"David Greenspan Battle Maps" Topic

Hi guys

I posted a while back, here

TMP link

and on my blog:

link

… about the National Geographic 100th anniversary commemorations of the ACW, and some battlefield maps I've been haunted by for over 30 years. Thanks to the feedback that post generated I was able to determine it was the work of David Greenspan that had been seared onto my synapses all those years ago. And I've now bought a couple of books that contain the maps in question (many thanks to Jeff).

I still believe I first saw Greenspan's art in Nat. Geog., as I don't recall ever having seen either the big Bruce Catton American Heritage Picture Library book, not the subsequent Battle Maps book, in which his work was the star of the show.

I'm keen to find out if he did any other similar work, elsewhere, or if indeed any of these maps did appear in NG. It's been nigh on impossible to find out anything about him at all online, so any info or leads would be much appreciated.

Here's my tribute to the great man and his terrific artworks:

link

!

Phil

As a youngster I was given a copy of The American Heritage Pictorial Atlas of the USA. This included some of the ACW maps as well as 3 AWI ones – Trenton, Bemis Heights and Cowpens

Its possible that they may have been one of the reasons why I started buying plastic Airfix ACW figures.

Mark

My dad had (and still does!) The American Heritage picture book of the Civil War, and it was those pictures that made me want to create miniature battlefields long before I could afford miniatures. I was completely unaware that he did maps for AWI battles though.

I can remember being entranced by his maps during the 1960s as a teenager. Sure whetted by appetite for what later blossomed into a great hobby.

Thanks for the "trip down memory lane."

Jim

Hi

I have put a few images of the AWI maps on my blog.

link

Cheers

Mark

Aaaaah the memories. Still have that book and is nice to pick it up from time to time and look closely at them. You see some odd things sometimes. :)

Don

@ Mark: interesting to learn about the AWI maps. I'd heard Greenspan did some other stuff for American Heritage, but not exactly what it was. Cheers, Seb

I was grabbed by them in the 60's as well. I constantly went to my Elementary school library and kept checking out that book along with the AH ones on FIW, American Rev, WWI and WWII. Loved em!

Thanks,

John

I am like a lot of other people who were affected by Mr. Greenspan. Nice/funny that one man's work, caused so many people to be drawn deeper into the history of what we saw through his eyes. I had never thought of there being kindred relations with others, who were drawn to his artwork, for those many reasons. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Good memories.

I still have that book ….must have a peruse again!

You guys are costing me money!

Just found a new copy of "Maps of the Civil War" on line and shelled out for it!

Pure nostalgia. My late Uncle showed me the National Geographic editions with Greenspan's work in when I was a kid which got me into the Civil War way back then!

Just had to have it!

Like many others, including a lot of the authors interviewed on Civil War Talk Radio, I was hooked by the bird'e-eye view maps in Catton's book when I was a boy. I recently discovered that the AWI maps can be found in some editions of Bart McDowell, The Revolutionary War, a mini-coffee-table book published by the Nat. Geo. Soc. that turns up frequently at used book sales.

I just ordered this for $6.99 USD free ship off ebay and should arrive tomorrow. Going to send it with the IMEX complete civil war set in 1:72 scale to my 11 year old nephew also to include the Vallejo civil war paint set, brushes and a few tools of the trade. I sent him a box each of Perrys Union and Confederate out of my painted collection with a new issue of Wargames Illustrated and he loved it. So now its time to reel him in to an educational and positive step in life and not to mention a very fun and rewarding hobby. The book will inspire him greatly as it did, I at his age. I still of course have my original 1993 purchase plus the American Heritage book from my youth dated in the 60's. I have been painting and giving regiments in 28mm as gifts for the past couple of years to young family members and even some of the older ones at times. The look on the faces and the glow in thier eyes seems to be all worth it.
I must be honest this one was inspired by this post and brought back many memories of the first look into these beautiful maps and the invisioning that followed. Even as a youth, I used to set up my opossing armies and hugging the earth to see the battle field at ground level only to imagine that they were painted in thier proper uniform colors. Ok, I have gone on enough for a guy who doesnt say much, I will say this, thank you for the post.

@ painter jim: that's lovely! So chuffed to be part of that tradition of passing on the admiration and inspiration. I've started gifting 'toy soldier' and historical related stuff to 'blokes' large and small, and … much to my surprise, I also see that light come on in some of their eyes. I was showing some of my recent WWII stuff to my kid-half-brother (he's almost literally half my age!), and I apologised for it bring nerdy… he said 'no mate, it's cool!' And grinned! I was quite surprised.

I'm sure I've seen WWI versions of this kind of art, though I don't know if it was this same artist. I recollect seeing a WWI tank attack.

Here is the version that first inspired myself as a youth.
I am so glad that I hung on to it for all these years.

My wife just walked in and kicked it, and said "thats a stupid place for a book".

I never saw the AWI ones! Had only heard about them.

Gentelmen,

FOR SALE
The Battle of Bemis Heights and The Battle of Cowpens
by David Greenspan

The original artwork was done for The American Heritage Book "George Washington and the Making of a Nation" in 1966.

These prints were professionally mounted and laminated onto pressed board in 1970.

David Greenspan died when he was only 39 but is still remembered to for his aerial view battlefield maps of the American Revolution and the American Civil War.

I am selling these two prints as a set for $100.00 USD plus shipping.

These prints are perfect for your Man Cave, Wargame Room, Fallout Shelter or Bunker.

Contact me at lowellhamilton@hotmail.com if you are interested.

Best, Lowell D Hamilton

Came across this thread after asking about the Greenspan maps as could not remember title of book I had seen his maps in.

Blast from the past seeing a couple of these maps again--need to buy the book now.Thanks for posting these maps.

Brian Kammerer was inspired by David Greenspan's artwork when he was younger. Kammerer is the only one I've been able to find that continues doing similar work like Greenspan's.

Here is his webpage: link

Wow!

I just stumbled across this thread. I vividly recall these images from my youth, as others have mentioned, but never was able to track down the books where they came from (in later life).

Even though it's an old topic…
Thanks!

absolutely these led to my playing with plastic civil war soldiers and later to big boy metal toy soldiers lol