Reilly, Robert M.

Robert M. Reilly was born in Chicago in 1928. After attending Morgan Park Junior College (Chicago) for a year, he transferred to the University of Idaho, where he remained until 1949. Reilly married in 1951, before he joined the United States Navy. He attained the rank of petty officer first class before his enlistment expired in 1955.

After his term in the Navy, Reilly and his family returned to Chicago, where he worked as a graphic artist until 1962, when the family moved to Baton Rouge. His career in Baton Rouge centered around an interest in military history, and included positions with the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce (1967-1973), owner of a military antique store (1973-1979), special consultant for the Louisiana Office of State Parks (1981-1982), and Curator of the Old State Capitol Building (1982-1986).

Reilly's interest in military history included memberships in the Company of Military Historians, American Society of Arms Collectors, U.S. Naval Institute, International Naval Research Organization, Civil War Round Table of Baton Rouge, Pelican Arms Collectors Association, and other organizations related to antique weapons and military and naval history. He was also an advocate for historic sites and decommissioned ships, such as the USS Kidd.

Reilly's works as a military artist and historian were well received by the military history community. His maps and illustrations appeared in numerous publications. Reilly's major works include U.S. MILITARY SMALL ARMS, 1816-1865 (1970); UNITED STATES MARTIAL FLINTLOCKS (1986); and AMERICAN SOCKET BAYONETS AND SCABBARDS (1990). These works represent thirty years of research, and include nearly two thousand drawings by Reilly.

From the description of Robert M. Reilly papers, 1955-1996. (Louisiana State University). WorldCat record id: 244299953