The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 74, July 1970 - April, 1971 Page: 121

Book Reviews

chose not to edit her grandmother's reminiscences, so there is some
repetition, as Mrs. Goeth was in her seventies when she wrote the
book. Quite a bit of German poetry is included, which Mrs. Guenther
felt unable to translate. It might better have been omitted. These are
minor faults; the book should be considered extremely valuable for
students of German immigration research, descendants of German im-
migrants, local historians of the Central Texas area, and all others
who enjoy reading Texas history.
La Grange, Texas MARJORIE WILLIAMS
Texas Under Arms: The Camps, Posts, Forts & Military Towns of the
Republic of Texas, 1836-1846. By Gerald S. Pierce. (Austin,
Texas: The Encino Press, 1969. Pp. xvi + 268. Maps, notes,
bibliography, index. $xo.oo.)
The fascinating Republic of Texas has been the stimulus for more
study and writing than any other ten-year period in the history of
Texas. Gerald S. Pierce, in Texas Under Arms, has attempted to cata-
logue and give a brief description of the major public and private
forts and campsites established and sustained by Anglo-Americans in
Texas during the days of the Republic, including some United States
Army camps. The author does not purport to have made a complete
and exhaustive study, for such a study would probably be impossible
at this date because of the loss of valuable records by fire and otherwise.
Professor Pierce has given useful information on 30 "military towns,"
53 forts or projected forts, and 1go unfortified campsites, ranging from
those occupied for a single night to several days or longer-some used
only once and others occupied on more than one occasion.
The value of Texas Under Arms, in part, is impaired by the limi-
tation of its scope to a selection, however judicious, of places to be
described and by the failure to give students of Texas history the
author's evaluation of other military posts or campsites of varying
duration often found "in the published and unpublished writings on
the military history of Texas whose relation to that history was ques-
tionable or insignificant." Some campsites that he has mentioned
were transitory and highly insignificant. Nevertheless, they were and
are properly included in a study of this nature; others should also have
been included and evaluated.
The designation of "military town" seems to be an artificial classi-