Army Wives on the American Frontier: Living Within the Sound of Bugles [Hardcover]

Anne Bruner Eales (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1996

Moving from the restrictive chrysalis of "civilized" tradition and Victorian viewpoints in the East, the women who followed their Army husbands to forts in the West made an excursion into a freedom of throught and action that most of them had never experienced or even imagined.

"No one interested in the history of the American West or women’s history should miss this well-written, carefully researched, comprehensive treatment of a subject that previous scholars have largely ignored." —Herman Viola, author of "Exploring the West"

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Eales, an editor/writer with the National Archives and Records Administration, has written a history of what life was like for army officers' wives on the western frontier from the end of the Civil War to the beginning of the Spanish-American War. She focuses on officers' wives, because they wrote about their experiences in letters, journals, and memoirs. Most of the women came from middle- or upper-class families and were trained to be proper Victorian ladies. On the frontier, they had to learn to live in primitive quarters and to make do with very limited resources. Their husbands were gone for extended periods of time, leaving them solely responsible for the family's welfare. They also had to deal with the violence of their isolated lifestyle and Indian raids. In the process, these women learned to be self-reliant and to step outside their traditional role. Eales's compelling study is highly recommended for general readers and students interested in Western military history.?Linda L. McEwan, Elgin Community Coll., Ill.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Anne Bruner Eales, herself an army wife, is an editor and writer with the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C., and has previously written for "Army Times." She lives in Virginia. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 210 pages
• Publisher: Johnson Books (November 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555661653
• ISBN-13: 978-1555661656
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,748,246 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Army Wives is enjoyable reading, March 7, 2001

By 

Lisa A. Proch "westernhistorybuff" (Parker, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Army Wives on the American Frontier: Living by the Bugles (Paperback)

This is enjoyable and easy reading about how army wives and their children spent their time at various military posts. This book delves into how they lived and what they did for entertainment.

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-researched, well-written account of a fascinating subject, November 19, 2011

By 

a reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Army Wives on the American Frontier: Living Within the Sound of Bugles (Hardcover)

This is one of the books on my shelves that I return to often. The author has used the diaries and letters of army wives to bring to life an aspect of army life and frontier history that is often overlooked. Highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars Helped me appreciate our remote post, October 10, 2010

By 

Angoraknitter "Angoraknitter" (Northern VA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Army Wives on the American Frontier: Living by the Bugles (Paperback)

I read this book a few years ago, while my husband was stationed in the mohave desert. It was eye opening to see how much life has improved for army wives since the Frontier days. If you think your current post stinks, this book might make you feel much better about it. I enjoyed this book and came away with a fresh perspective. I was able to find things to like and ways to enjoy our remote post after reading Army Wives on the American Frontier. I really think these stories helped me to appreciate our last year in the desert more than if I'd never read them.