The ground covered by this volume includes many stirring events. It begins with the Mexican War and the consequent renewal of the slavery contest, and it leads through the exciting AFifties. Then comes the Civil War which is treated in detail; on the causes, conditions, and progress of that titanic struggle, the participants, both civil and military, speak with directness and cogency. The troubled and confused Reconstruction period is illustrated by extracts which bring out the main events and scenes; there is no attempt to restate the wearisome debates, or to bring out the details of party and personal controversy. Our forefathers did interesting things and left entertaining records. The story of our nation=s development is clearer for the suggestions made by these writers. They are prejudiced; they see but a part of what is going on; they leave many gaps; but, after all, they tell the story.The collection was selected and edited in 1900 by Albert Bushnell Hart, Professor of History at Harvard University, and a well-respected and published scholar.

This bibliography differs from the previous publications in this series since it concerns a specific time in American history, the Mexican War period from 1835 to 1850. From a military standpoint, the victorious efforts of American military forces can be considered as the proving ground for the Army and the Navy that emerged during the Civil War. The annexation of Texas and the acquisition of lands from Mexico predestined both the expansion of the United States to the Pacific and the conflict which divided brother from brother. This bibliography lists pertinent materials to be found in the Military History Research Collection related to this part of American history and is not intended to be a definite listing of bibliographic references on the period.