The Confederate Army 1861-65, Vol. 4: Virginia & Arkansas (Men-at-Arms) [Paperback]

Ron Field (Author), Richard Hook (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2006

Despite modern perceptions of the overwhelming image of Confederate soldiers dressed in their classic battledress gray, the Southern states of the Confederacy fielded many units of volunteer troops wearing a remarkably wide variety of uniforms, often reflecting foreign influences. In a spirit of independence many states also issued their own uniform regulations on the outbreak of the War Between the States; and these non-standard uniforms were often retained until well into the course of the Civil War (1861-1865). The regulation patterns centrally prescribed by the Confederate Army were only ever followed unevenly, and state quartermasters continued to issue uniforms showing regional and state differences. This fourth of a series of six titles studies the archival and pictorial evidence for the infantry, cavalry and artillery of Virginia - the heart of the Confederacy and its richest, most populous and militarily strongest state; and of Arkansas, which despite its much smaller population, fielded several interesting units. The expert text, which draws extensively on contemporary documents, is illustrated largely with fascinating early photographic portraits showing the haunting faces of the young soldiers caught up in the horror of war and classic color artwork recreations of their uniforms.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"What you will find in these pages are superb descriptions of these units/dress along with some unique photographs taken of some of the soldiers in their uniforms. This is further enhanced by the outstanding illustrations of Richard Hook which add some real color to these old greyscale images from the distant past. A book that rightly belongs on the shelf at any US Civil War enthusiast and one that provides a bit more insight into what is called the first modern war. Highly recommended." -Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com

About the Author

Ron Field is Head of History at the Cotswold School in Bourton-on-the-Water. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 1982 and taught history at Piedmont High School in California from 1982-83. He was associate editor of the Confederate Historical Society of Great Britain, from 1983-92. He is an internationally acknowledged expert on US military history, and was elected a Fellow of the Company of Military Historians, based in Washington, DC, in 2005. The author lives in Gloucestershire, UK.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (October 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846030323
• ISBN-13: 978-1846030321
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,304,272 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ron Field was born in Hertford, England in 1943 and was educated in Cheltenham, where he gained a Bachelor of Education (Hons) degree. He was Head of History at The Cotswold School at Bourton-on-the-Water until his retirement in 2007. Awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 1982, he taught History at Piedmont High School in California from 1982-83. He was associate editor of the Confederate Historical Society of Great Britain from 1983 through 1992, and was elected a Fellow of the Company of Military Historians, based in Washington, D.C., in 2005. In 2010 he was awarded a Research Fellowship at the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection, The John Hay Library, Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island. He is also a contributing editor of Military Images, a magazine devoted to the photographic history of the U.S. soldier and sailor in the 19th century. A prolific author, Ron is an internationally acknowledged expert on U.S. military history.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The Confederate Army 1861-65 Vol.4, March 15, 2011

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Mark Stephan "Wizard" (lakemoor, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Confederate Army 1861-65, Vol. 4: Virginia & Arkansas (Men-at-Arms) (Paperback)

This volume is a good edition to my collection of the Men-At-Arms Series that I use as a reference for painting toy soldiers. The color pictures are good and a new reference for additional uniforms for that period.