THE ROLE of RAILWAYS in WARTIME Augustus J
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RAILS TO THE FRONT “The North can make a steam engine, locomotive, or railway car [...] You are rushing into war with one of the most powerful, ingeniously mechanical, and determined people on Earth — right at your doors.” – William Tecumseh Sherman, 1860 For centuries, innovation in technology has continued to transform the world of war- fare. In the mid-nineteenth century, the burgeoning railway industry began to make an increasingly significant contribution. The military used railways because of their capacity to transport quickly and, less commonly, as a means for military action in their own right, such as armoured trains. The steam locomotive proved far superior to animal-drawn equipment in transporting troops and their military supplies, especially heavy weaponry. In Rails to the Front, historians Augustus J. Veenendaal and H. Roger Grant examine the crit- ical impact of railways in a series of conflicts worldwide, from the failed German revolutions VEENENDAAL & GRANT in the 1840s and Crimean War, right through to World Wars I and II and the Gulf War in the 1990s. This lavishly illustrated and readable study is the first of its kind in English. RAILS TO THE FRONT www.karwansaraypublishers.com ISBN 978-94-90258-15-39789490258153 THE ROLE OF RAILWAYS IN WARTIME Augustus J. Veenendaal and H. Roger Grant 9 789490 258153 > coverinner_final.indd 1 04/04/2017 16:04 RAILS TO THE FRONT THE ROLE OF RAILWAYS IN WARTIME Augustus J. Veenendaal and H. Roger Grant Karwansaray Publishers 2017 Rails_to_the_Front.indd 3 22/03/2017 15:41 Karwansaray Weena 750 3014 DA Rotterdam e Netherlands www.karwansaraypublishers.com © 2017 Karwansaray Publishers All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher. e publisher has endeavored, whenever possible, to identify and gain permission for the reproduction of all the images printed in this book. Any party who believes that an image has been reproduced in violation of their copyright should immediately contact Karwansaray Publishers. : 978-94-90258-15-3 : 464 Cover: 'Return to the Front, Victoria Station, London'. Oil painting by Richard Jack. Now in the National Railway Museum, York. e image is reproduced in full on pages 128-129. Proofreading: Margriet Lacy-Bruijn Layout: Christy Beall Cover design: Mats Elzinga Printing: Wöhrmann BV, Zutphen Rails_to_the_Front.indd 4 22/03/2017 15:41 CONTENTS Foreword 6 1. RAILWAYS AND WARFARE - early beginnings 8 2. RAILWAYS IN THE CRIMEAN WAR 22 3. AMERICAN RAILROADS AND THE CIVIL WAR - an overview 34 4. PEACE IN EUROPE - but preparing for the next war 52 5. THE RUSSIAN ADVANCE INTO ASIA 66 6. ARMOR AND ARTILLERY - on the rails 78 7. RAILWAYS IN COLONIAL WARS 94 8. RAILROADS IN THE MIDDLE EAST - before 1918 118 9. THE FIRST WORLD WAR - 1914-1918 128 10. AMERICAN RAILROADS - in World War I 162 11. RUSSIA AFTER THE REVOLUTION - of 1917 172 12. THE SECOND WORLD WAR - 1939-1945 180 13. AMERICAN RAILROADS - and World War II 202 14. RAILWAYS AND WAR AFTER 1945 216 Bibliography 224 General Index 230 Rails_to_the_Front.indd 5 22/03/2017 15:41 FOREWORD is book originated in the Dutch language with the title Sporen naar to the Dutch-language market. But they did welcome the idea of an het Front: Spoorwegen en Oorlog, published in 2013 by W Books of English edition and promised to cooperate in all respects. ey made the Zwolle. It was written by the Dutchman of the two present authors illustrations of the Dutch edition digitally available to us and the new at the request of the director of the Netherlands Railway Museum of publisher. We were pleased to §nd one, and we thank Rolof van Hövell Utrecht, Paul van Vlijmen, to accompany a major exhibition on the role tot Wester¨ier of Karwansaray Books in Rotterdam for his enthusiasm of railroads in wartime over the last centuries. at exhibit in Utrecht for this project. When we §rst approached him, he was positive and liked in 2013 was a huge success with thousands of visitors and considerable the idea of an expanded English-language book. He has given us his un- attention in the press and other media. hesitating support. We want to thank sta¦ member Christy Beall for her e Dutch book sold well and received favorable reviews, but the au- assistance. She took care of the acquisition of the images selected by us thor thought that the subject deserved a wider audience than those who and requested the necessary permissions where appropriate. Moreover, can read only Dutch. So the idea of an English-language translation she took care of the layout, doing a remarkable job. en Margriet Lacy- or adaptation germinated. As the railroads of the United States played Bruijn, our Dutch-American friend from Indianapolis and Maarssen, a conspicuous role in three wars described in the book, more attention deserves praise for her work as copy-editor. She polished the English could be paid to the American side of the picture. And who could do texts of the Dutch author into a coherent body, with critical remarks that better than H. Roger Grant, one of the leading railroad historians where necessary and suggestions for improvement. of America? And as it happened that the Dutchman and the American e people of the Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum of Utrecht were en- were good friends and had earlier collaborated in a joint e¦ort, the edit- thusiastic about the project, and they were glad to make photographs ing of a diary of a young Dutchman, Claude August Crommelin, who from their collections available for this publication. Friends on both sides visited the United States and Canada in 1866-1867, it was only natural of the Atlantic, Don Hofsommer and John Gruber in the West and Dirk that Roger could write the chapters that covered railroads in the wars Eveleens Maarse in the East were happy to supply photographs. We also where America was involved. He accepted eagerly his role in this book. provided images from our own holdings. We decided to dispense with footnotes or endnotes but provide an Our wives, Jannie and Martha, may have wished for more diverse sub- extensive bibliography for those readers who would want to check out jects of table talk than railways and war, but by now they understand our statements or would wish to delve deeper into the subject. We also aberrations and always have supported us without serious complaints. We thought that illustrations often say more than words, so we have col- owe them thanks for their patience, their help, and their critical remarks. lected a large number of photographs from numerous sources that give a good idea of what the presence of railways meant in a war. Augustus J. Veenendaal, Jr., ‘t Harde, Netherlands W Books, publisher of the Dutch version, hesitated to bring out an H. Roger Grant, Clemson, South Carolina English-language edition as their business experience was mostly limited 6 Rails to the Front Rails_to_the_Front.indd 6 22/03/2017 15:41 Rails_to_the_Front.indd 7 22/03/2017 15:41 RAILWAYS & WARFARE 1early beginnings Rails_to_the_Front.indd 8 22/03/2017 15:41 Rails_to_the_Front.indd 9 22/03/2017 15:41 ould a newfangled contraption, the iron road or railway, be of any march. And there were no problems with deserters and stragglers. use for military purposes? at was a question asked by military men Despite the special low fare the L&M made a pro§t. when the rumors about that new mode of transportation started Despite this early success, there was little discussion in Britain about circulating in the o®ces of the commanders- the use of railways in wartime. Of course, a conti- C in-chief and generals of various countries. But nental war was not contemplated after the defeat of what was that new contraption, the railroad, what did Napoleon at Waterloo and the Royal Navy would it do and what did it not do? After all, most people prevent any hostile landing on Britain’s shores. Dur- had never seen a railway with their own eyes and had ing 1842, a year of Chartist disturbances, troops to obtain their information from sometimes doubtful were sent from London to the manufacturing dis- sources. It was new, it was fast, it was the wonder of tricts. In that same year the Board of Trade, in the the world, but was it safe or dangerous? Was it really – second – Regulation Act, had made provisions for needed or was it super¨uous as roads, rivers and canals the conveyance of troops and equipment by rail and were already an established means of transportation? the conditions applying. According to the Quarter- Was it going to be a blessing or a curse? Was it going (Top) Friedrich List (1789- master-General’s report in 1844, 118,000 soldiers 1846), German economist to advance world peace or would it be a reason for war? had been moved by rail about the country during the and journalist, became a Both military and civil authorities in every country troubled years 1842 and 1843. A battalion of 1,000 great proponent of an were wondering what the advantages or disadvantages men with equipment could be sent by rail from economic union of the would be. Philosophers and men of business and trade London to Manchester in nine hours, as had indeed several German states, began to discuss the pros and cons of the rail for civil- happened in 1842. Marching would have taken sev- and he designed the first ian purposes, while progressive military o®cers did the enteen days! e existence of the railway meant that comprehensive railway same for their own ends.