The Old Army: A Portrait of the American Army in Peacetime, 1784-1898

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Summary: Fills a gaping hole in American military history.
Review: "The Old Army" is a successful attempt to explore the men, the officers, the families, the training and the way of life of the peacetime Army from America's inception to the Spanish-American War. Volumes have been written about the Army during various wars and how volunteer forces contributed to the victories. Here, Edward Coffman discusses the the so-called caretaker Army that manned the lonely frontier outposts, and how it progressed to the organized machine it is today. Although it's a natural progression, it's not easy to see it without the strength of Coffman's narrative and his ability to balance deeply personal views of soldiers in the field with the major policies issued by the powers-that-be. Much reviled, maligned, and distrusted by the American public, the peacetime Army is truely the grandfather of today's modern military. Although many people credit the temporary wartime armies with that distinction, Coffman traces the struggles that the civilian and military leaders had to endure in order to produce an effective military. This excellent work contains revealing excerpts from personal journals that provide a clear view into this forgotten way of life ranging from reasons why people joined, deserted, and came back again. Coffman devotes a great deal of time to minorities, in the military, and wives and children of the soldiers to give us a well-rounded view of what garrison life was like. Coffman also discusses the real, but overlooked work of the early army: the building of forts, buildings, and public roads. Long considered a haven for misfits and incompetents, the Old Army deserves a deeper scruitiny. Coffman provides the kind of indepth study that has long been lacking. Coffman's ability to focus on the larger history of the Army while still providing illuminating anecdotes makes this fascinating reading.

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Summary: Best Fusion of Social and Military History to Date
Review: America's abhorrence of a large standing army in peacetime, and the officers, men, and camp followers who comprised the small constabulary Army of the nineteenth century, is the theme of Edward M. Coffman's excellent social history. Coffman's engaging chapters delve into the lives of "Officers," "Women and Children" and "Enlisted men." The book is arranged chronologically from 1784-1860 and 1865-1898 with those three themes revolving throughout. Since the focus here is the peacetime army, the author deliberately skips the War of 1812 and the American Civil War. The result is undoubtedly the best fusion of social and military history to date. Coffman points out, throughout its fledgling early history of administrative changes and budget cutbacks, living conditions within the institution remained deplorable. Supplies, uniforms and rations were inadequate. Likewise, living quarters and proper sanitation were always poor. The author cites a typical example where one bathtub was shared by 100 men. Predictively, drunkenness and desertion were a constant problem, however, Coffman shows that neither officers nor enlisted men were under paid for any significant length of time throughout the nineteenth century. The author injects facts, statistics, and demographics into an engaging and fast-paced narrative, that is difficult to put down. In his discussion of officers, Coffman covers many essential topics. These areas include: officer-rank & file relations, personal rivalries and career anxiety, as well as line-staff tensions and the emergence of professionalism within the officer corps. The role of West Point, education, and racism towards African-American soldiers are also adequately discussed. The most informative chapters are devoted to Women and children, and the vital role they played in the early peacetime army. The author describes the intricacies and significance of courtship and marriage, raising children in remote out-posts, and, the often forgotten role of other camp followers, such as laundresses and servants. Coffman also selectively incorporates the methods of comparative history, balancing the United States frontier army with its British and European counterparts. The author offers some insights into the correlation of pay scales, health standards, discipline, recruitment, and education. Accenting his plethora of sources arranged in copious notes, are the diaries and memoirs of several foreign observers who recorded their impressions of life within the scattered American Army. The author concludes that by the 1890's, however, living conditions across the board had improved, and the US Army was becoming a desirable career alternative just in time for its debut on the world stage. "Mac" Coffman destroys the notion that social historians make poor military historians and visa-versa. This classic is required reading for anyone seriously interested in American military history. Five-stars, Bravo!