Booknotes: A Military History of Texas

New Arrival:
• A Military History of Texas by Loyd Uglow (Univ of N Texas Pr, 2022).

As one of the North American continent's most frequently contested domestic and international borderlands, Texas has a long history of conflict that's fit for a modern synthesis designed to be read by a broad audience. A Military History of Texas "provides the first single-volume military history of Texas from pre-Columbian clashes between Native American tribes to the establishment of the United States Space Force as the newest branch of the nation’s military in the twenty-first century." In it, author Loyd Uglow "ties the various engrossing aspects of Texas military history into one unified experience."

From the description: "Chapters cover topics of warfare in Texas before the Europeans; Spanish military activities; revolutions against Spain and then Mexico; Texas and Texans in the Mexican War; ante- and post-bellum warfare on the Texas frontier; the Civil War in Texas; the Texas Rangers; border warfare during the Mexican revolution of 1910-1920; Texas and the world wars; and the modern military in Texas."

The Civil War section (Chapter 8 in the book), as just one part of a sweeping narrative, forces some selective emphasis but looks to be a solid overview. Major subsections of it cover international border clashes, the 1861-62 New Mexico Campaign, the Union blockade of the state's Gulf coast, conflict with Southern Plains tribes along the state's sparsely populated western frontier, the 1864 Red River Campaign, and the late-war struggle over control of the mouth of the Rio Grande. The following chapter addresses Reconstruction and the return of the US Army to the front lines of border and domestic frontier security.

The chapters also integrate Texas military history with other events and global history. More from the description: "Brief explanations of military terminology and practice, as well as parallels between Texas military actions and ones in other times and places, connect the narrative to the broader context of world military history." A Military History of Texas should "find a welcome place in the collections of amateur or professional military historians, devoted fans of all things Texan, and newcomers to military history."