Thursday 31 December 2009

British arms drill 1764

Emmerich and the Partisan at War

This man is an interesting subject for those of us interested in partisan tactics, light infantry and ranging and so forth as he wrote a treatise on the subject after his service as a Loyalist in the Revolution. The great Loyal American Regiment site has some useful information and a pdf of this work. Also some useful info here. You have to admire a man who was born in 1739, fought in the Revwar and was executed for leading a partisan band against Napoleon in 1809.

Battle of Quebec


Today this battle was fought in 1775. This painting by John Trumbull from 1786 has some interesting figures in the foreground. Looks like they are wearing a Canadian style cap that is seen on some illustrations of the period. Watch movie on American Invasion of 1775.

Friday 18 December 2009

Valley Forge cabin


Tomorrow marks the anniversary of Washington's army moving to Valley Forge. This is what they might have lived in. Cosy enough for winter weather?
Photos are replicas of cabins at Valley Forge

Wednesday 16 December 2009

Boston Tea Party - Johnny Tremain

Today is the anniversary of the BTP as it is now known so here's an amusing little clip of a slice of Americana. Personally I like tea and found that Americans drink way too much coffee for their own good but that's just my opinion.

Thursday 10 December 2009

Battle on Snowshoes reenactment

Over here in the UK it's wet and muddy but I think there's some snow in North America at the moment so that's an excuse to post the first part of three videos depicting this famous battle fought with Robert Rogers against a mixed force of regulars, milice and Natives. I think they reenact it every year around the environs of Fort Ticonderoga.

Saturday 5 December 2009

GAULTIER DE VARENNES ET DE LA VÉRENDRYE, PIERRE (also called Boumois),


This man who died on this day in 1749 had an interesting career in that he started his military life in the Carignan-Salieres regiment and eventually fought on both the American continent and in Europe during the War of Spanish Succession being injured in the battle of Malplaquet in 1709. He returned to Canada and had many more adventures as an explorer and fur trader. His life would make a great series of stories - maybe call it the Boumois novels?

Henry Knox


Today in 1775 Henry Knox started his epic transporting of cannons and mortars from Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point to Boston.