historical context? When was it used and discontinued, and if possible to answer, who manufactured it? Also included are answers to the most important question:What are the sources supporting these interpretations? A comprehensive guide is needed for the identification of US Marine Corps emblems, especially considering the serious proliferation of fakes and reproductions. This is a valuable tool for one of the fastest growing military collectibles in the world.

Representative examples of swords from 8th-11th century, fully described and illustrated, with general overview. This beautifully illustrated work fills a gap in the literature in English on the swords made and used in northern Europe during the Viking age, between the mid eighth and the mid eleventh centuries. Ewart Oakeshott outlines the significance and diversity of these ancient heirlooms; co-author Ian Peirce, who handled hundreds of swords in his research for this book in museums across northern Europe, selects and describes sixty of the finest representative weapons. Where possible, full-length photographs are included, in addition to illustrations of detail; an illustrated overview of blade types and construction, pattern-welding, inscription and handle forms and their classificationprefaces the catalogue of examples which is the principal part of this work. IAN PEIRCE was a lecturer and museum consultant specialising in early swords; EWART OAKESHOTT was renowned for his pioneer studies on a wide range of medieval swords.

Tracing the history and development of gun-making in Birmingham, England-for many years a center of the world's firearms industry-this book covers innovations in design and manufacture of both military and sporting arms from 1660 through 1960. The city is perhaps best known for mass-producing some of the most battle-tested weapons in history, including the Brown Bess musket, the Webley revolver and the Lee-Enfield rifle. Yet Birmingham's gun-makers have carried on a centuries-long tradition of crafting high quality hand-made sporting guns.

"For many Americans, guns seem to be a fundamental part of the American experience―and always have been."

Grand in scope, rigorous in research, and elegant in presenting the formative years of our country, "Armed America" traces the winding historical trail of United States citizens' passion for firearms. Author and historial Clayton E. Cramer goes back to the source, unearthing first-hand accounts from the colonial times, through the Revolutionary War period, and into the early years of the American Republic.

In "Armed America," Cramer depicts a budding nation dependent on its firearms not only for food and protection, but also for recreation and enjoyment. Through newspaper clippings, official documents, and personal diaries, he shows that recent grandiose theories claiming that guns were scarce in early America are shaky at best, and downright false at worst. Above all, Cramer allows readers a priceless glimpse of a country literally fighting for its identity.

For those who think that our citizens' attraction to firearms is a recent phenomenon, it's time to think again. "Armed America" proves that the right to bear arms is as American as apple pie.

The patch is a customized emblem designed specifically for a particular organization. An emblem is often displayed on patches, decals, plaques, and other memorabilia. Pride and comraderie in the crew is a direct result of the patch as a daily reminder that a specific unit is the best in the Navy. This volume covers over 1,900 patches of US Navy rotary wing aircraft in full color, covering the patches of individual helicopters, schools, organizations, air wings and detachments for all the squadron types HAL, HC, HCS, HCT, HM, HS, HSC, HSL, HSM, HT, HU, HUQ and HX.

The Orders and Decorations of the "enemy" during the Vietnam War have remained shrouded in mystery for many years. References to them are scarce and interrogations of captives during the war often led to the proliferation of misinformation concerning them. To confuse the situation even more, these awards were bestowed by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), known then as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV), and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF), and a myriad of political and local organizations. Covered ar those Orders and Decorations now considered official by the SRV, as well as many of the obsolete awards bestowed by the DRV and the NLF. It also discusses many of the commemorative, political and local awards. Includes value guide.