Some lessons learned from the Mexican American War included the importance of artillery in battles. The superior American artillery caused major problems for any Mexican infantry attack. Many of the Mexican lines ended up pulverized by the barrages of firepower from artillery guns. The importance of joint army-navy attacks was also seen, as the attacks on Vera Cruz and deeper into Mexico itself demonstrated. Most importantly, logistical concerns became important. Armies across the globe saw a shining example of how an army’s baggage train (in this case, the supplies of the US Army) contributed greatly to the victory of its side. Military strategists took notes on this fact, especially von Clausewitz, who wrote books on war strategy—one of his influences was indeed the Mexican American War. (The others were chiefly wars in European history). He was one of the most important military minds in the late 1850s to the early 1870s, and his books became the cornerstones of the curricula of many military academies.
With the victory of the United States in the Mexican American War, the United States stood on another height in its history. Settlements of the west continued apace, with more states forming as settlers streamed westward. Intriguingly, in the late 1870s, Texas agreed to a rearrangement which the famed author Rudyard Kipling saw as a “maceration of a state”. Texas was divided into several parts. (More will be on this in the map update...)
As the 1850s turned into the 1860s, more of its attention could go to solving internal problems, and settling its newfound domains. The literature of America also became important in this era. Many dime-store novels about the Western frontier popularized it, and helped contribute to the legend of the cowboys. The novels also exaggerated at many points—the West wasn’t as violent as originally thought, especially after the 1860s ended. Cowboy duels weren't actually that common--especially after the "Cowboy as Entrepreneur" era ended, and gun violence ordinances passed in the states and territories.
Other novels depicted scenes of other countries such as the European ones, or of countries in Asia or Africa. “Explorer novels”, books published about newly-explored lands, captivated the minds of many Americans, and may have spurred interest in the “American Scientific Exploration Committee” established in the late 1870s, supposedly to “fill the gaps” in scientific knowledge. One such novel, “Into China” told the story of a young trader named Jan Brand in his journey to China. It showcased large swathes of the Chinese countryside and its cities. Brand faced a conflict with the Chinese on trade, which led to several close calls with the Chinese authorities. Thankfully for him, the Europeans showed up and drove away the Chinese soldiers that were giving him problems. The story was an allegory of European efforts to open up China, and would give many Americans their first look at what China was like.
Similarly, the book “Disappeared with the Wind” by Victor Hugo (published 1870) discussed the infamous “Sack of Charleston”. Kipling thought the Sack went too far—he claimed that the old culture vanished due to the overzealous actions of the British soldiers in the “British Columbia Rebellion”. The arduous rebuilding process afterwards was also described in very accurate detail. The panorama of slaughter, the ruins as far as the eye can see, and the struggling rebuilding of the various social classes as they tried to make something out of the devastation seemed as an indictment of war itself. The book’s main character, Edgar Riemann, faced the loss of all his and his family’s wealth after the destruction in the “British Columbia Rebellion.” Upon seeing the ruins of his mansion, he says this famous quote. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn anymore. Everything had disappeared with the wind due to the bloodthirsty British Army.” The rebuilding process causes Edgar Riemann to ally with people he’d never thought he would have to ally with in order to find his place in the new “British Columbia.”
The book sold well, especially in the United States of America. Another book about “British Columbia” was Mark Twain's The Adventures of Thomas Finn, which showcased the adventures of a young man down the Mississippi River, with his attempts at playing pirate, finding lost treasure, fending off robbers, and other escapades. It also showed an in-depth look at the cultures along the Mississippi, with careful attention to detail. Twain also depicted the hollowness of various people (usually Southerners) using the Bible to justify racism--something that other reformers would find disgusting. In some ways, Twain was ahead of his time.
Other books in the era criticized American policies or culture. The book “Greaseball”, published in 1867 by Thomas Nast, criticized political machines, which often ran the local politics within large cities and were home to vast amounts of corruption. The book highlighted a massive scandal in New York City, perpetrated by the Tammany Hall political machine, that involved ballot stuffing, other forms of voter fraud, and mass embezzlement. The New York Times managed to corroborate the reports—spelling the decline of the Tammany Hall figure known as “Boss” Tweed, who ended up arrested for various charges including embezzlement and bribery.
Similarly, the book The Urban Horror by Frederick Douglass showcased a particular problem in American society. It displayed the industrialized horror of meatpackers, and the appalling conditions suffered by their workers. The book follows the main character, David Dunburrow, as he immigrates to the U.S. thinking it a land of opportunity. He finds few opportunities and ends up working at a meatpacking industry, where the terrible working conditions described in graphic detail make him ill of poisoning rather quickly. His family is quite literally torn apart by the industry (one scene depicts his cousin falling over an edge and get diced to bits below); the company (due to operating in a time with surpluses of labor) fires David Dunburrow after he has expended his value. Dunburrow ends up on the wrong side of the law and ends the story in prison, upon which, he finds other prisoners that were working in an organized labor movement. He decides to join them when the prison is compromised via a break-in. Published in 1859, and quickly became a bestseller. The Urban Horror spurred calls for safer workplaces and more pay for workers. Eventually, it would lead to the formation of the Occupational Workplace Cleanliness Act, which would mandate safety inspections, among other workplace safety measures, to occur within businesses.