BOOK REVIEW: Weapons In Early American History

Weapons In Early American History

Review and photographs by Mike Nesbitt

James D. Gordon recently teamed up with James B. Taylor to bring out another fact- and photo-filled volume on guns, knives and at least one cannon from the early history of our great nation.

Their 370-page book has 11 sections which address particular time frames, such as: The Age of Discovery and Conquest (1492-1692), where the featured weapons are matchlocks, wheel locks and crossbows; The French and Indian War (1755-63), which has a large collection of original F&I War-era powder horns; The American Revolution; and The Lewis & Clark Expedition. I won’t mention each section, but suffice it say that other subjects like the Pike Expedition, the Fremont Expeditions and the Mexican War are also covered.

My favorite chapter is The American Fur Company (1815-40), which is broken down into subsections for the Hudson’s Bay Company and the American Fur Company, and covers an array of general firearms and accoutrements. This chapter alone is 45 pages long. The largest section is called The Alamo and Texas Independence (1835-45), with 60 pages dedicated to that era.

While I want to tell you as much as I can about this new book, I’ll conclude by saying it has nearly 370 pages, color photos of over 300 original weapons, and it is a large book measuring 11 inches tall by 14 inches wide, weighing over 8 pounds!  You can order this book directly from Gordon by contacting him at (505) 982-9667. Personal checks are welcome (no credit cards please) the postpaid price (within the U.S.A.) for this book is $135, and if you’d like to have your book personally autographed, just ask. ASJ