ANCESTRY.COM SPOTLIGHT: U.S. NAVY SUPPORT BOOKS, 1901-1902, 1917-2010

Navy support books are "yearbooks" for naval units based on land rather than onboard ship. For example, this collection includes books for the U.S. Navy Preparatory School, Navy ROTC programs at various colleges and universities, U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School, U.S. Naval Training Centers, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, mobile construction battalions, recruiting depots, naval air stations, and others.

Content of support books varies. Some contain labeled individual head shots or group photos of unit members, while others contain only candid (unlabeled) photographs of unit members at work and play. Some contain photos documenting significant events in the history of that naval unit, and most include short biographies of prominent currently-serving officers. Photos are sometimes color, sometimes black and white (sometimes both types in one support book). A majority of these books date from World War II era forward.

It is possible to search or browse these books. The following searches are possible:

• First & Middle Name
• Last Name
• Keyword
• Year (covered by Support Book)
• School, Station, or Unit

You can also browse by:

• Location (state or territory)
• City
• Year (covered by Support Book)

I browsed through a Support Book for the Parris Island Recruit Depot (South Carolina), 1973. This 128 page item includes a photo and bio sketch of the commanding officer, an historical sketch of Parris Island, and a photo essay (in color) concerning the training of Marine Second Battalion, Platoon 226. This unit began training on 19 March 1973, and graduated on 5 June 1973. The photo essay begins with the arrival of these recruits at Parris Island, and ends with their graduation ceremony. These photos are not labeled, but are generally sharp and clear, so that it would be fairly easy to identify recruits of interest. Next are labeled black and white head shots of training officers and enlisted men, followed by labeled head shots of graduating recruits.

ANCESTRY.COM SPOTLIGHT: U.S. Navy Cruise Books, 1918-2009

This data collection within Ancestry.com contains U.S. Navy cruise books for various ships and years from 1919 to 2009. It includes volumes in the Navy Department Library, which owns the nation’s largest collection of cruise books. You can locate this collection by searching in Ancestry’s Card Catalog using Navy in Title or Keyword.

Cruise books are similar in some ways to high school yearbooks. They are put together by volunteers on board ship to commemorate a particular deployment. They generally include a history of the vessel in question, plus labeled portraits of high-ranking officers. There is generally a biographical sketch of the current commanding officer. Some cruise books also include portraits of sailors and other personnel aboard the ship, accompanied by the individual’s surname and naval rate. When provided, portraits are generally organized alphabetically by surname within each division or department. Other features usually include candid photographs (often not labeled) of crew members at work and recreation.

I browsed through a cruise book for the U.S.S. Missouri (BB 63, 1946). It included a section on the commissioning of the vessel, a history of its cruise, and a special section on the acceptance of the Japanese surrender on the vessel, which was anchored at the time in Tokyo Bay. There is also a section on President Truman’s visit to the U.S.S. Missouri while it was anchored in New York Harbor after its return from the Pacific.

Cruise books are not official Navy publications, so the Navy does not sell or republish these books. This can make copies of some cruise books, especially older volumes, rare and difficult to locate.

This collection is searchable by ship name, ship ID, year, and name of crew member.

Given that photographs are often unlabeled, it may be necessary to page through cruise books for vessels on which a sailor was stationed should an index search prove unsuccessful. You can sometimes discover which vessels a WWII-era sailor was stationed on using a separate Ancestry.com data collection, U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949.

HE'S A REBEL

Note: This program is free and open to the public, and you can park for free on the Buder Branch Library parking lot.

THURSDAY

JUNE 11

2 pm-3:30 pm

He’s a Rebel: Researching Confederate Ancestors

Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on ancestors who served in the Confederate armed forces. Buder Branch Library, 4401 Hampton Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63109. To register/more information, email us at tpearson@slpl.org.

THE GREAT WAR AND THE WORLD IT MADE

Take a college class in your living room (or your car, if you prefer)—you don’t get college credits, but your brain will thank you anyway:

World War I [sound recording]: the great war and the world it made / John Ramsden.



Contents:

Lecture 1. The greatest war -- Lecture 2. Opening shots -- Lecture 3. Gallipoli and the Near and Middle East -- Lecture 4. 1915 in the West -- Lecture 5. Home fronts -- Lecture 6. The Western Front in 1916 -- Lecture 7. The Eastern Front -- Lecture 8. A literary and artistic war -- Lecture 9. 1917 in the West -- Lecture 10. The war at sea -- Lecture 11. America goes to war -- Lecture 12. Germany almost wins the war in 1918 -- Lecture 13. Victory in the West -- Lecture 14. Aftermath and reputation.

LITTLE WARS

INTRODUCTION

Yes, my young friends, there was a time back in the Dark Ages (pre-1990 by your definition) when we old folks didn’t play games on computers. You may not believe this, but we didn’t have computers—-well, we did, but the smallest one filled an entire room, meaning it was not portable by anyone’s definition…

Because of this lack of computers, the games we played involved playing cards and/or board games. That might seem quaint to you young people, but we actually had a lot of fun playing such games. Why, I remember a game of Risk in grad school where we had to chug a beer each time we lost a country—-err, but I digress…

The mention of Risk brings us around to today’s subject: wargames-— preferably, such games played on boards using miniature soldiers and other game pieces. There are people (mostly old guys my age, I’ll admit) who put a lot of time and effort into playing/creating such games. The books in the following list can provide you with more information about the fascinating world of wargames and wargamers, one of whom was H.G. Wells—yes, that H.G. Wells, the Time Machine/War of the Worlds guy. Wells and his club buddies played a war game using miniature artillery pieces that actually fired (see his book, Little Wars, below).

Notes: I’ve included a few books on “little wars,” that is, smaller-scale conflicts like the Spanish-American War or the Zulu War of 1879 in this list. They can be less daunting starting points for prospective wargamers.

If you would like to search the SLPL Catalog for additional books on this subject, use the Subject term war games. Doing an All Fields search using the following terms can reveal additional items of interest to the wargames player/creator:

• battles strategy
• battles tactics
• battles maps
• little war

I haven’t played war games in a long time, but creating this blog post has certainly whetted my appetite…

LIBRARY LOCATIONS

Library Branches:

BU: Buder Branch
CO: Carondelet Branch
CP: Carpenter Branch
DA: Julia Davis Branch
DI: Divoll Branch
KI: Kingshighway Branch
MA: Machacek Branch
SC: Schlafly Branch
WA: Walnut Park Branch

Central Library:

BT: Business & Technology Room
BGL: Business, Government & Law
HG: History & Geography Room
J: Children’s Library
ST: Stacks
STL: St. Louis Room

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Title: The ancient war game.
Author/Compiler: Grant, Charles.
Local Call Number: ST--793.9
Publication Date: 1974
Format: Books

Title: Beginners' guide to wargaming.
Author/Compiler: Quarrie, Bruce.
Local Call Number: BGL--793.9
Publication Date: 1987
Format: Books

Title: The best of board wargaming.
Author/Compiler: Palmer, Nicholas.
Local Call Number: ST--793.9
Publication Date: 1980
Format: Books

Title: The complete wargames handbook: how to play, design, and find them.
Author/Compiler: Dunnigan, James F.
Local Call Number: ST--793.9
Publication Date: 1980
Format: Books

Title: The comprehensive guide to board wargaming.
Author/Compiler: Palmer, Nicholas.
Local Call Number: ST--793.9
Publication Date: 1977
Format: Books

Title: Featherstone's complete wargaming.
Author/Compiler: Featherstone, Donald F.
Local Call Number: BGL--793.92
Publication Date: 1988
Format: Books

Title: Fundamentals of war gaming.
Author/Compiler: McHugh, Francis J. Naval War College (U.S.)
Local Call Number: SS--355.48
Publication Date: 2011
Format:: Books

Title: How to play war games in miniature.
Author/Compiler: Morschauser, Joseph.
Local Call Number: ST--794
Publication Date: 1962
Format: Books

Title: Little-known wars of great and lasting impact: the turning points in our history we should know more about.
Author/Compiler: Axelrod, Alan.
Local Call Number: SC--355.009
Publication Date: 2009
Format: Books

Title: The little wars of the United States. Maps by Jean A. Brown.
Author/Compiler: Dupuy, R. Ernest & William Henry Baumer,
Local Call Number: ST--973
Publication Date: 1968
Format: Books

Title: Little wars; a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girls who like boys' games and books.
Author/Compiler: Wells, H. G.
Local Call Number: J 793
Publication Date: 1913
Format: Books

Title: Making and collecting military miniatures.
Author/Compiler: Bard, Bob.
Local Call Number: ST--355
Publication Date: 1957
Format: Books

Title: Queen Victoria's little wars.
Author/Compiler: Farwell, Byron.
Local Call Number: ST--942.081
Publication Date: 1972
Format: Books

Title: The Second Anglo-Boer War.
Series Title: Wargaming in history.
Author/Compiler: Herbert, Edwin.
Local Call Number: ST--793.92
Publication Date: 1990
Format: Books

Title: Skirmish wargaming.
Author/Compiler: Featherstone, Donald F.
Local Call Number: ST--793.9
Publication Date: 1979 1975 Format: Books

Title: U.S. Navy fundamentals of war gaming.
Author/Compiler: McHugh, Francis J.
Local Call Number: BGL--355.48
Format: Books

Title: The war game; ten great battles recreated from history. War games photographed by Philip O. Stearns.
Author/Compiler: Young, Peter.
Local Call Number: ST--Oversize 904.7
Publication Date: 1972
Format: Books

Title: War games: the secret world of the creators, players, and policy makers rehearsing World War III today.
Author/Compiler: Allen, Thomas B.
Local Call Number: ST--355.48
Publication Date: 1987
Format: Books

Title: A wargamers' guide to the Arab-Israeli wars since 1948.
Series Title: Tank battles in miniature.
Author/Compiler: Quarrie, Bruce.
Local Call Number: ST--793.9
Publication Date: 1978
Format: Books

Title: Wargaming airborne operations.
Author/Compiler: Featherstone, Donald F.
Local Call Number: ST--793.9
Publication Date: 1979 1977
Format: Books

Title: Wargaming, ancient and medieval.
Author/Compiler: Featherstone, Donald F.
Local Call Number: ST--793.9
Publication Date: 1975
Format: Books

Title: Yours to reason why: decision in battle; maps and battle-plans by W.F.N. Watson.
Author/Compiler: Seymour, William.
Local Call Number: ST--904.7
Publication Date: 1982
Format: Books

2012 PROGRAMS--GENEALOGY & MILITARY HISTORY

The following programs are sponsored or co-sponsored by St. Louis Public Library. All are free and open to the public. Program locations and dates listed below are correct as of 12 March 2012, and this list supersedes any list you may have previously received. Registration is required only if specifically noted.

Friday, March 23, 2012, 10 am-Noon—Civil War 24/7: Researching Civil War Soldiers & Regiments on the Internet. Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses free and subscription Internet sources of information on Civil War soldiers (USA and CSA).

Thursday, April 26, 2012, 10 am-Noon—Honor the Fallen: Finding Death & Burial Information for American Soldiers & Veterans, 1775-2012. Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on the deaths and burials of American soldiers and veterans.

Saturday, May 12, 2012, 10 am-Noon—Salt Beef and Blue Mass: Civil War Supply and Transportation. Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on Civil War movement of men, animals, weapons, medicines, equipment, and supplies.

Thursday, October 4, 2012, 7:30 pm-9 pm—The Witches of Salem: Researching Your High-Flying Ancestors. St. Clair County Genealogical Society, St. Luke’s Parish Hall, Belleville, IL. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on persons accused and condemned as witches in Europe and colonial New England.

Buder Branch Library
4401 Hampton Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63109

Parking on the Buder Branch lot is free and close to the door! Coffee, lemonade, and ice water are available for program attendees.

Tom Pearson, Reference Librarian
Special Collections Department
St. Louis Public Library

http://www.slpl.org/
tpearson@slpl.org

THE WAR OF 1812: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND SELECTED, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, PART I

Factors Contributing to the Outbreak of the War of 1812

1. Involuntary impressment of American sailors and merchant seamen into the British Navy- more than 6,000 had been shanghaied by British press gangs by 1812.

2. American designs on foreign possessions in North America- a group of U.S. congressmen known as "War Hawks" spurred this effort to expand U.S. territory and influence.

A. Spanish Florida
B. British Canada

3. Indian troubles- many persons felt that British agents were purposely stirring up Indian troubles in the U.S.'s midwestern territorial possessions.

4. Napoleon's invasion of Russia (1812)- the "War Hawks" and others eager for war with Britain felt that Britain would be stretched too thin if forced to contend with simultaneous military campaigns in Europe and North America.

5. "Continental System"- The U. S. became ensnared in the tangle of decrees and orders in council concerning European trade restrictions and boycotts (1806-1812) which had been issued by England and France as a result of the continuing quest of each of those nations to achieve world dominance. The "Continental System" and French efforts to enforce its decrees is one of the factors which led to Napoleon's invasion of Russia (1812).

GENEALOGY & LOCAL HISTORY PROGRAMS NOV 2011-MAR 2012

Here's the latest list of upcoming programs I'll be doing at various locations. All are sponsored or co-sponsored by St. Louis Public Library. All are free and open to the public. Please note that locations vary.

Sat, Nov 19, 2011, 10 AM-Noon--Squeezing Your Sources: Extracting All the Info You Can From Civil War Service and Pension Records. Join us as Tom Pearson describes ways to extract all the info that you possibly can from compiled military service records and pension records. Buder Branch. Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more info, email us at tpearson@slpl.org.

Sat, Dec 17, 2011, 10 AM-Noon--Take Your Best Shot: Civil War Artillery! Join us as Tom Pearson discusses Civil War cannon and cannoneers. Buder Branch. Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more info: tpearson@slpl.org.

Saturday, January 28, 2012, 10 am-Noon—Cavalry Raids: Secret Weapons or Flashy Sideshows? Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses Civil War cavalry weapons, equipment, and tactics. Was the cavalry raid a legitimate military tactic, or was it a waste of essential resources? Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more info, email us at tpearson@slpl.org.

Thursday, March 22, 2012, 10 am-Noon—Civil War 24/7: Researching Civil War Soldiers & Regiments on the Internet. Buder Branch. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses ways to thoroughly research Civil War soldiers and military units using the Internet (free and subscription sources discussed). Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more info, email us at tpearson@slpl.org.

SLPL branch library locations and hours

GENEALOGY & LOCAL HISTORY PROGRAMS AUGUST-DECEMBER 2011

Here's the latest list of upcoming programs I'll be doing at various locations (this list supercedes any previous list of 2011 programs you may have received). All are sponsored or co-sponsored by St. Louis Public Library. All are free and open to the public. Please note that locations vary.

Thurs, Aug 18, 10 AM-Noon—Land Rich, Dirt Poor: the Use of Land Records in Genealogical Research. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses print, microfilm, manuscript, map, and Internet sources of land records and land record research aids. Buder Branch. Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more info, email us at tpearson@slpl.org.

Tues, Oct 18, 6:30 PM-8:00 PM—Over There: Researching World War I Ancestors. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses print, microfilm, manuscript, and Internet sources of info on ancestors who served during World War I. Hayner Public Library, 326 Belle Street, Alton, IL 62002. Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more information: tpearson@slpl.org.

Thurs, Oct 20, 10 AM-Noon— The Second War of American Independence: Researching War of 1812 Ancestors. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses book, manuscript, and Internet sources of information about War of 1812 ancestors. Buder Branch. Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more info, email us at tpearson@slpl.org.

Tues, Oct 25, 2:00 PM-3:30 PM—Research at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. Join us as Tom Pearson discusses print, microfilm, manuscript, and Internet sources of info on ancestors available via ALPL (located in Springfield, IL). Belleville Public Library, 121 E. Washington Street, Belleville, IL 62220. Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more information: tpearson@slpl.org.

Sat, Nov 19, 10 AM-Noon--Squeezing Your Sources: Extracting All the Info You Can From Civil War Service and Pension Records. Join us as Tom Pearson describes ways to extract all the info that you possibly can from compiled military service records and pension records. Buder Branch. Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more info, email us at tpearson@slpl.org.

Sat, Dec 17, 10 AM-Noon--Take Your Best Shot: Civil War Artillery! Join us as Tom Pearson discusses Civil War cannon and cannoneers. Buder Branch. Pre-registration recommended but not required. To register or for more info, email us at tpearson@slpl.org.

SLPL branch library locations and hours

Free parking is available on Buder Branch parking lot (Buder is located on Hampton Avenue several miles south of Hwy 44-- it's on the right just after the Target store).

READING LISTS-- CIVIL WAR GENERALS, PT. 8

John Pope (1822-1892) was a Union Army general known for his success in capturing Island No. 10 and his defeat at the hands of Robert E. Lee at Second Manassas. He is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery here in St. Louis.

Cox, Merlin G. John Pope, Fighting General from Illinois (thesis) 1956. MI-B-POPE

Daniel, Larry J, and Lynn N. Bock. Island No. 10: Struggle for the Mississippi Valley. Tuscaloosa, Ala: University of Alabama Press, 1996. HG, SLAS-973.73

Hennessy, John J. Return to Bull Run: The Campaign and Battle of Second Manassas. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. BU, ST-973.732

Lee Takes Command: From Seven Days to Second Bull Run. Alexandria, Va: Time-Life Books, 1984. BU, CP, ST-973.732

Miles, Jim. A River Unvexed: A History and Tour Guide to the Campaign for the Mississippi River. Nashville, Tenn: Rutledge Hill Press, 1994. ST-973.730977

Ropes, John C. The Army Under Pope. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1881. ST-973.73

Schutz, Wallace J, and Walter N. Trenerry. Abandoned by Lincoln: A Military Biography of General John Pope. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1990. ST-B POPE

Second Manassas. Alexandria, Va: Time-Life Books, 1995. BU, MA, ST-973.732

Sutherland, Daniel E, and Grady McWhiney. The Emergence of Total War. Fort Worth, Tex: Ryan Place Publishers, 1996. ST-973.732

Whitehorne, Joseph W. A. The Battle of Second Manassas: Self-guided Tour. Washington, D.C: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1990. DO-1142.M31

READING LISTS-- CIVIL WAR GENERALS, PT. 5

George Brinton McClellan (1826-1885) was a Union Army general who commanded the Army of the Potomac during the Seven Days’ Battles and the Battle of Antietam.

Burton, Brian K. Extraordinary Circumstances: The Seven Days Battles. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2001. HG-973.732

Catton, Bruce. Mr. Lincoln's Army. Garden City, N.Y: Doubleday, 1962. ST-973.74

Lee Takes Command: From Seven Days to Second Bull Run. Alexandria, Va: Time-Life Books, 1984. BU,CP,ST-973.732

McClellan, George B, and Stephen W. Sears. The Civil War Papers of George B. Mcclellan: Selected Correspondence, 1860-1865. New York: Ticknor & Fields, 1989. ST-B MCCLELLAN

McPherson, James M. Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. BU,DI,KI,MA,SC,ST-973.7336

Rafuse, Ethan S, and Christopher L. Brest. Antietam, South Mountain, and Harpers Ferry: A Battlefield Guide. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2008. HG-973.73

Sears, Stephen W. George B. Mcclellan: The Young Napoleon. New York: Ticknor & Fields, 1988. HU-B MCCLELLAN

Sears, Stephen W. Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam. New Haven: Ticknor & Fields, 1983. ST-973.7336

Waugh, John C. The Class of 1846: From West Point to Appomattox : Stonewall Jackson, George Mcclellan, and Their Brothers. New York: Warner Books, 1994. CP,ST-355.033073

Wheeler, Richard. Sword Over Richmond: An Eyewitness History of Mcclellan's Peninsula Campaign. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. ST-973.732

BOOKS ABOUT WORLD WAR II ADDED DURING 2010

You may wish to take a look at some of the books about World War II that we added to the collection during 2010. Go to our catalog to check for call numbers and owning library branch locations:

SLPL Website

Goldstein, Richard. Helluva Town: The Story of New York City During World War II. New York: Free Press, 2010.

Hench, John B. Books as Weapons : Propaganda, Publishing, and the Battle for Global Markets in the Era of World War II. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2010.

Kirkpatrick, Charles E. An Unknown Future and a Doubtful Present: Writing the Victory Plan of 1941. Washington, D.C: Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 2010.

Leckie, Robert. Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific : a Young Marine's Stirring Account of Combat in World War II. New York: Bantam Books, 2010.

McManus, John C. Grunts: Inside the American Infantry Combat Experience, World War Ii Through Iraq. New York: NAL Caliber, 2010.

Moye, J T. Freedom Flyers: The Tuskegee Airmen of World War II. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Mukerjee, Madhusree. Churchill's Secret War: The British Empire and the Ravaging of India During World War II. New York: Basic Books, 2010.

Rottman, Gordon L, and Peter Dennis. World War II Battlefield Communications. Oxford: Osprey, 2010.

Sanders, Thomas, and Veronica Kavass. The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of World War II. New York: Welcome Books, 2010.

Schultz, Duane P. Crossing the Rapido: A Tragedy of World War II. Yardley, Pa: Westholme Pub, 2010.

Showalter, Dennis E, Harold C. Deutsch, and William R. Forstchen. If the Allies Had Fallen: Sixty Alternate Scenarios of World War II. London: Frontline Books, 2010.

Snow, Richard F. A Measureless Peril: America in the Fight for the Atlantic, the Longest Battle of World War II. New York, NY: Scribner, 2010.

RESEARCHING JEWISH AMERICAN WAR VETERANS

I. Jewish Congressional Medal of Honor Winners

There have been seventeen Jewish recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor (first issued to soldiers of the Civil War):

Civil War: Six

Indian Wars: Two

Haitian Campaign: One

World War 1: Three

World War II: Three

Vietnam War: Two

II. Bibliography

A St. Louis metro-area library owns a copy of the following books unless otherwise noted. You can check ownership of a particular title at WorldCat.org . St. Louis Public Library’s catalog is available on our website.

Bendersky, Joseph W. The "Jewish Threat": Anti-Semitic Politics of the U.S. Army. New York: Basic Books, 2000.

Congregation Temple Israel (Creve Coeur, Mo.). Temple Israel in World War II: Published on the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of Temple Israel. St. Louis, Mo: 1946.

Davis, Mac. Jews Fight Too! New York: Jordon Pub. Co, 1945.

Moore, Deborah Dash. GI Jews: How World War II Changed a Generation. Cambridge, Ma: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2004.

Rosen, Robert N. The Jewish Confederates. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2000.

Rosenthal, Monroe, and Isaac Mozeson. Wars of the Jews: A Military History from Biblical to Modern Times. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1990.

Rubin, Eli. 140 Jewish Marshals, Generals & Admirals. New York: Jason Books, 1952.

Spivak, Michelle, and Robert M. Zweiman. Jewish War Veterans of the United States. Paducah, Ky: Turner Pub. Co. 1996.

Weinberg, Sidney R. Jewish Combatants in the Wars of Early America: American Jewish Combatants in the Wars of Early America : All Were Military Casualties--Killed, Wounded, Taken Prisoner, or Seriously Ill in Line of Duty, During the Early Days of the American Republic, 1776-1865. Philadelphia: Xlibris Corp, 2000. [no local owners]

III. Webliography

Websites that provide information about Jewish American war veterans:

American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.

American Jews Serve in WWII

Famous Jewish Sailors

Four Chaplains

GI Jew

History of Jews in the Military

Jewish Chaplains Council

Jewish Heroes & Heroines of America

Jewish Recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor

Jewish Sailors Memorial- WWII & Vietnam

JewishSailors.com

Jewish War Veterans of the United States

Jewish War Veterans Timeline

Tom Pearson, Reference Librarian
Special Collections Department
St. Louis Public Library
314-539-0381
tpearson@slpl.org

CIVIL WAR BOOKS ADDED TO THE COLLECTION (2009)

Berkin, Carol. Civil War Wives: The Lives and Times of Angelina Grimké Weld, Varina Howell Davis, and Julia Dent Grant. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. HG 973.7082

Escott, Paul D. "What Shall We Do with the Negro?": Lincoln, White Racism, and Civil War America. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009. HG 973.7092

Jenkins, Sally, and John Stauffer. The State of Jones: The Small Southern County That Seceded from the Confederacy. New York: Doubleday, 2009. HG 973.746255

Keegan, John. The American Civil War: A Military History. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. HG 973.73

Pearson, Thomas A. The Missouri State Guard: A Selected, Annotated Unit Bibliography. St. Louis, Mo: Infinite Mirror Press, 2009. HG 973.7478 [REFERENCE]

Pearson, Thomas A. Railroad Boys: The Story of the 89th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment (1862-1865). St. Louis, Mo: Infinite Mirror Press, 2009. HG 973.7473 [REFERENCE]

Trudeau, Noah Andre. Robert E. Lee: Lessons in Leadership. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. HG 973.73092

Waugh, Joan. U.S. Grant: American Hero, American Myth. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2009. HG 973.82092

Weant, Kenneth. Civil War Records: Missouri State Guard & Confederate Artillery Batteries Plus William Quantrill's Company & Miscellaneous Records (3454 Names). Arlington, Tex.: K.E. Weant, 2009. HG 929.3778 [REFERENCE]

Weant, Kenneth. Civil War Records: Missouri State Guard Cavalry Regiments (3751 Names). Arlington, Tex.: K.E. Weant, 2009. HG 929.3778 [REFERENCE]

Weant, Kenneth. Civil War Records: Missouri State Guard Infantry Regiments (5418 Names). Arlington, Tex.: K.E. Weant, 2009. HG 929.3778 [REFERENCE]

Check our catalog at http://www.slpl.org/.

Our indexes and bibliographies are at http://previous.slpl.org/libsrc/lisindex.htm.

HORNS OF THE BULL, PART I

Horns of the Bull: British Tragedy and Triumph at Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift

PART I

Location: Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift are located in South Africa, about 60 miles inland from the Indian Ocean near the border where Natal and Zululand meet.

Strategic Importance of the Location: The border between British-controlled Natal and the Zulu kingdom was formed in the north by the Buffalo River, which flowed southwards into the Tugela River. Just south of Rorke's Drift the river dumped into a gorge and became a raging torrent that could only be forded safely at Tugela Drift, 60 miles south and close by the Indian Ocean. To the north and west of Natal and Zululand was the Transvaal, the area claimed by Dutch settlers known as the Boers.

The Zulu Army: The Zulu army was composed of units known as amabutho or impi-- the equivalent in many ways of a European regiment. These units engaged in both military tasks and non-military labors at the behest of the king. Zulu men at 18 were inducted into an amabutho, and served in the unit until such time as the king authorized them to marry (typically when the man was 35-40 years of age). Amabutho were grouped together in military homesteads known as amakhanda. Food and agricultural labor were supplied to the amabutho by female relatives of the warriors. Even after marriage Zulu men served in the king's army in one of its so-called married regiments.

Several amabutho were combined into a corps, with the ages of men in the combined amabutho differing so that older men could help teach the younger ones how to be good warriors. The Zulu army at the time of the Zulu War of 1879 consisted of 34 regiments organized into 12 corps. Seven of these regiments, however, were composed of men too old to actively campaign in the field, so King Cethswayo probably had about 40,000 men actually able to go off to war.

Discipline in the Zulu army was harsh. A man could be killed (normally beaten to death by other warriors) for failing to follow orders or to meet standards of performance. A Zulu army in the field could if necessary march fifty miles or more in a day. They traveled light, with just their spears and shields. Boys 14-18 years of age oversaw a herd of cattle that followed the army; these boys also carried the blankets and sleeping mats of the warriors.

The Legacy of Shaka Zulu: King Shaka Zulu is credited with teaching the Zulu army its aggressive, some would say brutal tactics. It was already aggressive, however, when Shaka took control of a regiment. His innovation was to order warriors in the regiment to melt down their inefficient throwing spears and reshape them as Ikwa, Shaka's famous stabbing spears (the Ikwa name derives from the sucking sound made when the Ikwa was pulled from a victim's body). Zulu warriors carried several throwing spears, and a club or axe, but their weapon of first resort was always the Ikwa. Shaka also had his men make new, smaller shields that could be hooked under an opponent's shield and used to pull it away from his body, so that the Ikwa could do its deadly work. Single men carried colored shields, while married men carried shields made from white cowhide.

Some of Cethswayo's men at the time of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift were in fact armed with firearms, and others were able to gather arms and ammunition from the dead at Isandlwana. Zulu men received no formal training in firearms use or marksmanship, however, and so were less proficient in their use than were the British regulars they faced. The weapons traded to the Zulu prior to the Zulu War of 1879, moreover, were generally older muzzle-loading weapons, not the newer, more accurate breech-loading weapons carried by British soldiers. Finally, the Zulu had no source of spare parts to repair damaged weapons nor men trained to do so, and no equipment or trained men to make new ammunition or reload used cartridges.

Horns of the Bull: Shaka also perfected the Zulu tactic known as Impondo Zankhomo, the Horns of the Bull, in which flankers in a Zulu attack formation (the horns) would encircle an enemy and leave it without means of escape. The main line of Zulus (the chest) would then engage with their Ikwas and attack shields and (usually) slaughter the enemy to the last man. The horns were typically made up of the youngest regiments present, while the chest consisted of the most experienced regiments present. Shaka Zulu was noted for his brutal treatment of enemies, and of allies and kinsmen who failed to meet his expectations. It led to his death, in fact: several of his lieutenants murdered him in a scene reminiscent of the death of Julius Caesar.

Historical Background: The Zulu people had been united and its warriors trained in the art of warfare by King Shaka, who died in 1828. Power passed to Shaka's brother, King Mpande. Mpande had two sons, Mbulazi and Cetshwayo. King Mpande favored Mbulazi, which seemed odd because Mbulazi was a bookish, intellectual type while Cetshwayo was drawn to the military life and studied the life and campaigns of King Shaka. Forces loyal to Cetshwayo attacked British traders in Zululand. King Mpande sent forces under Mbulazi to rein in Cetshwayo. Cetshwayo defeated Mbulazi in a bloody battle at Ndonakusuka. Cetshwayo then ordered the deaths of Mbulazi and five relatives who had supported him, along with thousands of others who had fought for Mbulazi. Thousands of corpses were thrown into the Tugela River, and washed up for weeks afterward at its mouth on the Indian Ocean.

Cetshwayo took over as ruler of Zululand, and proclaimed himself its king after the death of King Mpande in 1872. At this time tension was increasing between the Zulus and their neighbors to the north, the Boers. The Boers occupied the area known as the Transvaal. Boer settlers had been spilling out from the Transvaal and seizing land owned by the Zulu for their farms. A combination of Transvaal financial difficulties and Boer fear of Zulu retaliation led to the British annexation of the Transvaal. This placed a strain on the formerly amiable relations between the British and King Cetshwayo.

Boer settlers continued to pour into Zululand, and Cetshwayo at first looked to the British for help, but finally realized that the British were going to side with the Boers. Some British officials secretly hoped for war with the Zulus, reasoning that 1) victory would be a fairly simple, relatively bloodless affair and that 2) a quick British victory would both placate the Boers and demonstrated to them the military might of the new owners of the Transvaal.

A commission appointed to settle the disputed land claims in Zululand, however, came to the unexpected decision that Boer land claims generally were based on unsigned or forged documents, and that no formal cession of land had ever been made according to long-standing Zulu custom. The British officials who had hoped for war suppressed the commission findings while seeking a way to start a war that both Cetshwayo and officials in London didn't want.

Two minor incidents gave the warmongers their excuse, however-- two adulterous wives of a minor Zulu chief were beaten to death in sight of British troops at Rorke's Drift, and a second Zulu chieftain made a raid on a Boer settler's cattle. Rumors planted in the press by the British that Cetshwayo had 50,000 warriors poised to invade Natal didn't help. A demand was made that Cetshwayo drastically reduce the size and composition of his army, surrender the offending chieftains to the British, and submit every dispute between Zulus and Boers or British settlers to a British official. On his refusal, the British invasion of Zululand began.

Thomas A. Pearson, Reference Librarian
Special Collections Department
St. Louis Public Library
tpearson@slpl.org
http://www.slpl.org/

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