MILITARY HISTORY OF THE WEST 2008

Vol. 38, 2008

Table of Contents

At the Heart of Total War: Guerrillas, Civilians, and the Union Response in Jasper County, Missouri, 1861-1865 by Matthew M. Stith

Abstract: Citizens in Jasper County, Missouri, endured some of the harshest warfare in the American Civil War. Men, women, and children became at once victims and combatants in an environment of total warfare. By war's end, few people re- mained in Jasper County, and the region's socioeconomic structure no longer existed.
Key Words: Civil War; Missouri; Jasper County; guerrillas; total war.

The Battle of Round Timber Creek and the Use of Experimental Carbines During the Red River War of 1874 by J. Brett Cruse

Abstract:In the Battle of Round Timber Creek, a scout detachment of twenty-eight troopers of the 8th United States Cavalry Regiment was ambushed by approximately one hundred Southern Cheyenne warriors in the Texas panhandle. In 2003 archeo- logical investigations by the Texas Historical Commission identified the location of the battle site. Detailed firearms analysis of the recovered cartridge cases revealed that a number of experimental carbines were used during the battle by the soldiers.
Key Words: 8th Cavalry; Southern Cheyenne; experimental carbines; Red River War; Texas Panhandle

Science, Politics, and Bureaucracy: Andrew A. Humphreys and the Office of Pacific Railroad Explorations and Surveys by Matthew T. Pearcy

Abstract: Topographical engineer Andrew A. Humphreys oversaw the Pacific Railroad Surveys, a grand western reconnaissance directed by Congress to identify the best route for the nation's first transcontinental railroad. Humphreys did not relish the assignment, but it initiated him into Army exploration, a field he effectively dominated from 1854 to 1879.
Key Words: Andrew A. Humphreys; Pacific Railroad Surveys; Topographical Engineers; cartography.

The Fort Robinson War Dog Reception and Training Center, 1942-1946 by Thomas R. Buecker

Abstract: The creation and implementation of the K-9 Corps, an important and somewhat overlooked aspect of World War II history, provided a valuable adjunct to combat troops and stateside security. The K-9 Corps also gave American citizens another opportunity to contribute to the war effort. The dog training center at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, played a critical role in the success of the program.
Key Words: K-9 Corps; Dogs for Defense; Quartermaster Remount Depot; Fort Robinson, Nebraska; World War II.