Editor's desk

Military Images, Jul/Aug 1999 by Roach, Harry

CAVALRY LIBRARY OPENS

The United States Cavalry Association, a private organization established in 1976 to preserve the history of the U.S. Cavalry, announces the opening of their Research Library at Fort Riley, Kansas. Fittingly, the new facility is housed in a former cavalry stable. The site was donated by the U.S. Army. Remodeled to modern standards, it now houses more than 5,000 books, documents, photographs and artifacts.

Fundraising continues, to complete the renovations and to establish a trust fund to support the facility. Readers desiring more information or to join the Association may write to them at P.O. Box 2325, Fort Riley KS 66442. E-mail: cavalry@flinthills.com The Association also maintains a website at www.wtvi.com/cavalry

THEFT ALERT! Please be on the lookout for an item stolen from Dave Taylor's display at the Mansfield, Ohio Civil War Show on May 2, 1999. A thief removed the Ohio State officer's commission of Captain Albert Thornton, 83rd O.V.I., from the display, which also included Thornton's sword, revolver, insignia, etc. Mr. Taylor states: "I am upset not so much about the value of the commission as I am with the fact that the human trash that stole it has damaged the historical integrity of the set by removing the only piece which bore Thornton's name. If the thief returns it in a timely fashion, I will take no legal action against him. If he is discovered later through investigative measures, I intend to prosecute him."

If you see or hear of this document, please contact Dave Taylor, P.O. Box 87, Sylvania, OH 43560. Phone (419) 878-8355.

DIGITAL IMAGING at MI

For publication of photos in the magazine, until recently wc accepted only originals or clear black-and-white photographic copies. We are pleased to announce that now we also are able to accept certain digital copies.

Using a flatbed or drum scanner, please select the following settings to scan your originals:

1. Scan in grayscale (not color).

2. Scan at 300 d.p.i., sized at 100%.

3. Save as TIF file--not JPG, BMP, etc.

4. Files may be compressed using the LZW compression option found in PhotoShop; do not use other compression software such as WinZip, etc.

5. If the file is less than 2 megs, you may send it to us via e-mail as an Attached File. Larger files send on a PC-compatible Zip disk ( 100 meg).

Please note that color laser copies are not acceptable for publication. Of course, we still accept photographs.

Our next advance will be the acquisition of a digital camera.

ADDRESS CHANGE

We are still in the same location. But the Post Office has changed our Rural Route number from 1 to 2. MI is now at RR 2, Box 99-A.

NEW YORK in the CIVIL WAR Robert Mulligan, retired Military Curator of the New York State Museum, is spearheading an all-New York issue for MI. A number of articles by New York historians have been acquired at this point. We are still looking for contributions of single images for the "Stragglers" section of that issue. Because of the great number of Empire State images available, we are looking for only the very best photos -- those which offer something unique. Contributors may write directly to the magazine; Mr. Mulligan also can be reached by e-mail at: pundit@,netheaven.com

Material for the INDIAN WAR issue is largely in hand at this writing and it will be published ahead of the

TENNESSEE CONFEDERATE issue. Guest Editor Ronnie Mangrum assures us that the "Volunteer State" issue is nearing completion but still needs some finishing touches. The recent discovery of an album of more than 100 prominent Tennessee soldiers required substantial re-working of the material.

We -- you and I -- begin VOLUME XXI with this issue -- our 21 st year in a truly wonderful enterprise that has given us the opportunity to view thousands of truly wonderful images and, more importantly, to meet some of the most wonderful people in the world -- the readers and collectors who comprise this small universe of photo fanatics. A more kind, more generous, and more enthusiastic group of people does not exist.

Thank you all for the past twenty wonderful years. With your continued enthusiasm, we will be doing this for at least another twenty years. God bless you all.