Historical Presentations

 

  Last year I started giving historical talks to local museums and senior centers.  What started out as a one off presentation blossomed as more groups wrote or called me to do a presentation for them.  This year my calender has filled with a good number of talks.

Massachusetts Connections to the Titanic

April 15, 2025 (113th anniversary)

Harvard MA senior center

Although not well known these were a great number of residents of Massachusetts who sailed on the Titanic.  They included businessman returning from sales trips, families on tour of Europe, immigrants looking forward to joining families already in America and a best selling author.  

The Sudbury Fight

April 22, 2025 (349th anniversary)

University of Massachusetts at Lowell

On April 21, 1676 over five hundred Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Narragansett warriors attacked the frontier settlements of Sudbury (today Sudbury and Wayland) in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Various companies of English militiamen from nearby settlements marched to that town's defense and were drawn into ambushes and suffered heavy losses. The battle was the largest fight and the last major Native American victory in King Philip's War before their final defeat in southern New England in August 1676. All but forgotten today, the sites and stories of this battle are still there to be found by the curious who look for them.

April 19, 1775: The British View Point

April 19, 2025 (250th anniversary)

Fort Devens Museum 1:00 PM

Although the events and story of Lexington and Concord are well known, the British side is too often dismissed or ignored. What did the British know about the supplies at Concord and the countryside? How was the march to Boston conducted? This presentation will explore the British side through the use of first person documents and accounts to provide a new and complimentary account of the days events.

Battle of Bunker Hill: A Tactical View

May17, 2025 1:00

Fort Devens Musem

The Battle of Bunker’s Hill is a milestone in American history; but also a terribly misunderstood battle. Far too often folklore and myth have replaced fact so that today most narratives are confused and misleading. Why didn’t the British outflank the Americans on Charlestown neck? Were there really three frontal assaults? Did the British outnumber the Americans? And did the Americans really only lose the battle because they ran out of ammunition?

This presentation will look at why the leaders made the decisions they did based on facts at the time. Rather than British arrogance and American inexperience, most decisions were based on sound reasoning at the moment.

Some Silly Humor

 Here is some very silly humor for today.  Have fun taking the test!

Suggestions for fighting Guilford Courthouse

 

  Guilford Courthouse is one of the most refought battles of the American Revolution.  Back in 1997 I decided to fight the battle as my contribution to the club's convention Tricon.  This was a all 18th century miniature gaming day put on by our club the northern conspiracy.  

  As part of the game I wanted the British player to experience the surprise and frustration of there counter parts at the actual battle.  Surprise in that each time they pushed away a line if Americans a new line appeared.  The woods had blocked there view so they could not see what was ahead of them.  Frustration in that the Americans just kept appearing and fighting.

  In my game the set up was the first line and only the first line.  Once the British players broke the American militia I stoped the game and gave everyone a mandatory break if ten minutes.  When they returned the table had been cleared off and now the second American line was set up.  Only those British units that had advanced a certain distance were set up.  The others were struggling and arrived in a turn or two.  The reaction was surprise.  Apprehension was the feeling when I called a break after the second line broke.  More frustration when they arrived back to see the third American line set up.  

  Victory conditions were different for each side.  Naturally the British had to break each line and force the Americans to retreat off the boards.  The Americans had to preserve the Continental line at all cost.  They lost points for heavy Continental casualties.  This replicated nicely Greene's withdrawal just as it looked like they might win.  Militia casualties did not count towards victory points!

  The final result was a fun game which both players won.  It modeled the battle rather well and both sides had a fun time.  Which after all is the mist important thing.

Battle of Guilford Courthouse 15 March 1781

 

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"Come on my brave Fusiliers!"

  " As at Camden, the British went forward as soon as they were in line. Captain Peter led the 23rd on as acting commanding officer, with the regiment effectively in two wings under captains Saumarez and Champagne. As they went forward, one of them noticed the ‘field lately ploughed, which was wet and muddy from the rains which had recently fallen’.

On they trudged towards the fence that marked the end of Hoskins’ cornfield and the beginning of the woods to the fore, observing as they grew closer that the rails were lined with men. MacLeod’s cannon opened fire, sending their ball whooshing into the American lines. Colonel Webster, on horseback, trotted to the front of his brigade and called out so that all could hear, ‘Charge!’ The men began jogging forward, bayonets fixed and muskets levelled towards the enemy. A crackling fire from their left, Kirkwood’s riflemen, began knocking down a redcoat here or there, but did nothing to check their impetus.

North Carolina militia

When the British line was little more than 50 yards from the North Carolina militia everything seemed to stop for Serjeant Lamb: … it was perceived the whole of their force had their arms presented, and resting on a rail fence … they were taking aim with the nicest precision. At this awful period a general pause took place; both parties surveyed each other for the moment with the most anxious suspense … Colonel Webster spurred his horse to the head of the 23rd and bellowed out, ‘Come on my brave Fusiliers!’ Some of the Americans started to run, but most held on for a moment; there was a rippling crash of American musketry when the redcoats were at optimum range, 40 to 50 yards away. Dozens of Webster’s men went down as the musket balls cut legs from under them or smashed into their chests. Lieutenant Calvert worried for an instant how his men might react to such a heavy fire: ‘They instantly returned it and did not give the enemy time to repeat their fire but rushed on them with bayonets.’ Captain Saumarez noted with pride, ‘No troops could behave better than the regiment … they never returned the enemy’s fire but by word of command and marched on with the most undaunted courage.’..."

Quote from;

Fusiliers:  The saga of a British Redcoat Regiment in the American Revolution  by Mark Urban

WuFun miniatures

 

  Question for those out in the blogging world.  Have any of you bought or gamed with the WuFun figures?  They look interesting and could make a cheap, easy way into the hobby. Also a nice way to try out a new period.  I am just curious how they workout on the table top.  They remind me of early gamers who played with flats.

In addition to the figures they have now released many of  the rules sets as a free PDF.  You just go to the site and under rules put them in a cart and"buy"them for free.  Its much easier then it sounds.  Here is a link;

https://wofungames.com/

When on the home page s roll down to the free rules.  I picked up a couple and am very impressed by them. A quality looking publication with nice pictures and some diagrams.  The rules are written by Andy Callan.  I have always looked his rules.  They are easy to learn but a you have to read they carefully.  I will be doing a in-depth revuew if his American Revolution set next post.