Forgotten Battles, Forgotten Maps: Resources for Reconstructing Historical Topographical Intelligence Using Army Map Service Materials

Abstract

Topographical intelligence is the information gathered about terrain, facilities, and transportation networks in enemy territory. This information, collected to aid in military operations, remains a noble cartographic resource that historical geographers can use in a variety of ways. One map collection based on topographical intelligence languishes underused and underappreciated in many university map libraries. Falling somewhere between the glorious old maps and the newest digital cartographic products are the venerable United States Army Map Service (AMS) materials. This essay will briefly discuss the history of the AMS and how its materials became available in library collections. This essay also will explain topographical intelligence’s importance and present the results of a survey of an AMS map collection that identified map series with high potential as research sources. Finally, it will present the locations of AMS map collections and working aids for interpreting the material.

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