"Liberty"

 

  A late Father's day present from my son Nathaniel is the book  Liberty  by the artist Don Troiani.  Its a collection  of some of his battle and soldier paintings.  A nice coffee style book its perfect for relaxing with a cup if coffee and being inspired to paint or set up your next battle.  Each section has a different author writing about the event or battle and these are all well done and interesting.  I was especially delighted to see an old friend from my Park Service days, Anthony Wayne Tommell who wrote the section on the second battle of Saratoga.  I had worked on details with Tony at both Saratoga and Fort Stanwix. He us an outstanding authority on the campaign and over the years I had learn a lot from him.  So its especially great to see he us still doing great work.

Mr Ed's Big Book Give Away

 

  "If you don't go, you'll never forgive yourself " said Janine.  She ment if I did not go to "Ed's Big Book Give Away" Wednesday night  I would never forgive myself.  

  Ed, is Of course Ed from "Ed M's Wargames Meanderings Blog" and on Wednesday night at 6:30 pm he was having a once in a lifetime book give away.  He was clearing out his wargame room to make improvements and told us he was giving away a number of books.  Actually nine boxes of books.  And if you know anything about Ed its that his library is more then excellent.  What treasure would we find?  Be there at 6:30 and fund out.

  So I drove from my house the hour and a half up to the wilds of New Hampshire to arrive at his door step.  Ed's wife Amanda had made a big pot of chili and the small group of us (George, Byron, Ralph and myself) enjoyed a delightful meal before moving to the living room and pawing through the treasure chests of books like pirates looting a ship or Vikings sacking a town.

What did I come away with you ask!

Funcken Uniforms:

I have been trying g to get a copy of "The Lace Wars" for years and years.  Imagine my delight when the first thing I see is the hardback copy.  Oh joy of joy!  I can now die a happy man.  (but let's hope not yet of course!)

And to also get the Napoleonic set!  This was the best day ever!

Greece and Rome at War:

Another beautiful and informative book.

Osprey books: 

always useful and a easy read.

Napoleonic Wars:  

Chandler's "Napoleon's Marshalls" and also his "Campaigns of Napoleon";  Elting's "Swords around the Throne" and two outstanding battle studies on "Austerlitz" and "Eylau to Friedland.". The last two are beautiful coffee table style books with outstanding maps and uniform plates.

Military miniatures and Wargames: 

Outstanding books here.  Charles Grant Jr has wonderful books that both delight and inspire you.  " Wargames in Miniatures" was the first book I read about fighting battles with toy soldiers.  And the David Wilson book on the French army of the War if Austrian Succession is packed full of great stuff.

Books I always wanted to read but haven't:

Classics like Nolan's "The Iron Brigade" and "Zeppelins over London.". " The War birds " is an outstanding memoir from WW1.  And finally "Silent Night" about the Christmas truce.

An old sentimental favorite:

my parents got me this book when I was very young.  Not sure what ever happened to it.  Possibly read it till it fell apart.  So I grabbed this for the memories and because it was a fun read.

  Quite a haul of  books!  Now to fund A space for them all.

Thank you again Ed!  It was a very momentous night.

Battle Tactics of the American Revolution

 

  I have mentioned before I am on the Fife and Drum Miniatures forum.  This covers the wars of the 18th century and topics include history, miniatures, toy soldiers and wargaming.  It is a small but enthusiastic group who are well read, knowledgeable and polite.  The other day one member Chase (onefootbrush)  did an outstanding review of the new Osprey Book by Robbie MacNiven, "Battle Tactics of the American Revolution."

  I have curtailed my book buying as of late;  but after reading his review I had to get this one.  Chase's review is what a book review should be and too often are not.  I was very happy he allowed me to post his review here.  Thank you Chase!

"The book divides into sections based on the armies; British (with Loyalists and Native Allies), Continental (with militias and state troops), German States (sub-divided between Hesse-Cassel and the other German states), and the French Army.

The British section will be familiar to those who have read Matthew Spring's excellent With Zeal and Bayonets. Like Spring, MacNiven documents that the British army adapted into fighting in the North American theater. Famously, at the micro-tactical level the British army adopted two ranks with more spacing between each file of soldier (open order, extended order) and at the macro-tactical level the British army largely did away with having multiple lines and a reserve, usually have a small reserve if any at all and deploying their troops into a single line to maximize frontage. MacNiven emphasizes that extended frontage was very important to the often outnumbered British army but became a liability as the American rebels became more disciplined and mastered use of the bayonet (notably Cowpens). MacNiven also argues that it is an oversimplification to think of the British army as disdaining musketry and firepower for emphasis on the bayonet or to overstate that Americans focused on accuracy more than their British counterparts.

His section on Native American tactics was particularly informative to me. I was aware of the emphasis on fire and maneuver and little-war skirmishing that dominated Native tactics. However, MacNiven illustrates that Natives fighting in larger engagements preferred a "half-moon" shaped formation. This reminds me of the "Buffalo horns" favored by the Zulu impi, in that the center of the half-moon would engage and fix the enemy while the left and right wings attempted to envelop the enemy flanks. MacNiven also comments that Native commanders avoided completely encircling enemies if they could avoid it, as desperately trapped enemies could inflict heavy casualties that Native commanders attempted to avoid.

Much as in British section might reflect the work of Matthew Spring, the section covering the Continental Army is reminiscent of the work of Robert K. Wright in his book The Continental Army. (For clarification, MacNiven cites both works). MacNiven goes a step further than Wright by addressing the question of whether Patriot troops adopted open order. MacNiven argues that while American forces could and did practice open order, the Continentals in particular displayed a preference for close order formations. He reasons that the Americans, usually outnumbering their British and Loyalist opponents, didn't need the extended frontage. Additionally, Continentals were usually on the defensive and were not as much of a risk of being disrupted by using close order formations in wooded or uneven terrain. There is of course the influence of Stueben's regulations (promoting close order) as well. He also mentions Lt. Col. Mercer's criticism of this reliance on "German" close order tactics with General Wayne's brigade at Green Springs.

Organizationally, MacNiven argues that the Continental Army with permanent brigades and divisions were superior to the ad-hoc tactical brigades that the British used. I'm not sure how convincing of an argument that is, because there were some examples of almost permanent brigade structures used by the British (Webster's brigade of the 23rd and 33rd Regiments in the South comes to mind) and that brigade and division composition did change in the Continental Army. For example, for most of the war, a Continental division was two brigades. However, during the Monmouth campaign, this was changed to three brigades before reverting the following year. Additionally, Washington at Monmouth and in his battle plans for 1779 and later attempted to adopt a European-style of order of battle with multiple lines and wings rather than using the divisions as tactical units, though Washington did end up reverting to division as a combat unit by the time of Yorktown.

In his section on Patriot militia, the author describes that open order and skirmishing of the militia proved useful tactically even if their performances in linear battles were poor (this praise of militia is no doubt to trigger a certain ad nauseam discussion in a certain corner of the internet). He also talks about the legacy of Bunker Hill for both the American Patriots and the Crown troops, with the American attempting to repeat the performance of getting frontally assaulted in favorable positions while the British attempting to maneuver to avoid having to assault frontally fixed positions. Generally the British Army trended towards adopting its formations to the American theater and strategic situation (doing away with multiple lines and reserves), while the Continentals were trending the opposite, emphasizing close order and multiple lines, as they attempted to become a legitimate and respected European-style army.

The remainder of the book shifted to the European allies, the Germans and the French.

The German section breaks down into two competing schools of thought about the tactics of the American situation (and Jaegars). The first is Hesse-Cassel, stubbornly keeping close order and refusing to modify it marching pace, and as a result often being left behind by faster British troops. Conversely, Brunswick conforming to British open order and methods. MacNiven isn't entirely dismissive of Hesse-Cassel's conservativism, pointing out that Hessian commanders felt that with jaegars that the line troops didn't need to adopt open order. Additionally, the musketry of close order troop was thought to be heavier and more effective than open order troops, with MacNiven arguing that the Regiment von Trumbach's close order volley proved decisive in breaking Patriot troops at Savannah at 1778 as compared to the volleys of open order British troops. Additionally, he points out that German Grenadiers were capable of skirmishing in open order in pair with the Jaegar. This they did at Flatbush Pass during the Battle of Long Island.

The section of the French breaks down into theoretical arguments of a French establishment that was reeling from the loss of the Seven Years War. For infantry tactics, advocates of ordre profond (deep assault columns) clashed with advocates of ordre mince (thinner lines), with Rochambeau being a notable member of the latter school. A third order, ordre mixte (mix of troops in column and line) was proposed but still largely theoretical. Rochambeau demonstrated the superiority of ordre mince over ordre profond during a training exercise but was never able to use line tactics in open battle against British troops (using assault columns at Yorktown). MacNiven then illustrates that French troops largely used ordre profond assaults against fortified British positions to mixed results (defeats at Savannah and La Vigie and victories at Grenada and Yorktown). The second argument was largely in French artillery with the school of Gribeauval reforming and overhauling the older system of Valliere.

Spanish troops and their tactics are missing, but I'd imagine they would largely fall into the siege category like the French with Galvez's campaigns against British garrisons in the Gulf of Mexico and Florida and the Siege of Gibraltar.

Overall MacNiven's text provides a compact and succinct overview of the armies and their tactics and I would recommend it as a generalist work. The book is illustrated with tactical maps by Adam Hook which provide a bird eye's view of troops in formation of the battlefield and serve illustrative purposes. To that end the following plates are included:

A. The 33rd Regiment of Foot at Camden. Insets show the men of the 33rd Regiment (in campaign uniform attire) in open order as well as the colour reserve of the 33rd.

B. British Deployment at Waxhaws. Shows the tactical formation adopted by Tarleton during his rapid advance. Inset shows a British Legion infantryman riding double with a dragoon of the 17th Light Dragoons.

C. Ambush at Wyoming. Shows Butler's envelopment by loyalist and Indians against a line of militia and Continentals. Inset shows Seneca warrior and Butler's ranger skirmishing.

D. Patriot Deployments and Movements at Cowpens. Shows Morgan's three lines and the retreat and redeployment of the militia and Continental dragoons in an enveloping action. No inset.

E. Patriot militia attack at King's Mountain. Shows the envelopment and back-and-forth tactics used by the Overmountain men against Ferguson. Inset shows a Patriot militiamen loading a musket behind a tree.

F. Continental Army artillery tactics. Shows a grand battery of Continental six pounders deploying to support a line of infantry. Inset shows limbered Continental gun.

G. Hessian advance at Flatbush Pass. Shows Jaegars and grenadiers in open order screening Hessian close order troops and artillery. Inset shows jaegars operating an amusette.

H. Assault columns in siege warfare. Shows the French and American assault columns on the British redoubts at Yorktown as they approach. Inset shows grenadiers of Gatinais Regiment."

If you are interested in the 18th century I highly recommend the Fife and Drum forum.  It can be found here:

https://fifeanddrumminis.proboards.com

What have I been reading during the Pandemic

 

Hard Boiled Detective Stories:

Nothing better here, in my opinion then Robert Parker's Spenser series.  They take place in the Boston area and feature Spencer a private detective in the Philip Marlowe cast.  He is a ex boxer and ex policeman who is now a private detective.  He has a code of honour which he adhears to and an incredible cast of extras.  Love the wisecracks dialogue.  Spenser is a great cook, so you will get hungry reading the books. And he loves beer so i recommend keeping a glass of your favorite brew nearby.  They are a fun read and great description of the Boston area.  If you saw the TV series or movies forget it.  They are nothing like the books and pale imitations to be avoided.   He also wrote nine novels based on the fictional character Jesse Stone, a Los Angeles police officer fighting alcaholism who moves to a small New England town, and six novels based on the fictional character Sunny Randall, a female private investigator.  Parker wrote four Westerns starring the duo Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch.  They are all great and highly recommend.

For the Spenser series I recommend reading the books in order.  The earlier books are much more meatier and better written.  And you grow to learn more about the characters.  Avoid the books written after Parker's death as they are poor substitute for the original.

King Philip's War 1675 - 1676:  America's Deadliest Colonial Conflict. 

This new Osprey book by Gabriele Esposito is a great history of a forgotten conflict.  The war between the New England colonies and the Native Peoples was the single most destructive war in our countries short history.  Nearly half of all European settlements were destroyed.  The Narragansett, Wampanoag and many smaller tribes were destroyed.  Yet for all its harshness and destruction its a fascinating topic and part of the history of the area where I live.  And its causing me to reconsider starting yet another new period for gaming.

US Regular vs British Regular War of 1812

I received the Kindle edition of this Osprey series book.  There is not much out there on the North American War of 1812 in wargame circles. So when something comes out it is met with great rejoicing.  I saw this originally on the Osprey publishing website and pre ordered it right away.  I then spent the morning reading, and rereading it.  As someone who has limited dollars to spend on his hobby I have to say I was most happy with the book and think it well worth adding it to your library.

First off, what the book is not.  It is not a uniform guide.  It is not a history of the war.  There are other better books for those subjects.  Nor is it about the various Militia, Volunteer or Fencibels regiments.   

What it is is a comparison if the United States Regular soldier and his British counterpart.  It details their training, organization and background.  It goes into the drill manuals and how regiments formed up for battle.  There is some information about uniforms but just basics.  And there are three workman like accounts comparing the two armies at three major actions:  Queenstown Heights 1812, Chrysler's Farm 1813 and Chippewa 1814.  

The heart of the book is how the US regular army grew and developed during the war.  At the start the regular army was often the poor step child compared to the state militia.  Officers were often political appointed and ignorant of their duties.  There was no solid non commissioned ranks to train and maintain discipline and to be an example like in the British army.  Drill manuals?  Take your pick! Because there was no standard it was each regiment on its own.  As the war progress the incompetents are weeded out and a solid officer and non commissioned officer corp evolves.  A group of talented and dedicated officers rose to command positions.  The difference between the army at Queenstown and Chippewa was as light is to darkness.  

The book is not biased or one sided.  The British regular was a professional who maintained that reputation throughout the war.  The US regular evolved and developed throughout the war.  So yes, there is much more about him in the text and how this development came about.  Again the book is a comparison of the two regular soldiers from the start of the war to the end.  I think it is important to understand this before you buy the book.    I enjoyed it very much and found lots of good food for thought and lessons for my wargames armies.  

John Buchanan "Road" series:

"The Road to Charleston" and "The Road to Valley Forge. ". I am a great fan of Buchanan's " Road " books.  These are great, popular histories of varioys theaters of the American Revolution.  They are very well researched and well written.  His first book, "The Road to Guilford Courthouse" tells the take if the British southern theater from before the siege of Charleston to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.  "The Road to Charleston"  takes up the tale of Nathaniel Greene's recapture of South Carolina to the British evacuation if the South.  His "Road to Valley Forge" follows Washington's learning curve as commander in chief through the New York and New Jersey operations.  Both are great reads and great history.

Nathaniel Philbrick:

Just finished his books "Mayflower" and "Heart of the Sea."  

I found the Mayflower to be dived into thirds as far as story telling and contents go.  The first third of the book is a history of not only the first fifty years of the Pilgrims settlement in Massachusetts.  The first third of the book is about who they were and why they cane to America.  The next third is how they settled and adjusted to life in the wilderness.  It alsogoes into their inter actions with the Native peoples and how both sides looked to the other to establish dominance over the area and the other people living there.  Finally the last third is a brief history of King Philips War 1675-76.  Possibly one if the most destructive wars in our history and one if the only times the Native peoples could have pushed back the invasion of Europeans.

"The Heart of the Seas" described the tragedy of the Whale ship Essex which was rammed by a sperm whale and sunk. It was thus actually story which influenced Me level in writing Moby Dick. The crew was adrift for a long time and barely survived.  The book is an excellent history of the whaling industry as it actually was and not its romantic story as its cone down to us.  

Just starting Valiant Ambition about George Washington and Benidct Arnold.  I cannot understand why authors continue to over state Arnold's ability and actions.  But that is just me.  I feel a close look at his record showed him to be as careless with men's lives as he was with money.

"US Soldier vs British Soldier War of 1812"

 I had missed this new book from Osprey in their elite series.   Thank you to the  "Flintlock and Tomahawk" site for bringing this book to my attention.  

"US Soldier vs British Soldier War of 1812" by Greg Adams and illustrated by Johnny Shumate. It's schedule release is 23 Fenbruary 2021 and will be available in both paperback and Kindle editions. From the pre publication post in the Osprey website it looks to be very interesting and well researched. It will feature three battles (Queenston Heights, 13 October 1812; Crysler's Farm 11 November 1813 and Chippewa 5 July 1814) and traces the growth and development of the United States regular army. From the information available I am most excited about it and have pre ordered the Kindle edition. If its as good as I think it will be I will then order the paperback edition too.  So if nothing else Osprey has already made a sale on this book!

(Illustrations here are from the Osprey blog page)

For more information about this publications check out the Osprey Blog with an interview with the author here:

ospreypublishing.com/blog/US_Soldier_vs_British_Soldier

And the Amazon page for the book here:

www.amazon.com/US-Soldier-British-1812-Combat/dp/1472841670/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=US+Soldier+vs+British+Soldier&qid=1612552344&sr=8-3

The Boston Massacre: A Family History by Serena Zabin

The Boston Massacre is familiar to most of us.  Our views of it are filtered, known  through Paul Revere's engraving. That is how most of us still picture it.  A snowy night, blood thirsty soldiers slaughtering innocent civilians.  Or we know it from John Adams' defense of the soldiers.  But there is another side of the story one not know to most people.  That he Massacre arose from conflicts that were as personal as they were political. People on both sides knew and lived side by side.  

  

Professor Serena Zabin draws on original sources to follow British troops as they are sent from Ireland to Halifax and then to Boston in 1768.  She reveals a forgotten world.  That many regimental wives and children accompanied these armies. We see these families competing with Bostonians for living space and for work.  Conflicts came not only from enforcement of Colonial policy and laws but over living space and work.  Soldiers competed for low paying work.  They also shared experience, such as baptisms and births and deaths.  There were romantic attachments and not so romantic experiences.  Sickness such as small pox did not take sides but we're a equal opportunity employer.  When soldiers fired on citizens in the street, it was a final straw in a much longer simmering confrontation.  In many ways it was surprising it had not happened before.

Highly recommended not just for the new information and take on a old topic,  but because it is a very good read.

 

Stuart Asquith and the War of 1812: A review of two books

    I was asked recently by a friend about these two books.  How different are they and are they worth getting?  Another fruend asked me if they are just the same thing with different covers or if they duplicate the same materials.  To answer those questions here is a shirt review of my opinion about these books.  Both of which I own.

The War of 1812: A Campaign Guide to the War with America 1812-1815

  Opening this book at the On Military Matters stand at Cold Wars a few years ago I was delighted right away.  It is a book a wargamer would write.  One who loved the period.  Well written, lots of illustrations and bunches of helpful details. Just the stuff you need if starting the period or are an old hand who needs inspiration.   I bought it right away.

  As far as the content of the book it can be described as being in three parts.  The first  third of the book is devoted to a general history of the war per year (from 1812 to 1815). There is also a chapter devoted to the naval aspects of the war.  The text is short, clear, and very understandable.  most of the illustrations in this section are old prints and maps;  many out of Benjamin Lossing's Field Book of The War of 1812.

The next section is devoted to the  armies; British, Canadian United States and Indians.  This section describes the composition of armies and the uniforms worn.  Many are of obscure small units.  Great details here and very handy.  A small part is devoted to the “Indians” (Native Americans), about their involvement in the war and the main actions involving them. 

   The illustrations here are worth The price of the book.  There are a number of outstanding uniform plates by Bob Marrion.  There are also numerous photographs of reenactors here.  It is interesting to see the uniforms and how they look on real people rather then miniatures 

   The third and last part is  wargaming the War of 1812.  How to integrate the tactical particularities of  this unusual war into a set of  rules. The quality and types  of troops, what figures are available and where to get them.  All scales are mentioned.  numerous pictures of wargamer figures illustrate this section. The figures are usually 25mm Wargame Foundry or 54mm figures.  Please keep in mind the wonderful line of figures from Knuckleduster are not listed as they were not yet created when this book was written.

It is also an expensive book.  Because it is hardback and filled with colorful illustrations.  But you get a book that will last and you will return to time and again. 

Scenarios for the War of 1812-1815

  This scenario booklet has been written  with the wargamer in mind.  If you are looking for a quick guide to some of the important actions and how to Guggenheim on your table top here is your guide. 

After a capsule summary off the war the author lays out twelve battles forgoing fight.  The battle listed are:
Queenston Heights, 13th October 1812
Raisin River, 18th/22nd January 1813
The Assault on York, 27th April 1813
Sacket's Harbor, 29th May 1813
Beaver Dams, 24th June 1813
Thames River, 5th October 1813
Chateaugay, 25th October 1813
Crysler's Farm, 11th November 1813
Chippawa, 15th July 1814
Lundy's Lane, 25th July 1814
Bladensburg, 24th August 1814
North Point, 12th September 1814

  Here we have a good variety of actions. Some are obscure battles (Thames River), some skirmishes (Beaver Dam) and others stand up actions (Chippawa).  There is something for every size collection here.

  Each battle is played out in a similar manner.  A potted history of the actual fight, a simple map of the battlefield, troops involved and suggestions on how to game the battle. Some people may say the maps are too simple, but to me they give a good  representation of the ground.  In summation everything you need to war game this unique conflict in your table too.

Free Ebooks from Osprey

  We all have extra time for reading during this unexpected free time.  Osprey publishing is helping us all out by offering free ebooks.  That is right, free.  Here are the details;

"Many people all over the world are staying at home to combat the spread of COVID-19. While self-isolation might be a bit daunting, it’s also a great opportunity to catch up on your reading. To help pass the time, we’ll be giving customers five free eBooks each week for the next four weeks. Read through the options, add the eBook to your basket and use the code FREEBOOKS1 at checkout to get your free eBooks. "

 Here is the link to the page :

https://ospreypublishing.com/blog/Free_eBooks_week_1/

"Men who are Determined to be Free": The American Assault on Stony Point, 15 July 1779

The Battle of Stony Point was a  exciting but forgotten battle of the American Rev War.  A  little midnight July 16, 1779, the American Corps of Light Infantry overran the British position at Stony Point on the Hudson River. In twenty-five minutes American forces captured over 500 British troops, fifteen artillery pieces, and over 100,000 continental dollars’ worth of goods. It was a victory celebrated at the time and made General Anthony Wayne's reputation.  But today few but enthusiastic buffs know about it.  Sadley, fewer have taken the time to write about.  But those that have have done outstanding works and include Don Loprieno’s The Enterprise in Contemplation: The Midnight Assault on Stony Point, and Henry P. Johnston’s The Storming of Stony Point on the Hudson. Because these are difficult to find books the reading public has had a difficult time finding good material to learn about this fascinating battle.  "Men Who Are Determined to be Free" corrects this and provides the reader with a handy reference to this battle.  



      The author begins his coverage of the by describing the strategic situation in 1778. While this may feel somewhat unnecessary to some. I think it relates  the battle to the time and explains why both sides operated  as they did.  It explains the creation and development of the American Corp of Light Infantry.  It also tells the tale of how Anthony Wayne was picked for the assignment, and why he may have been the most experienced man for the job.  Lastly it explains the strategic and operational constraints that Sir Henry Clinton and the British were under.  Already the French alliance with America was hovering a effect.  British troops were being striped away for operations elsewhere and Clinton just did not have the manpower sir William Howe once had.  Not did he have Howe's operational freedom.



   The book contains a good amount of pictures, including many of the modern  battlefield. Throughout the book the reader can follow operations by the numerous maps.  Unlike many military history books this one does contain many useful ones.  Both the author and the publisher should be transistor this.


   Lastly, the book is a very good read and full of ideas for a miniature battle.  The details of night fighting and the confusion it causes is discussed.  How to translate this to the table top is another matter and one I have been working on for Refighting Lundy's Lane.  

They Fought bravely...

  They ...fought bravely, but were unfortunate: " The True Story of  Rhode Island's "Black Regiment" and the Failure of Segregation in Rhode Island's Continental nLine, 1777-1783.

  "Rhode Island’s “Black Regiment” of the American Revolutionary War is fairly well-known to students of American History. Most published histories of the small colored battalion from Rhode Island are clearly biased in favor of the “regiment” and tend to interpret it as an elite military unit. However, a detailed study and analysis of Rhode Island’s segregated Continental Line by the author reveals a “military experiment” that was beset with difficulties from its start and ultimately failed as a segregated unit in 1780. In this work, many of the popular stories of Rhode Island’s “Black Regiment” are proven to be myths. Follow the accurate historical stories of the colored and white soldiers of Rhode Island’s Continental Line whose courage and sacrifices helped create an independent nation." ( From Amzon review)

   I do highly encourage anyone who is looking for a VERY detailed history of the regiment with service records of all the men who served to look into another book that was published in late 2015. At just shy of 1000 or so pages, “They “… fought bravely, but were unfortunate: ” The True Story of Rhode Island’s “Black Regiment” and the Failure of Segregation in Rhode Island’s Continental Line, 1777-1783″ by Daniel Popek should be the go to resource for historians researching the 1st Rhode Island (1778+)/the Rhode Island Regiment (1781+).

  The book is a labor of love from the author.  It is packed with detailed information and very well researched.  Not a repetion of the same old, it contains new and serious research.  Privately publish this is a very big book.  Highly recommended.

New Saratoga Book

  A great new book about the Saratoga campaign.  My friend George just loaned me this.  We have a mural fascination with the campaign and have followed the path of Burgoyne's army and walked the battlefields countless times together.   He bought it as soon as it came out and dropped it off for me to read after a recent game.

  This is a big coffee table book.  Don Troiani needs no introduction.  The book is filled with both his individual soldier studies and a number of battle paintings.  in addition numerous pictures of artifacts (many from his collection) grace the book. You can lose yourself flipping the pages and admiring the art work.

 But to me the heart and soul and reason to buy this book is the narrative by Eric Schnitzer.  This is first rate and very well done.  Saratoga NHP has produced a long line of superb historians of the campaign and battle and Eric is the most recent.  His writing reflex an individual who has long studied the campaign;  not just the primary sources but has walked the terrain.  He is extremely knowledgeable about 18th century military culture and  tactics.  In addition he has uncovered and used a number of primary accounts I have not seen other authors use.  This background has produced one of the very best short accounts of the campaign.  My only complaint is I wish for a much longer and more detailed retelling of the campaign and battles.  One can only hope this will arrive someday.

I highly recommend this book!  I know when I was reading it the other night Janine stole a place at it and saus, "I think I know what to get you for Christmas.". One can only hope .

Armies of The War of 1812: The Armies of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada from 1812 - 1815

   I recently discovered this wonderful little book through Aly Morrison's blog (thank you!).  Although the text is pretty basic it does a very good job of describing the uniforms of the armies of the War of 1812.  This can be very confusing as the United States changed uniforms about every year. Each state also maintained its own militia who often outshine the regulars in dress.    And what is the difference between the Sedentary and Incorporated militia anyway?


  Well this book will explain all that and more.  Best of all are the uniform plates.  These are from the website of Olivier Millet at History-Uniform (http://history-uniforms.over-blog.com).  Although not as well know as they should be his illustrations are a treasure trove for the War of 1812 gamer.  Great detailed illustrations of uniforms of the type needed to paint your miniature warriors.  These are organized on his web site by regiment and changes by year.  So if you look at the 41st Regiment of Foot you see them in  1812 with stovepipe shakos but by 1814 they are in belgic shakos.  Very nice details!  Best of all all these illustrations are now at your finger tips on this handy book.

These are the type of illustrations you will find in the book.

  Once of the best sections of the book are the various militia regiments.  Each state had its very own army.  And a wide and colorful array of uniforms they are.  While they may not fight well (the Blandenburg races?) they do enliven a table top battle.

  So if you are a War of 1812 buff, or someone who has considered gaming this fascinating period pick.up this book.  You will be doing yourself a favor.  Highly recommended

Gettysburg in Miniature: A Battle Overview Illustrated With Model Soldiers and Dioramas

  Recently while looking through books on the American Civil War on Amazon I came across the title "Gettysburg in Miniature: A Battle Overview Illustrated With Model Soldiers and Dioramas. "  Unfortunately there was no picture of the book cover but reading the reviews suggested to me this might be worthwhile.  At under $3 for the kindle version down load it was a bargin.  I am very glad I did.  Once downloaded I could not put it down and finished it in one reading.

  I am not a big Civil War buff. I have read widely through the literature, walked numerous battlefields and had many late night discussions with fellow Park Service Rangers stationed at NPS sites.  But for some reason the bug has not bitten me.  So please keep this in mind while reading my review.

  The text is a standard account of the Battle of Gettysburg.  It follows the usual narratives but is written in a clear, understandable manner.  From the author's blog he has said it was written for teens to get them interested in the battle and the Civil War.  I am sure it will;  it held my attention.

  But the glory of the book are the pictures.  Illustrated profusely with photos of Civil War miniatures.  These include 54mm, 40mm, 25mm, and 15mm figures.  Collector figures, War game tables and dioramas fill the pages.  It is reminiscent of the book "The Wargame" edited by Peter Young.  And just as that book filled my imagination and still delights me today so too does this book.  A minor criticism of the book in Amazon reviews are that the pictures are in black and white rather then color.  The author says on his blog this was done to keep the cost low to make it attractive price wise to parents buying the book for teens or younger.  He also hints that they might later release a color edition of the book in the future.  While I am happy with the book as is, I would buy a color version of it if it came available.  But I am happy with the black and white pictures as they add to the period feel of the book.  They give me a nostalgic feeling of rereading a Featherstone book or looking at The old New England Wargamers magazine "The Courier."

  The combination of interesting text and miniature soldiers makes this a wonderful addition to anyone's library.  Many of the war game tables illustrated in the book should inspire one to refight that phase of the battle (either in the ACW  or as a hidden scenario) or improve your tabletop set up. This is a winning  combination and I am surprised more books like this have not been done.  I would highly recommend it.  In fact I have dropped a hint to my daughter and son this would be a great fathers day or any other time gift! It has already gotten me pondering how to fight the first days battle has an American Revolution action, or the wheatfield as a War of 1812 battle!

If you are interested in this book here is the page on Amazon for it;
https://www.amazon.com/Gettysburg-Miniature-Overview-Illustrated-Soldiers-ebook/dp/B07QT7TV89/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

"Martial Bliss"; a Memoir About a Bookstore for Military Buffs

    A memoirs about a book store?  Certainly you jest!  But no!  This is a book about a very unusual and very special store.  Open from 1976 to 2003 the Military Bookman was the location to stop in when visiting New York city if you loved military history and books.  Located in a brownstone which frequently had leaks and heating issues it was a treasure trove of hard to find and unusual books on military history.  The only thing better then a visit was the red catalog which would arrive in the mail. 

  This was a fun, entertaining travel down memory lane. But for a better review and more details i suggest the New York Times book review which was itself a joy to read.


https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/31/books/review-martial-bliss-a-loving-memoir-about-a-bookstore-for-military-buffs.html

A Very Brilliant Afair: The Battle of Queenston Heights 1812

   "His Majesty's arms gained a complete victory over those of the United States yesterday in a very brilliant affair"  Captain William Holcroft  Royal Artillery

   Robert Malcomson who many readers will be familiar was the dean of War of 1812 historians. Although most of his works center  on the naval side of the war, this book finds him describing a land action.   The site of Queenston Heights was very special to him and the staff  there still refers to him with great respect.  Possibly because of this this book is a gem.  Great writing, great research and a better understanding of a complicated event.

   The Battle of Queenston Heights would set a pattern for other battles during the War of 1812.  An inexperienced mixture of American regulars and militia commanded by a politically appointed General tasked with a overly complicated plan against a professional General with a handful of regulars, militia and Native warriors.  A pattern that would exist until the 1814 Niagara campaign.

   Malcomson has written a narrative that sets the stage for why the battle happened and the course of the fighting.  He is at pains to describe why commanders did what they did based on circumstances at that time.  Finally he addresses many of the myths that have grown up about the battle and obscured its actual details.  Was General Isaac Brock the true hero of the day? What  role did General Roger Hale Sheaffe play?  Was this a victory for the Canadian militia alone?  What were the role of John Norton and his Native Warriors?  Were the  often ­maligned New York militia really responsible for their armies defeat?  Could the American invading force have won?  During the reading of the book you are introduced to many amazing and interesting people.  The politically appointed General Stephen Van Rensselaer.  The dynamic General Isaac Brock.  Professional to the core Captain William Holcroft. John Norton who lived in two worlds. And the larger then life Winfield Scott who is seen striding  across the battlefield in full dress Chapeau and plume. And many others.

   All in all a wonderful read and a scholarly book that should be on the shelf of any War of 1812 buff.  Highly recommended!

In Full Glory Reflected: Book review

In Full Glory Reflected:  Discovering the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake
By Ralph E. Edelman and Burton K. Kummerow

My son got me a copy of this book for father's day.   It is a great read about the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake bay area.  Lots of ideas about raids and local militia opposing naval landing parties. The battles of Bladensburg and North Point are covered in detail. 

The strength of the book are the wonderful illustrations by the famous artist Gerry Embelton.  These alone are worth the price of the book.  In addition there are two outstanding birds eye maps of the battles at Bladensburg and North Point.  Great eye candy and great for creating your miniature battlefields.

Finally there is a guide to sites featured in the book and yours of sites.  Again indispensable for planning future adventures your War of 1812 sites in the Chesapeake area.

Highly recommended!

"Battle in America: wargaming the Revolutionary War"

   "Battle in America: Wargaming the Revolutionary War"  is part of the Paper soldier series of books published by Helion and Company.   Soldiers are drawn by Peter Dennis and rules are by Andy Callan. I am especially interested in this set as the American Rev War is my favorite period for gaming.  In addition Andy Callan wrote Loose Files and American Scramble which are my favorite rules for the Rev War. So I was interested in this booklet and very curious about the rules.  Are they a updated version of his rules with improvement?  For those who are interested in picking this booklet up here is my review.


   Introductory material and tactical notes in "Battle in America" take up two pages of the book. a very nice introduction to the period and gaming it.  A guide is presented for choosing armies using cards and dice.  Americans should enjoy a 3:2 advantage in numbers, but dice rolls favor the British in giving them better units. Quality over quantity in theory.

   The rules take up five pages of the book. Infantry regiments have five to eight stands; cavalry, detachments and artillery are represented by fewer figures or stands. Units accumulate disruption points (DP) throughout the game. The turn sequence is firing, movement, close combat, then reaction/rallying and morale checks.  Firing and combat are calculated on a stand basis; movement is determined by the drawing of cards. The cards' colors and types determine what units can or can't do during movement. There are some command and control rules.  There is A two-page playsheet, and three scenarios ("Capture the Heights", "Winter Solders 1776", and "Long, Obstinate and Bloody 1781") To Get You Started. Always nice To have A senerio or two Included.   There are outstanding paper soldiers to start you gaming.  Very nicely done too!  In addtion you get three buildings.  Outstanding value and really useful.

   I'm a big Andy Callan fan and have played Loose Files since it first appeared.  So I was excited to get this booklet as I wanted to see if they had improved Loose Files or clarified them.   I was sadly disappointed.  It appears these are an attempt to change things that deliver unnecessary complication without adding anything to the original set. These include a blunder-type rule and command and control rules. Also, numbers count for more than class, which is a incredibly big change from the original.    When you consider the number of troop classes has dropped from five to three then no longer is quality better then quantity.  One thing I liked in the original rules was better quality regimenrs could take more punishment, regroup remove DP's and come back for more.  I do not expect this to happen here.   Don't expect your outnumbered regulars to last long.

The paper buildings are outstanding and very useful.  I will most definitely be using them in my games. Worth the price of the booklet alone.

The Crimean War Then and Now.

The Crimean War Then and Now.
David R. Jones

I recently became aware of this book through a visit to my blog by the author.  After mentioning his book I took the time to look it up and was fascinated by what I found.  Visitors here know of my long time interest in the Crimean war and I have done a number of posts on photography of the battlefields.  I have done this to get a flavor of the terrain so that I can translate it to the table top.  Afterall, one reason we play miniature war games is for the visual appeal.  Well, here are a unique collection of period photography, sketches and engravings from the time of the war and contrasting photographs and maps from today.

The book is a labor of love. Each chapter describes a battle of action, includes maps pointing out locations and then contrasts period illustrations with a view from the same angle today.  It is fascinating how the terrain here has changed in a little over a hundred years.  More trees and orchards change the look of many battlefields.  The river Alma has also changed greatly as shown in the pictures today.  The viewer also gets a better idea of the terrain.  The hill that the Light Division rushed up to capture the great redoubt looks very gentle compared to some prints.  The area the 93rd Highlanders held, and the area the Heavy Brigade charged have me better understanding of this actions.  A mystery to me has been the photographs taken by Colonel Vladislav Klembovsky in 1900 of the battlefields.  I finally know who this man was and his tragic story during the revolution.


The book is not cheep,but is well worth it.  I bought the kindle edition and am very happy with it.  Highly recommended!

The Charge: The Real Reason Why the Light Brigade was Lost. By Mark Adkin

" An officer named Captain Nolan, who writes books, and was a great man in his own estimation..."
 Colonel Lord George Paget

  October 25 is a very special day for me.  It is my wife Janine's birthday.  It was the day (after I retired from the National Park Service after thirty years) that I started my second career with jetblue.  And it is the anniversary of the Battle of Balaclava and the Charge of the Light Brigade.  I am fascinated with the Crimean War and The Charge has been one of those incidents I return to time and again.  So when I found This book back in 2001 I picked it up.  I read it in one sitting and it has been re-read numerous times since.  I am delighted it has just been released in a kindle edition.


  This is the kind of book that shows how military history should be written.  It is a careful analysis of the Battle of Balaclava and especially the Light Brigade's charge with the emphasis on untangling the hows and whys that resulted in the charge.  The book is extremely well researched, with well thought out explanations, good illustrations and especially outstanding maps. Many, many maps.

  Complimenting the maps (and tied into them) are a series of battle and topographical drawings which are very effective in understanding the battle.  These drawings are based on a series of photographs done by the photographer Fenton which show the actual battlefield from where Lord Raglan watched and sent his infamous order from.  The photographs were taken slightly after The battle so they provide a you are there view.

 The usual villain responsible for the disaster in most books was Lord Lucan the Cavalry Division commander.  I am glad to say he is given a fair shake here and is partly exonerated;   but with serious criticism.  I do wish the author discussed more about Lucan's decision to pull back The Heavy Brigade during the Light Brigades charge. A fascinating what if.   The primary culprits in Adkin's view are Lord Raglan and his ADC Captain Nolan.  Raglan was clearly over his head as army commander.  I find little positive about him and blame him for the disaster that the army suffered that terrible winter.  Cardigan by the way comes out as a very brave man who had not the foggest idea of what was what.  If you saw the 1968 movie of the Charge of the Light Brigade these three main actors really captured and look the part of their historical characters.  In my opinion of course.

 Adkin believes Captain Nolan may have deliberately indicated the incorrect objective.   In my opinion the author makes an excellent case that Nolan deliberately misrepresented Lord Raglan's order when he delivered It to Lord Lucan.   Nolan, a self educated authority on cavalry had never served on campaign not been in battle.  But he was certain that British cavalry were being misused and was very  vocally critical of all commanders but especialy  Lucan And Cardigan.    He was certain Light Cavalry could overthrow anything in its way and that neither infantry nor artillery could stop them.   He had once demonstrated  in a  classroom how light cavalry alone could charge and take out a battery from the front.   Nolan possibly did not have second thoughts about the liberty he took as aide-de-camp in misinterpreting Lord Raglan's written order. His death, the first casualty of The Charge prevented his being questioned after.  The author suggests and I agree Nolan wasn't trying to stop the charge when he was killed.  Most who took part in the action certainly though so.

Also interesting is the account of the actual charge.  Details such as such as how many rounds were fired at the brigade, how a artillery battery operated, how cavalry horses were so trained they remained in formation after their riders were killed,  and how the casualties were not as spectacular as is often claimed.  The Light Brigade was no longer combat efficient due to the horrendous number of horses killed which could not be replaced.

 I especially enjoyed the  epilogue - A Balaclava Banquet about the 1875 dinner for the survivors, which sounds like a rockous good time.  The appendix section entitled The Last Survivors was moving to read.  Those who were impoverished were provided for by a wealthy Fleet Street publisher who established the Roberts Relief Fund to provide them with a pension. The last survivor passed away in 1927.

Savannah 1779

By 1778 the war in the North had turned for the British.  Burgoyne had surrendered which brought the possibility of French intervention.  Following the battle at Monmouth both sides had fallen into a war of posts and skirmishing.  Refugees from the southern colonies recommended moving south where a land of loyalists awaited the British with open arms.

   And so, Sir Henry Clinton decided on a small gamble with limited forces.  Colonel Archibald Campbell was Sent south with a small force of 3,000 men consisting of the 71st Highlanders, four loyalist battalions and two Hessian battalions.  He over ran Georgia and in his words removed one star and one stripe from the new American flag. American reinforcements joined together and a see saw campaign resulted back and forth across the South Carolina Georgia border.    The landing of A French army with naval support push the British into Savannah in a scenario similar to  Yorktown but with different results.   Savannah 1779 details that campaign.

   A often forgotten campaign in the Rev War it is nevertheless a fascinating campaign and perfect for the war game table.  Armies and battles are small and colorful.  There are linked battles which could form a neat campaign.  Uniforms are colorful. Personalities are fascinating.  And you can field a French army which actually fought!  Battles range from full sieges to small skirmishes to battles between.  In addition it is a good read which is in itself a good reason to pick up this book.  Highly recommended!