Wednesday 30 June 2010

Blue Jacket

Today Blue Jacket and a large concentration of natives tried to take Fort Recovery.

Below is a description from this site on Blue Jacket where there is a painting by Hal Sherman

THIS IS BLUE JACKET THROUGH THE EYES OF WHITE CAPTIVE O. M. SPENCER
JULY, 1792 AT THE HOME OF THE CHIEF ON THE MAUMEE

Spencer was captured earlier in the year near Cincinnati and adopted into a Shawnee family near what is now Defiance in northwest Ohio.

”His person, about six feet high was finely proportioned, stout, and muscular; his eyes large, bright, and piercing; his forehead high and broad; his nose aquiline; his mouth rather wide, and his countenance open and intelligent, expressive of firmness and decision .... He was dressed in a scarlet frock coat, richly laced with gold and confined around his waist with a part-colored sash, and in red leggings and moccasins ornamented in the highest style of Indian fashion. On his shoulders he wore a pair of gold epaulets, and on his arms broad silver bracelets; while from his neck hung a massive silver gorget and a large medallion of His Majesty, George Ill. Around his lodge were hugh rifles, war clubs, bows and arrows, and other implements of war; while the skins of deer, bear, panther, and otter, the spoils of the chase, furnished pouches for tobacco, or mats for seats and beds. His wife was a remarkably fine looking woman; his daughters, much fairer than the generality of Indian women, were quite handsome; and his two sons, about eighteen and twenty years old, educated by the British, were very intelligent”

Tuesday 29 June 2010

New Redcoat website

The Quintin Kennedy Detachment website is a new addition to the hobby and it has quite a few resources on the drill page. It's best if I let you browse it yourself but the Who We Are is a good start. Well done.

Thursday 24 June 2010

Battle of Beaver Dams 1813

This battle was fought today between British and American forces - the British force having a sizeable Indian contingent.

Wednesday 23 June 2010

Battle of Springfield 1780

This battle - one of the last in the North - was fought today in 1780. I read that Lafayette visited Hessian general Knyphausen after the war in Kassel where they reminisced about the war and exchanged compliments.

Tuesday 22 June 2010

Battle of the Thousand Islands 1760-2010

Image is of Fort de la Présentation as modeled by Jim Boyle from the Association website
Wiki on the battle
This 25oth anniversary has had budget cuts but is still going ahead. Read about it here
Jul 16 through 18, 2010 - the Fort La Présentation Association will host New York State’s final 250th anniversary commemoration of the French and Indian War


Read a detailed piece on the reenactment at this page

War of 1812 at the Ulster American Folkpark

Date - Friday 2 July 10:00 - Sunday 4 July 17:00

Celebrate all things American from the 18th to 20th centuries. A festival for all the family with this year’s highlight being thrilling re-enactments from the period of the Anglo-American War (1812-1815) featuring British Redcoats, American Militia Sharpshooters and Woodland Indians.

Walk around the encampments; mingle with the 19th century re-enactors and witness battles and skirmishes as you are transported back to one of the most dynamic periods in American history. Other activities will include live Bluegrass, Cajun and American Folk music, traditional Punch and Judy Shows with American games for all the family.

Pay on arrival, booking in advance not necessary.

Saturday 19 June 2010

French and Indian wars terrain sets

If you wargame this period with 10-12mm figures then you might be interested in this range of terrain features which includes Fort Necessity, cabins, tents etc. I must admit I have been tempted by Pendraken's 10mm F&I range. I'd be interested if any of you out there have any images of figures or any comments.

Battle of Seven Oaks 1816

This fight between rival fur trading companies took place today in 1816. Wiki here. (Known to the Métis as la Victoire de la Grenouillière, or the Victory of Frog Plain). It involved Pemmican - a food stuff - the word based on a Cree word meaning 'fat and grease'.

Wednesday 16 June 2010

Fort Beauséjour 1755

Battle of Fort Beausejour
Today in 1755 this French fort fell to the British leading to the expulsion of the Acadians. Renamed Fort Cumberland it was briefly besieged by Rebels in the Revolution. We are fortunate to have 2 images from 1755 of the Fort and its environs. Plan of the western part of the Chignecto Isthmus showing Beauséjour Fort and the surrounding area
and
Fort Beausejour 1755 by Capt Hamilton

Saturday 12 June 2010

Siege of Louisbourg 1758

Today marks the day of the assault on Louisbourg by James Wolfe. This day Lighthouse Point was seized with a picked force.
Wiki here

Friday 4 June 2010

Ranger Painting Guide

Those folk over at Galloping Major Wargames have put a guide to painting of French and Indian war Rangers at their website.

Garnison de Québec. Compagnies franches de la Marine

www.lagarnisondequebec.com