Bluecoats: The U.S. Army in the West, 1848-1897

by John P. Langellier

A history of the United States Army during the time it served as the vanguard of western expansion and a description of its uniforms and equipment in the late twentieth century.
-- Thorough glances into the lives of soldiers and their combat experiences
-- Rare photographs and images, some never before published

Genres: Nonfiction, History, American Civil War

82 pages, Library Binding

First published November 1, 1999

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I personally have little interest in the history of military uniforms, I also know that there are people that are diligent in their study. Only a few pages into this book, it is clear that the author is an expert. Photos of soldiers posed in their military uniforms are given with detailed textual explanations of what is right and wrong with their clothing and accoutrements. George Custer appears in at least two of them. Pay was poor for the soldiers on the frontier and the uniforms were often ill-fitting and uncomfortable. Therefore, the soldiers often made do with what else they may have, and the author explains the discrepancies.
If you have any level of interest in what the American soldiers in the west wore in the last half of the nineteenth century, this book is one of the first places you should look.

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good, quick look at period photographs of the various uniforms used throughout the period. Most of the uniforms were from 1880 forward, since there are not many photos of the pre-1880's available or made.