Books in GI. The Illustrated History of the American Soldier, His Uniform and His Equipment series

Billy Yank or Billy Yankee was the name given to the Union soldiers of the North during the American Civil War: and a famous and enduring symbol of the period. Typically Billy Yank is presented dressed in regulation blue uniform topped with a forage hat, the standard headdress used by the military of the period. This handy guide delves a little deeper and sets out to discover exactly what the typical ‘Billy Yank’ looked like and how they lived. Compiled by two experts on the subject of military uniforms of the period, and crammed with fascinating facts and images, this is an excellent glimpse into the life and times of the union soldier and a valuable addition to the popular G.I. series.

George Armstrong Custer was one of the most flamboyant and controversial officers ever to have served in the United States Army. This superbly illustrated book provides a unique visual record of this famous commander from his graduation at West Point to the last great battle of the American West: the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Rare photographs from private collections show his stylish uniforms, weapons and artifacts, and reveal the faces of the men who rode into legend with him. Includes images of the units he commanded and of the soldiers who fought – and some of whom died – at the Little Big Horn.

This fascinating addition to the GI series demonstrates the full range of uniforms, equipment, and armament used by the troops who fought for Abraham Lincoln’s Union army during the American Civil War. Far from being uniformly clad in blue, the Union soldier appeared in a great variety of clothing, from simple civilian-style dress to elaborate uniforms inspired by European armies.This volume covers artillery, cavalry and infantry and includes over a dozen color images produced in the 1860s for the U.S. Army Quartermaster Department, as well as the complete 1861 U.S. Army uniform regulations.

This volume in the popular G.I. series illustrates a much-neglected aspect of American military history – the U.S. Army artillerymen, named redlegs after the red stripes on their trousers. The photographs, most of them rarely seen in other sources, range from the Civil War and the campaigns against the American Indians through to the Spanish-American War. Artillery was a vital arm and proved its worth in all of these diverse theaters of war; artillerymen served as part of mobile columns, in sieges and blockades, and as garrisons in remote frontier forts. This handy guide includes superb images and descriptive captions detailing the appearance of the men, their uniforms and equipment, and the ordnance used over the years.

From first deployment in the United Kingdom to the fighting in Germany in 1945 The new edition of this best-selling guide combines period photos of soldiers in the field with expanded captions on specific points of uniforms and equipment. It provides valuable historical insight into the appearance of the American soldier through initial deployment in the United Kingdom, the invasion of Italy, the Normandy campaign, the Ardennes Offensive, and the bitter fighting in Germany in 1945.