Uniforms of the Republic of Texas: And the Men that Wore Them: 1836-1846

by Bruce Marshall

Only Texas, of all the states, can boast of a heritage that includes the army and navy of an independent nation. Throughout the ten turbulent years of Texas independence its military was engaged in constant warfare against enemies within and without. Its regulars were backed up by a militia described as "the most formidable, for their numbers, in the world." Contrary to the image projected by Hollywood and most historians, even in Texas, they were smartly uniformed and equipped with the latest in weaponry. What did these long-forgotten uniforms look like? Texas insignia and flags? Writer-artist-historian Bruce Marshall has discovered the answers in archives in Texas and Mexico, in old diaries and letters and sketches by those who wore or saw them. With his internationally-honored art he has recreated the uniforms in twenty-six full color illustrations, supplemented by fourteen photographs – including the only two known of uniformed officers of the Texas army and navy.

88 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1998

About the author

Lieutenant-Colonel Claude Cunningham Bruce Marshall, known as Bruce Marshall was a prolific Scottish writer who wrote fiction and non-fiction books on a wide range of topics and genres. His first book, A Thief in the Night came out in 1918, possibly self-published. His last, An Account of Capers was published posthumously in 1988, a span of 70 years.

Reviews

[Sceadugenga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meticulous research combined with excellent artistic representation make this book a welcome addition to the library of any enthusiast of nineteenth-century military history. In this one-of-a-kind volume Bruce Marshall has delved into various archival collections and brought to the surface the many unknown uniform regulations of the Republic of Texas; and has, in his own words, "dispelled all doubt that they were ordered, inspected, paid for, shipped and received, issued, worn and, when worn out, auctioned." The text is complete with period photographs, regulations and twenty-six color plates illustrating the uniforms of the various branches of the Texian (the term Texan didn't come into use until the 1850's) armed forces. The bibliography is quite complete and there is also a small section covering buttons. Texas is the only U.S. state that was once a sovereign republic and this book serves to make the history of that decade that much more alive. Normally, I would have given this book only four stars but for the scarcity of the material and the fact that I am biased by being a fellow Texan I give it five stars.