THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM (17 SEPTEMBER 1862)

Note: Wikipedia article on the Battle of Antietam (17 September 1862):

LINK

Abbreviations include:

Library branches:

BU: Buder Branch
DA: Julia Davis Branch
DI: Divoll Branch
KI: Kingshighway Branch
MA: Machacek Branch
SC: Schlafly Branch

Central Library locations:

HG: History, Geography, & Travel Room
ST: Stacks

Bailey, Ronald H. The Bloodiest Day: The Battle of Antietam. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1984. 973.733—ST; BU

Cannan, John. The Antietam Campaign. New York: Gallery Books, 1990. 973.7336—ST

Frassanito, William A. Antietam: The Photographic Legacy of America's Bloodiest Day. New York: Scribner, 1978. 779.9—ST

Hartwig, D S. The Battle of Antietam and the Maryland Campaign of 1862: A Bibliography. Westport, CT: Meckler, 1990. 016.973336—ST

Johnson, Curt, Richard C. Anderson, and Joseph M. Hanson. Artillery Hell: The Employment of Artillery at Antietam. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1995. 973.7336—ST

Luvaas, Jay, and Harold W. Nelson. The U.S. Army War College Guide to the Battle of Antietam: The Maryland Campaign of 1862. Carlisle, Pa: South Mountain Press, 1987. 973.7336—ST

McPherson, James M. Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. 973.7336—ST

Murfin, James V. The Gleam of Bayonets: The Battle of Antietam and the Maryland Campaign of 1862. New York: T. Yoseloff, 1965. 973.7336—ST

Priest, John M. Antietam: The Soldiers' Battle. Shippensburg, PA: White Mane Pub. Co, 1989. 973.7336—ST

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

DIGITAL SANBORN MAPS

The SLPL website provides Library cardholders access to various reference databases. One of these, ProQuest Information and Learning's Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970, offers digital access to large-scale maps of various American towns and cities. Digitized Sanborn Maps allow for greater flexibility of use and improved viewing possibilities compared to the earlier microfilm versions of these maps. Users have the ability to easily manipulate the maps, magnify, and zoom in on specific sections. The SLPL website provides access to the Missouri portion of this collection:

LINK

Coverage varies widely for included cities and towns (“coverage” here meaning when a particular map was prepared or updated). Here, for example, is the coverage provided for Missouri cities and towns beginning with the letter A:

Adrian (Bates Co.)—Apr 1894-Apr 1924
Agency (Buchanan Co.)—Nov 1922
Alton (Oregon Co.)—July 1923
Anderson (McDonald Co.)—Sept 1920-Sept 1928
Appleton City (St. Clair Co.)—Oct 1885-Oct 1935
Armstrong (Howard Co.)—Aug 1917-Aug 1928
Ash Grove (Greene Co.)—July 1893-June 1931
Atlanta (Macon Co.)—Mar 1918
Auxvasse (Callaway Co.)—May 1902-Jan 1925
Ava (Douglas Co.)—July 1914-Mar 1935

Coverage for St. Louis City and a sampling of nearby cities is as follows:

St. Louis City—Mar 1903—Dec 1952
Kirkwood—Feb 1928-Nov 1949
O’Fallon—Nov 1912
Pacific—July 1886-Jan 1929
St. Charles—May 1886-Oct 1947
St. Peters—Nov 1912-Sept 1917
Ste. Genevieve—Feb 1894-July 1945
Valley Park—Jan 1926

The list of available Missouri cities and towns is extensive—why not visit our website and see for yourself?

LINK

ARCHANGEL: ALLIED INTERVENTION IN RUSSIA, 1918-1920

The North Russia Intervention was part of the Allied intervention in Russia after the October Revolution. The intervention brought about the involvement of foreign troops (U.S.; U.K.; Canada; and France) in the Russian Civil War on the side of the White movement. The Whites opposed the Bolsheviks (who deposed the Tsar and seized power in late 1917). The northern campaign officially lasted from June 1918 to March 1920. Around 14,000 troops were involved on each side; Allied forces suffered 750 casualties while the Bolsheviks suffered 2,150 casualties.

Abbreviations include:

Central Library locations:

BG: Business, Government, Law, and Literature
ST: Stacks

Albertson, Ralph. Fighting Without a War: An Account of Military Intervention in North Russia. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Howe, 1920. ST—940.91

Bradley, J F. N. Allied Intervention in Russia. New York: Basic Books, 1968. ST—940.414

Brinkley, George A. The Volunteer Army and Allied Intervention in South Russia, 1917-1921: A Study in the Politics and Diplomacy of the Russian Civil War. Notre Dame, Ind.: University of Notre Dame Press, 1966. ST—947.08

Davis, Donald E, and Eugene P. Trani. The First Cold War: The Legacy of Woodrow Wilson in U.S.-Soviet Relations. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2002. BG—327.7304709

Dobson, Christopher, and John Miller. The Day They Almost Bombed Moscow: The Allied War in Russia, 1918-1920. New York: Atheneum, 1986. ST—947.0841

Foglesong, David S. America's Secret War against Bolshevism: U.S. Intervention in the Russian Civil War, 1917-1920. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1995. ST—947.0841

Goldhurst, Richard. The Midnight War: The American Intervention in Russia, 1918-1920. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978. ST—940.4147

Silverlight, John. The Victors' Dilemma: Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War. New York: Weybright and Talley, 1971. ST—947.084

Somin, Ilya. Stillborn Crusade: The Tragic Failure of Western Intervention in the Russian Civil War, 1918-1920. New Brunswick, N.J., U.S.A: Transaction Publishers, 1996. ST—947.0841

Unterberger, Betty M. America's Siberian Expedition, 1918-1920: A Study of National Policy. Durham, N.C: Duke University Press, 1956. ST—947.084

CURRENT & HISTORICAL LOCAL NEWSPAPERS IN SLPL REFERENCE DATABASES

SLPL reference databases can be accessed here by our cardholders:

SLPL Reference Databases

You will need a valid SLPL library card and a PIN to access these reference databases.

Getting a Library Card

Setting and Using Your PIN

HISTORICAL AREA NEWSPAPERS AVAILABLE

St. Louis Dispatch [1874-1877]
St. Louis Evening Post [1878]
St. Louis Post-Dispatch [1878-1879]
St. Louis Post Dispatch [1879-1922]

CURRENT LOCAL AREA NEWSPAPERS AVAILABLE

Missouri

Chesterfield Journal [Oct 2004-Feb 2009]
Hazelwood-Bridgeton Journal [Oct 2004-Apr 2008]
Kirkwood-Webster Journal [Oct 2004-Feb 2009]
North County Journal—NW ed. [Oct 2004-Sept 2011]
North County Journal—Overland ed. [Oct 2004-Sept 2011]
North Side Journal [Oct 2004-Apr 2008]
Northeast County Journal [Oct 2004-Sept 2008]
O’Fallon Journal [Oct 2004-Apr 2011]
Oakville-Mehlville Journal [Oct 2004-Jul 2007]
Overland-St. Ann Journal [Oct 2004-Sept 2008]
South County Journal [Oct 2004-current]
South Side Journal [Oct 2004-Apr 2011]
Southwest City Journal [Oct 2004-Jan 2009]
Southwest County Journal [Oct 2004-Jan 2009]
St. Charles Business Record [Mar 2001-Mar 2009]
St. Charles Journal [Oct 2004-current]
St. Louis American [Feb 2006-current]
St. Louis Countian [Mar 2001-Mar 2009]
St. Louis Daily Record [Mar 2001-Mar 2009]
St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Jan 1988-current]
St. Peters Journal [Oct 2004-Apr 2011]
Tri-County Journal [Oct 2004-Jan 2009]
Wentzville Journal [Oct 2004-Feb 2009]
West County Journal [Oct 2004-current]

Illinois

Belleville News-Democrat [Oct 2000-current]
Edwardsville Intelligencer [Jun 2000-current]
Edwardsville Journal [Oct 2004-Feb 2009]
St. Clair County Journal [Oct 2004-Sept 2011]

Note: Current newspapers are also available for other cities in other states.

Also available and of possible interest to genealogists/local historians in the HISTORY REFERENCE CENTER database:

America’s Civil War [Jul 1996-current]
Civil War Times [Dec 1996-current]

THE BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA (6 AUGUST 1945)

Note: Wikipedia article on the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki:

LINK

Abbreviations include:

Library branches:

BU: Buder Branch
KI: Kingshighway Branch
SC: Schlafly Branch

Central Library locations:

HG: History, Geography, & Travel Room
ST: Stacks

Alperovitz, Gar. Atomic Diplomacy: Hiroshima and Potsdam: The Use of the Atomic Bomb and the American Confrontation with Soviet Power. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1965. ST—327.73047

Barker, Rodney. The Hiroshima Maidens: A Story of Courage, Compassion, and Survival. New York, N.Y: Viking, 1985. ST,BU—940.5426

Hachiya, Michihiko, and Warner Wells. Hiroshima Diary: The Journal of a Japanese Physician, August 6-September 30, 1945. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1955. ST,BU—940.92

Hersey, John. Hiroshima. New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1989. BU,KI,SC—940.5425

Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Physical, Medical, and Social Effects of the Atomic Bombings. New York: Basic Books, 1981. ST,BU—940.5426

Kurzman, Dan. Day of the Bomb: Countdown to Hiroshima. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1986. ST,BU—940.5425

Lifton, Robert J. Death in Life: Survivors of Hiroshima. New York: Random House, 1968. ST—155.935

Maddox, Robert J. Weapons for Victory: The Hiroshima Decision Fifty Years Later. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1995. ST—940.5425

Rotter, Andrew J. Hiroshima: The World's Bomb. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. ST—355.825119

Walker, Stephen. Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2005. ST,BU—940.5425

Wyden, Peter. Day One: Before Hiroshima and After. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1984. ST—940.5426

AIR WAR OVER GERMANY

During World War II, American bombers dropped 1,463,423 tons of munitions on German cities and military installations during 74,818 sorties. Such duty was extremely hazardous; 9,949 American bombers and 79,265 American military personnel were casualties of the air war over Germany.

Abbreviations include:

Library branches:

BU: Buder Branch
CP: Carpenter Branch
MA: Machacek Branch
SC: Schlafly Branch

Central Library locations:

CE: Central Express
HG: History, Geography, & Travel Room
ST: Stacks

Ambrose, Stephen E. The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s over Germany. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. 940.544973 [most locations]

Freeman, Gregory A. The Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys: Courage, Tragedy, and Justice in World War II. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011. HG,CE, SC—940.5405

Grayling, A C. Among the Dead Cities: The History and Moral Legacy of the WWII Bombing of Civilians in Germany and Japan. New York: Walker & Co, 2006. HG—940.544973

Kennedy, Paul M. Engineers of Victory: The Problem Solvers Who Turned the Tide in the Second World War. New York: Random House, 2013. HG, CE,BU,CP,MA,SC—940.54

Makos, Adam, and Larry Alexander. A Higher Call. New York: Berkley Books, 2013. CP,MA—940.5440922

Middlebrook, Martin. The Battle of Hamburg: Allied Bomber Forces against a German City in 1943. New York: Scribner, 1981. ST—940.5421

Mrazek, Robert J. To Kingdom Come: An Epic Saga of Survival in the Air War over Germany. New York: NAL Caliber, 2011. HG,CE, BU, SC—940.5421347

Neillands, Robin. The Bomber War: The Allied Air Offensive against Nazi Germany. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2001. ST—940.544941

Nichol, John, and Tony Rennell. Tail-end Charlies: The Last Battles of the Bomber War, 1944-45. New York: T. Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press, 2006. ST—940.544941

Nossack, Hans E, and Joel Agee. The End: Hamburg 1943. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004. ST,BU—940.421351

I FIGHT MIT SIGEL

I will be giving my presentation, "I Fight Mit Sigel: Researching Your German-American Civil War Ancestors" to the Madison County Genealogical Society on Thursday, 8 August 2013 at 7:00 p.m. This group meets in the basement Community Room at Edwardsville Public Library, 112 South Kansas, Edwardsville, IL. 62025.

This program is co-sponsored by St. Louis Public Library, and is free and open to the public.

MCGS website

JFK AND THE MOSQUITO FLEET

PT (Patrol Torpedo) boats were small fast vessels used by the U.S. Navy during World War II to attack larger Japanese naval vessels and cargo barges. Navy men called them the Mosquito Fleet; the Japanese called them Devil Boats. PT boats were armed with several torpedoes and two .50 caliber machine-guns, plus (in some cases) a 20 mm cannon. The crews of 12-17 men relied on the element of surprise, their vessel’s speed, and its small silhouette to avoid being targeted by the enemy.

Duty on a PT boat could be hazardous indeed; 99 of 531 (19%) were sunk by the Japanese, including PT 109 (famously commanded by Lt. [jg] John F. Kennedy). Kennedy’s boat was rammed by a Japanese destroyer and cut in half during the night of August 2, 1943. Of his crew of 13, two men died during the collision, while one was badly burned (but survived).

Abbreviations include:

Library branches:

BU: Buder Branch
CB: Cabanne Branch
MA: Machacek Branch

Central Library locations:

BG: Business, Government, & Law Room
EL: Entertainment, Literature, & Biography Room
HG: History, Geography, & Travel Room
ST: Stacks

Ballard, Robert D, and Michael H. Morgan. Collision with History: The Search for John F. Kennedy's PT-109. Washington, D.C: National Geographic Society, 2002. ST--940.545973

Breuer, William B. Devil Boats: The PT War Against Japan. Novato, CA: Presidio, 1987. HG--940.5426

Bulkley, Robert J. At Close Quarters: PT Boats in the United States Navy. Washington, D.C: Naval History Division, 1962. ST--940.92

Donovan, Robert J. PT 109: John F. Kennedy in World War II. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. ST--940.92

Dunnigan, James F, and Albert A. Nofi. Victory at Sea: World War II in the Pacific. New York: William Morrow and Co, 1995. MA,ST--940.5426

Marston, Daniel, and Daniel Marston. The Pacific War Companion: From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima. Oxford: Osprey, 2005. HG-940.5426

O'Brien, Michael. John F. Kennedy: A Biography. New York: Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press, 2005. BU,EL--B KENNEDY JOHN

Polmar, Norman, and Samuel L. Morison. PT Boats at War: World War II to Vietnam. Osceola, WI: MBI Pub, 1999. BG—359.3258

Strahan, Jerry E. Andrew Jackson Higgins and the Boats That Won World War II. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1994. ST—B HIGGINS

Tregaskis, Richard. John F. Kennedy and PT-109. New York: Random House, 1962. CB—940.92

THE BATTLE FOR TARAWA (20-23 November 1943)

In this first major U.S. offensive in the critical central Pacific area, the Marine Corps and Navy faced stubborn resistance by well-prepared Japanese defenders. In 76 hours of fighting, the Marines incurred 1,009 KIA and 2,101 WIA, while the Navy suffered 687 KIA. The Japanese suffered 4,690 KIA (only 17 Japanese soldiers surrendered).

Abbreviations include:

Library branches:

BU: Buder Branch
CP: Carpenter Branch
KI: Kingshighway Branch

Central Library locations:

HG: History, Geography, & Travel Room
ST: Stacks

Alexander, Joseph H. Utmost Savagery: The Three Days of Tarawa. Annapolis, Md: Naval Institute Press, 1995. CP, ST—940.5426

Baldwin, Hanson W. Battles Lost and Won: Great Campaigns of World War II. New York: Harper & Row, 1966. BU—940.92

Chatfield, Gail. By Dammit, We're Marines!: Veterans' Stories of the Heroism, Horror, and Humor in World War II on the Pacific Front. Paragould, AR: Wyndham House Pub., Div.of Cloud Peak Pub, 2008. BU—940.54526

Drez, Ronald J. Twenty-five Yards of War: The Extraordinary Courage of Ordinary Men in World War II. New York: Hyperion, 2001. BU, KI—940.5308421

Rogal, William W. Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Beyond: A Mud Marine's Memoir of the Pacific Island War. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2010. HG—940.545973

Russ, Martin. Line of Departure: Tarawa. Garden City, N.Y: Doubleday, 1975. ST—940.5426

Stockman, James R. The Battle for Tarawa. Washington: Historical Section, Division of Public Information, headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1947. ST—940.92

Werstein, Irving. Tarawa, a Battle Report. New York: Crowell, 1965. ST—940.92

Wheeler, Richard. A Special Valor: The U.S. Marines and the Pacific War. New York: Harper & Row, 1983. ST—940.5426

Wukovits, John F. One Square Mile of Hell: The Battle for Tarawa. New York: NAL Caliber, 2006. HG—940.5426681

ADDITIONS TO THE COLLECTION—GENEALOGY (2012)

Bettag, Claire Mire. French genealogy research. REF—GENEALOGY 929.1

Boehning, Ross William. Boehning family research index. REF—STACKS 929.3778 vols. 1 & 2

Boyd, Gregory A. (Gregory Alan). Family maps of LaGrange County, Indiana : with homesteads, roads, waterways, towns, cemeteries,railroads, and more. REF—GENEALOGY 912.772

Boyd, Gregory A. (Gregory Alan). Family maps of Polk County, Missouri : with homesteads, roads, waterways, towns, cemeteries, railroads, and more. REF—GENEALOGY 912.778

Carmack, Sharon DeBartolo. American cemetery research. REF—GENEALOGY 929.1

Carmack, Sharon DeBartolo. Italian genealogy research. REF-GENEALOGY 929.1

Coldham, Peter Wilson. Maryland and Virginia convict runaways, 1725-1800: a survey of English sources. REF—GENEALOGY 929.375

Daughters of the American Revolution. Olde Town Fenton Chapter (Fenton, Mo.). Fenton, Missouri area cemeteries / prepared by Olde Town Fenton Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution / [edited by Eleanor Gibson]. REF—GENEALOGY 929.3778

Gormley, Myra Vanderpool. Cherokee genealogy research. REF—GENEALOGY 929.1

Grenham, John. Tracing your Irish ancestors : the complete guide. REF-GENEALOGY 929.1

Hendrickson, Nancy. Discover your family history online : a step-by-step guide to starting your genealogy search. REF—GENEALOGY 929.1

Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania genealogy research. REF—GENEALOGY 929.1

Meyerink, Kory L. U.S. federal census records. REF—GENEALOGY 929.1

McGinnis, Carol. Virginia genealogy research. RE—GENEALOGY 929.1

Mitchell, Brian. Irish genealogy research. REF—GENEALOGY 929.1

Morgan, George G. How to do everything genealogy. REF—GENEALOGY 929.1

National Society Sons and Daughters of Antebellum Planters, 1607-1861. Lineage Book, 2011. REF—GENEALOGY 929.3

Rose, Christine. The complete idiot's guide to genealogy. REF—GENEALOGY 929.1

Sykes, Bryan. DNA USA: a genetic portrait of America. CIRC—GENEALOGY 599.9350973

Weant, Kenneth. Civil war records. Finding aid to Missouri Enrolled Militia infantry regiments and Union troops. REF—GENEALOGY 929.3778

Weant, Kenneth. Missouri Intelligencer excerpts, 1820-1929 / compiled by Kenneth E. Weant. REF—GENEALOGY 929.3778