Texas Civil War Artifacts, A Photographic Guide to the Physical Culture of Texas Civil War Soldiers

Military Images, May/Jun 2009 by Katcher, Philip

Texas Civil War Artifacts, A Photographic Guide to the Physical Culture of Texas Civil War Soldiers, by Richard Mather Ahlstrom, 560 pages, 610 illustrations. University of North Texas Press 2009. Hardcover $60.00

Coming into the Civil War after a history of independence as the Republic of Texas and largely cut off from supply from eastern Confederate sources, Texas' Confederate soldiers developed a style of equipment that often differed from other states. More of the accouterments and uniforms used the Texas symbol, the lone star, and were locally produced by artisans in small numbers. This book includes photographs of more than SOO Texas-related artifacts, showing the lone star's use on hat pins, waistbelt plates, buckles, horse equipment, side knives, buttons, and canteens. The items photographed also include Texas-made revolvers, shotguns, rifles, muskets, and swords. Finally, the author also covers leather accouterments, uniforms and headgear, and images of individual Texas soldiers.

-Philip Katcher