Although the phrase "the Blue and the Gray" succinctly evokes the North and the South; in actuality; the uniforms of Civil War soldiers were anything but "uniform" -- not in color; nor any other facet. This fascinating branch of military history is fully explored in "Uniforms of the Civil War;" presenting an in-depth study of the many and varied uniforms worn by northern and southern soldiers.Incorrectly christened the "ragged rebels; " the Confederate forces were initially as finely equipped as their Union counterparts. While the most notable feature of the uniforms of the U.S. Army was; in fact; its regulation dark blue color; the Confederates had much more variation; with uniforms ranging from the familiar gray to the light brown known as "butternut." The many styles and colors worn by the South are presented in a state-by-state survey; from initial local supply through to state quartermaster manufacturers. The North is covered in similar depth; with chapters detailing the uniforms and equipment of the regular army; including infantry; cavalry; and artillery. There are also sections on the many colorful militia regiments raised to swell the Northern Army; including the fanciful yet fearsome Zouaves; Chasseurs; Lancers; and Hussars in their own spectacular uniforms; as well as the little-known role of American Indian Cavalry units."Uniforms of the Civil War" is an especially rich source for reenactors; and it will also provide hours of fun browsing for all Civil War enthusiasts.
#390192 in Books Gingko Press Inc. 2009-01-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 11.99 x 1.55 x 13.14l; 6.74 #File Name: 1584232277336 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A Beautiful; Thoughtful Work Of Art And Urban StudyBy CustomerA must for coffee-table book collectors; NYC lovers; photography fans; city kids; and those interested in urban studies. As a NYC native; this book and its companion volume (Store Front 2) have provided me with hours of memories and information on much-beloved institutions; but their value is much greater than nostalgia; or the sheer physical beauty of these volumes; James and Karla Murray have captured the very essence of a disappearing part of big-city life; the mom-and-pop institutions that once were the lifeblood of every community. Through their wonderful photographs and insightful text; they bring hundreds of years of business and neighborhood ties to life; along with all of the social and cultural memories they evoke. Although there is no editorializing here; this book and its following volume (as well as their "New York At Night") stand as testament to the importance of local businesses to the communities they serve; and an indictment of the rapid strip-malling of many cities in the United States. By the time the first volume was published; a significant portion of the shops pictured had closed due to New York City's recent; unprecedented commercial rent rate increases; and I already see many businesses in the second volume that have disappeared in the last few years. This book fulfills many roles: as a work of art; as a memorial for what has been lost; a celebration of neighborhood individuality and pride; and a warning about what we lose when we ignore or cease to value our local institutions. Another plus is a lack of the Manhattan-centric focus so often found in books about New York City. A true labor of love by the authors; who have spent years walking through the five boroughs of NYC and documenting the rapidly-changing face of the commercial life in the city they call home.However you choose to read and absorb these lovely; well-bound books; they are a beautiful addition to any library. I see them with different eyes each time I turn a page; and that is a wonderful attribute in any work of art. I heartily suggest that you add these volumes to your collection!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great BookBy K. R.I would recommend this book of photographs to anyone interested in the history of locally owned and operated shops and stores.The images in the book cover the five boroughs of New York; Manhattan; The Bronx; Brooklyn; Queens; and Staten Island. Each section is broken down by neighborhood.The authors mention in their introduction that nearly a third of the businesses they photographed have since disappeared. The date on that introduction is 2008; and from my own casual use of Google Map's Street View function to virtually visit many of the addresses in the book - I would say that as of 2013 more than half are gone. Included with the photographs are the approximate addresses of each of the shops and the date the photograph was taken.I bought this book because I wanted some photos of vintage urban storefronts to use as reference for a project that I'm thinking of doing. This book definitely fills that need and more. Along with the photographs the authors also provides a short history of each of the different areas of New York and they took the time to talk with the people who owned operated man of these shops and stores. Most of these businesses have been (or were) continuously run by the same family over the generations. That is something I imagined on some level in the back of my mind. But it wasn't till I started reading the brief write-ups of those conversations that these store fronts are like the covers of different books - each containing a unique story of it's own. Realizing that actually helped me with the project that I'm going to work on. Another feature that I found helpful; is that there are a number of fold-out pages; which the authors use to display whole sections of shops along one street; so that you get the feel of how shops like these co-exist side-by-side with each other.The book is well put together; it's 8.75" x 7.5" x a bit over 1" thick. I hadn't paid attention to the binding when I ordered it; so I was surprised to find out that it was a hard cover book. The pages are heavy gloss paper stock which makes the photographs really stand out. All-in-all; this is really a quality publication.There is a larger; coffee table edition of this book available - but I decided to get the mini version because it would fit better on my bookshelves. The authors also have another book of night-time photographs of businesses which I plan on buying too.Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Images of a Vanishing Time and PlaceBy BookmarkIf you truly love the look; feel and vibe of classic New York City neighborhoods; you will love and appreciate "Store Front:The Disapearing Face of New York". Beautiful color photographs that will take you back in time to the community neighborhoods and the specialty merchants who served their customers needs and knew their individual names. The book comes in two sizes; I bought the mini version; same number of excellent photos with brief write ups about the various neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs of NYC.
