5 ms·

United States Camel Corps

70 points by samclemens 9y ago

crikli 9y ago
Jim Kjelgaard wrote a kid's fiction book, "Hi Jolly", about this that I remember reading 30+ years ago: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41700/41700-h/41700-h.htm http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41700/41700-h/41700-h.htm
csours 9y ago
Reminiscent of the hilarious story "Space Rats of the CCC" (Combat Camel Corp) by Harry Harrison. I highly recommend reading it if you can find it - my google-fu is failing.
- k_sh 9y ago
  I found an archive of it: http://www.pacificaradioarchives.org/recording/kz0566 http://www.pacificaradioarchives.org/recording/kz0566 > This recording is currently on a 1/4” reel tape and has not been digitally preserved. If you would like to contribute to the cost of transferring this recording, and receive your own personal copy on CD, please complete this form and we will return your request with pricing information.
- celticninja 9y ago
  I believe it is included in "50 in 50" https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312877900/ref=nosim/strangehorizons https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312877900/ref=nosim...
provost 9y ago
Camels were used during WW1, WW2, and are even used today for peacekeeping missions in parts of Africa. The following picture is of Dutch peacekeepers on camelback: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_cavalry#/media/File:UN_Soldiers_in_Eritrea.jpeg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_cavalry#/media/File:UN_S... Not to mention the anti-Taliban rebels in Afghanistan... Camel calvary are still alive and well.
- dmix 9y ago
  I read a great series about the Eastern Front in WW1 from the 'Axis' perspective [1] and the use of donkeys and horses was a critical part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and later German armies offence (and later defence) against the Russians. Their entire front against Russia was eventually reliant on their ability to drag heavy artillery and supplies through the dangerous mountain passes of the Carpathian mountains. An example of what they went through for their country: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Winterschlacht_in_den_Karpaten.jpg?1502922470339 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Wintersc... Supply lines are the often unspoken critical pieces of the puzzles for any great war before mid-WW2. Poor logistical planning in their invasion of Russia was also was a major factor in why the Nazi's lost WW2 - which is where Germany really lost the war, the "war of the Atlantic" and later western front with the Americans was just the multi-year delayed wrapping up action where they had very little odds from the beginning. This second book [2] has a great overview about why the Nazi's had actually lost the war by 1941 (and very obviously by 1942) due to poor logistical planning of Operation Barbarossa, largely due to the strategic planners overconfidence in the German superiority over Slavs after they swept the French/British out of Europe. The next 3yrs were just Hitler's delusions keeping it afloat. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Collision-Empires-Eastern-General-Military/dp/1472813189/ https://www.amazon.com/Collision-Empires-Eastern-General-Mil... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Barbarossa-Germanys-Cambridge-Histories-ebook/dp/B00B23DEBQ/ https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Barbarossa-Germanys-Cambrid...
  - vkou 9y ago
    The situation in WW2 wasn't any better then WW1. If you think the roads in your town are poorly maintained, take a look at this example of Rasputitsa in the USSR. [1] Yes, the people in the photographs are trying to pull that car down the road. Yes, that is indeed a road. Soviet railroad gauges being incompatible with European rail gauges also did little to help German logistics. And later in the war, due to fuel shortages, more and more axis machinery had to be transported by draft-horse. [1] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1981-149-34A%2C_Russland%2C_Herausziehen_eines_Autos.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Bundesar...
bexelbie 9y ago
Why did the confederates write a receipt to the US government?
- jackfoxy 9y ago
  Early in the rebellion the confederates were determined to establish the legitimacy of their secession, which would include respecting property. The camels were the property of the U.S. government.
gt5050 9y ago
BSF Camel Corps ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikaner_Camel_Corps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikaner_Camel_Corps ) are probably the last forces still using camels for active duty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqr0_PjPEIk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqr0_PjPEIk
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
SoMisanthrope 9y ago
Wow. Super wow. Who cares and what idiocy made this trend on HN?!
- dmix 9y ago
  Nerds have a wide breadth of interests. You must be new here. I personally find the possible idea of thousands of camels walking around the southern US and it's implications on warfare interesting. But I may be the minority here. That's what up/downvoting is for...
  - trapperkeeper74 9y ago
    Please don't feed the trolls. Thanks.
nthcolumn 9y ago
By the by and apropos of nothing, 'Camel Corps' is what we used to call certain members of the British diplomatic service who had 'gone native' in the Middle East and Arabian peninsula generally but more specifically to those diplomats who had passed through the Middle East Centre for Arabic Studies school in the Leb (and Oxford). FO had many Arabists for a time, not so sure nowadays. There was of course a fairly impressive Imperial Camel Corps during WWI comprised of actual camels and mainly Anzacs.
- phillc73 9y ago
  This article in general reminded me of the role camels played in the European exploration of Australia. There is now a reasonably large population of wild, feral camels in Australia[1], and I thought this article might speak of something similar in the US. However, I'd never heard of the Imperial Camel Corps[2] and am now intrigued to learn more. Thanks for the initial information. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_feral_camel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_feral_camel [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Camel_Corps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Camel_Corps
jefflyon 9y ago
"On June 4, 1855, Wayne departed New York City on board the USS Supply" We weren't very good at naming ships back then.
scentoni 9y ago
A sort of homecoming, since camelids originated in North America, and afterward spread to South America and Asia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel#Evolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel#Evolution

70 points by samclemens 9y ago

Jim Kjelgaard wrote a kid's fiction book, "Hi Jolly", about this that I remember reading 30+ years ago: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41700/41700-h/41700-h.htm http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41700/41700-h/41700-h.htm

csours 9y ago

Reminiscent of the hilarious story "Space Rats of the CCC" (Combat Camel Corp) by Harry Harrison. I highly recommend reading it if you can find it - my google-fu is failing.

k_sh 9y ago
I found an archive of it: http://www.pacificaradioarchives.org/recording/kz0566 http://www.pacificaradioarchives.org/recording/kz0566 > This recording is currently on a 1/4” reel tape and has not been digitally preserved. If you would like to contribute to the cost of transferring this recording, and receive your own personal copy on CD, please complete this form and we will return your request with pricing information.
celticninja 9y ago
I believe it is included in "50 in 50" https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312877900/ref=nosim/strangehorizons https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312877900/ref=nosim...

provost 9y ago

Camels were used during WW1, WW2, and are even used today for peacekeeping missions in parts of Africa. The following picture is of Dutch peacekeepers on camelback: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_cavalry#/media/File:UN_Soldiers_in_Eritrea.jpeg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_cavalry#/media/File:UN_S... Not to mention the anti-Taliban rebels in Afghanistan... Camel calvary are still alive and well.

dmix 9y ago
I read a great series about the Eastern Front in WW1 from the 'Axis' perspective [1] and the use of donkeys and horses was a critical part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and later German armies offence (and later defence) against the Russians. Their entire front against Russia was eventually reliant on their ability to drag heavy artillery and supplies through the dangerous mountain passes of the Carpathian mountains. An example of what they went through for their country: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Winterschlacht_in_den_Karpaten.jpg?1502922470339 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Wintersc... Supply lines are the often unspoken critical pieces of the puzzles for any great war before mid-WW2. Poor logistical planning in their invasion of Russia was also was a major factor in why the Nazi's lost WW2 - which is where Germany really lost the war, the "war of the Atlantic" and later western front with the Americans was just the multi-year delayed wrapping up action where they had very little odds from the beginning. This second book [2] has a great overview about why the Nazi's had actually lost the war by 1941 (and very obviously by 1942) due to poor logistical planning of Operation Barbarossa, largely due to the strategic planners overconfidence in the German superiority over Slavs after they swept the French/British out of Europe. The next 3yrs were just Hitler's delusions keeping it afloat. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Collision-Empires-Eastern-General-Military/dp/1472813189/ https://www.amazon.com/Collision-Empires-Eastern-General-Mil... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Barbarossa-Germanys-Cambridge-Histories-ebook/dp/B00B23DEBQ/ https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Barbarossa-Germanys-Cambrid...
- vkou 9y ago
  The situation in WW2 wasn't any better then WW1. If you think the roads in your town are poorly maintained, take a look at this example of Rasputitsa in the USSR. [1] Yes, the people in the photographs are trying to pull that car down the road. Yes, that is indeed a road. Soviet railroad gauges being incompatible with European rail gauges also did little to help German logistics. And later in the war, due to fuel shortages, more and more axis machinery had to be transported by draft-horse. [1] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1981-149-34A%2C_Russland%2C_Herausziehen_eines_Autos.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Bundesar...

bexelbie 9y ago

Why did the confederates write a receipt to the US government?

jackfoxy 9y ago
Early in the rebellion the confederates were determined to establish the legitimacy of their secession, which would include respecting property. The camels were the property of the U.S. government.

gt5050 9y ago

BSF Camel Corps ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikaner_Camel_Corps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikaner_Camel_Corps ) are probably the last forces still using camels for active duty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqr0_PjPEIk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqr0_PjPEIk

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

SoMisanthrope 9y ago

Wow. Super wow. Who cares and what idiocy made this trend on HN?!

dmix 9y ago
Nerds have a wide breadth of interests. You must be new here. I personally find the possible idea of thousands of camels walking around the southern US and it's implications on warfare interesting. But I may be the minority here. That's what up/downvoting is for...
- trapperkeeper74 9y ago
  Please don't feed the trolls. Thanks.

nthcolumn 9y ago

By the by and apropos of nothing, 'Camel Corps' is what we used to call certain members of the British diplomatic service who had 'gone native' in the Middle East and Arabian peninsula generally but more specifically to those diplomats who had passed through the Middle East Centre for Arabic Studies school in the Leb (and Oxford). FO had many Arabists for a time, not so sure nowadays. There was of course a fairly impressive Imperial Camel Corps during WWI comprised of actual camels and mainly Anzacs.

phillc73 9y ago
This article in general reminded me of the role camels played in the European exploration of Australia. There is now a reasonably large population of wild, feral camels in Australia[1], and I thought this article might speak of something similar in the US. However, I'd never heard of the Imperial Camel Corps[2] and am now intrigued to learn more. Thanks for the initial information. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_feral_camel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_feral_camel [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Camel_Corps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Camel_Corps

jefflyon 9y ago

"On June 4, 1855, Wayne departed New York City on board the USS Supply" We weren't very good at naming ships back then.

scentoni 9y ago

A sort of homecoming, since camelids originated in North America, and afterward spread to South America and Asia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel#Evolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel#Evolution