To most of us, when we think of the Indian Wars of the second half of the 19th Century, we think of the Cavalry. Much of this is thanks to popular movies with John Wayne and other actors portraying the heroic figures against the brutal savages.

As with most things in popular media, this was not the way it really happened. In fact, the wars against the natives of North America was little more than the grab for land and the real victims of these conflicts were those that were dispossessed of their rightful lands and for many, of their lives as well.

But that is another story and this one is of the other part of the US Army in these conflicts, the US Infantry. While Indians had little more than contempt and hatred for the Cavalry, they had a respect for those in the Infantry. The infantry was frequently mounted due to the large distances they had to travel during their campaigns.

The author covers the various campaigns fought by the Infantry as well as their general organization and equipment. The Infantry was often more successful in its endeavours than the Cavalry, something that few realize. Then the book goes into greater detail on the dress and gear of the officers and enlisted men who participated. As was so often the case, there was little actual uniformity in dress and gear, especially when considering the rather confused state of supply and the distances that these materials had to travel. Often men would return from campaign with little of regular Army issue aside from their weapons.

All of this is superbly illustrated by Richard Hook and complemented by some very nice period photos, making this a fascinating read on a subject of which few are totally aware. It adds nicely to large catalogue of books in this series and is one that you will thoroughly enjoy reading.

May 2007

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