The story of a historic Newport, Rhode Island, landmark shadowed by tragedy. For 150 years, Fort Adams guarded the strategic entrance to Narragansett Bay and Newport Harbor. It was the largest coastal fortification in the United States, and though the site never saw a battle, its history is shadowed with dark tragedy. The fort witnessed its first death in 1819 when Private William G. Cornell shot Private William Kane point-blank and without remorse over an unknown argument. Unfortunately, more tragedy would follow. In 1871, twenty-eight-year-old George F. Drake slit his own throat after his sweetheart ended their relationship. And in 1879, Private Franz Koppe was mysteriously attacked, later dying of his injuries. The Spanish influenza arrived at Fort Adams in 1918, killing five soldiers in one month. Through these stories of life and death, author Kathleen Troost-Cramer traces the history of this national landmark. Includes maps and photos

From forts to blockhouses, garrison houses to trading posts, stations to presidios, missions to ranches and towns, this work provides a history of the primary fortifications established during 400 tumultuous years in what would become the United States of America. Under each state's heading, this substantial volume contains alphabetized entries with information regarding each structure's history. The earliest forts established by the Danes, Dutch, English, French, Portuguese, Swedes and Mexicans and by the temporary appearance of the Russians are listed. The colonial American forts, many of which were previously established by the European powers, are covered in detail. Beginning with the American Revolution, each of the American military fortifications, militia forts, settlers' forts and blockhouses is listed and described. Helpful appendices list Civil War defenses (and military hospitals) of Washington, D.C.; Florida Seminole Indian war forts; Pony Express depots; Spanish missions and presidios; and twentieth-century U.S. forts, posts, bases, and stations. A chronology of conflicts that paralleled the growth of the United States is also provided, offering insight into the historical context of fort construction.

Castles are among the most mysterious buildings on earth. Their grimly silent stones are signposts to a past filled with high adventure, grim tragedies, and glorious victories. Ghosts, hauntings, and other paranormal phenomena are frequently reported from castles. Do strange paranormal powers lurk among their ancient ruins? The World’s Most Mysterious Castles takes you on a journey through hidden chambers and subterranean tunnels of castles all over the world. Their walls served the sinister needs of spies, traitors, and assassins. Do the spirits of attackers and defenders who died in long-forgotten sieges still linger where they fell? Screams of unbearable pain and despair were muffled within their deepest, darkest torture dungeons. Do they echo there still?

From the earliest colonial settlements to Cold War bunkers, the North American continent has been home to thousands of forts and fortress structures. Fortress America surveys the broad sweep of fortifications throughout North America-from seacoast forts of the late eighteenth century to wooden inland forts built to defend against Native American, English, French, or Spanish attack; from Civil War-era coastal and inland waterways forts to the Great Plains' forts of the Old West; from World War II subterranean bunkers to Cold War concrete missile silos. The text of Fortress America is complemented with never-before-published photographs, and extraordinary drawings, cut-aways, and diagrams illustrating the design and structure of American forts.

With a reputation as wide open as the waters of the Mississippi flowing past its bustling downtown district, Memphis is a city of contrasts and contradictions. From the darkness of epidemics and racial tension to its beacons of music and entreprenurial success, Memphis is a reflection of the true American experience. For many years it was a community functioning almost as two separate societies, yet the ties between the two create one resolute and dynamic city as it begins this new century.

When the Adjutant General's Office published Raphael Thian's "notes" on U.S. military geography in 1880, it produced an invaluable research tool for generations of military historians to come. In this single documented reference volume, Chief Clerk Thian traced the confusing mutations through which the divisions, departments, and districts of the Army's command had evolved since 1813. The volume is divided into three parts, beginning with the names of the United States Army Continental Commands, the date and authority for their creation, location of the headquarters, geographical changes and discontinuances, and other details including the geographical boundaries embracing each division, department, and district. Part II is filled with background information on states and territories, and Part III lists the maps contained in The Military Atlas of the United States. The Addenda to this edition expand and update Thian's work. Notes made by Francis B. Heitman to keep his personal copy current are included, as is the Memorandum published by the government in 1906. This addition lists all changes from 1898 through 1905.