Customer Reviews

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 1898 (Brassey's History of Uniforms)

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This book covers more than just uniforms, it covers all the items carried or worn by the individual soldiers in this disease-ridden war. Congratulations to the author and the illustrator. This is a valuable compendium, of a size larger than octavo so that the plates are clear, and well constructed. I have been researching the U.S. arms, uniforms, and accoutrements of this period for some forty years now. It takes much more than a slew of pictures and a few gee whizzy captions to impress me. This work does--not only does it cover the details of the uniforms, it also covers the accoutrements and arms of the contending soldiers of both nations. I can vouch for the accuracy of the U.S. portion of the book. The detail shown herein on the Spanish forces, as far as I know, has not been readily available in English at all. Though I have not pursued detailed research on Spanish arms, clothing, and accoutrements, I have kept my eyes out for published materials, and I have not seen it. As much of the non-metallic materiel of this period was subject to hard usage in the field, and because the U.S. soldiers' clothing and equipments were burned for sanitary purposes upon the troops' return home, the cloth and leather of this period that actually saw service in campaign is extremely rare. What is now available is mostly web belts sold off as surplus and firearms and edged weapons the same.

I've always been interested in the Spanish American War. It was the war that changed the course for this country from a small backwoods republic to a colonizing super power on the world stage. In one feel swoop the U.S. acquired Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Hawaii, Wake Island and Guam. We made up for a late start in the game of colonialism by expanding the empire to encompass two oceans solidifing a strong presence and eventual control over both. Brassey's book, though hard to find, is well worth the effort. It covers the history sufficiently with informative text on the uniforms, equipment and weapons used by the major combatants. There is a fine concentration of period photographs, a few line drawings and contemporary color photographs of uniforms and equipment from museums and collectors. Also the beautiful and imaginative full color illustrations capture troops in the heat of battle or in relaxed off duty poses. Well worth the wait this, is a book that any '98 fan would be happy to own.