The Courier! And a New Year

 

Usually at this time of year it is traditional to do a wrap up of the years events.  But since 2020 has been such a depressing event I will ignore this tradition and instead share with you all some good news that happened the other day.

 At the end of this most unusual year I got a most unexpected present.  Dave Mesquita, from my wargame club "The Northern Conspiracy" let me know that he put together a collection of the original "Couriers" for me.  He and Bruce Weeks had been working on a digital editions of them, and he had a collection of extras.  Knowing my interest in them he let me know and I picked them them up on Wednesday at his house (in a socially distant way).  After a conversation I was on my way home.  

 I have mentioned before this was the publication that got me into this wonderful hobby.  So flipping through it is a time machine transporting me back to a younger time in the 1970's.  Its interesting looking at how we once did our hobby and how things once looked.  It is also fun rereading the columns that inspired me long ago and finding columns I missed!  There is a Rev War tactical  battle problem by Steve Haller I had not seen before that looks like a very fun game.  And an old friend Matt Fallon has an article on how to make a 18th century camp including tents, wall tents and bell of arms which should brighten up my table.  I had also forgotten that both Matt and Scott Lesch had done cover illustrations for the Courier.  So many surprises and so many memories. A wonder way to end this year and inspire me going into the new year!

Cover by Matt Fallon.

Cover by Scott Lesch.

To all my friends in the hobby and out in the blogging world I wish you all a most Happy New Years hoping the next year is better and brighter for us all!  Thank you all again for reading my blog and for brightening this year .

(And for the very sharp eyed individuals who noticed yes that is a Reading premium beer can in the background!)

The Aftermath of the Battle of Trenton

 

The Battle of Trenton by H. Charles McBarron from Wikipedia

December 26, 1776 the Battle of Trenton. 

 One of, to me the most fascinating and dramatic battles of the American Revolution.  And one which I hope to recreate one day if I build enough houses!  But as it is the anniversary and I traditionally stay up reading a book or two about it I thought I might share this quote from the book " The Day is Ours" by Glenn Dwyer about the aftermath.  John Greenwood was a fifer in the American Continental army.  Originally from Boston he had moved to Portsmouth Maine just before the Revolution.  His book, The Revolutionary Services of John Greenwood 1775 -1783 is a most interesting read. Elisha Bostwick served in a Connecticut regiment of the Continental army.

Hessian Fusilier cap at the Smithsonian.

"On the way to the boats, Greenwood continued, "seeing some of our men were much pleased with the brass caps which they had taken from the dead Hessians, our prisoners, who were besides exceedingly frightened, pulled off those they were wearing and, giving them away, put on the hats which they carried tied behind their packs. With these brass caps on, it was laughable to see how our soldiers would strut-fellows with their elbows out and some without a collar to their half-a-shirt, no shoes, etc." It was also laughable, according to Lieutenant Elisha Bostwick, to see some of the Hessians springing up and down in the boats with their long plaits flying. The men poling the boats across the river found the job difficult because of ice forming on the walkways. So, Bostwick noted, "the boatmen, to clear off the ice, pounded the boats and, stamping their feet, beckoned the prisoners to do the same, and they all set to jumping at once with their cues flying up and down . . . sticking straight back like the handle of an iron skillet." Greenwood and the rest of his company crossed the river themselves selves after the Hessians had all been carried over. Most of the company flaunted Hessian swords, headgear, or other mementos of battle, but all of them were without their packs-the ones they had piled by a roadside before entering Trenton. "As we never went back that way," Greenwood would recall, "we all lost our packs. At least I never heard anything of mine, and I had in it a beautiful suit of blue clothes, turned up with white and silver laced." Greenwood and the others in his unit were back at the Newtown encampment late in the afternoon, after being on the move for more than twenty-four hours. Some of Washington's other Continentals would not reach their encampments until late the following day, having been gone for fifty hours or more. Some, upon their return, took time to note the day's doings in a diary. David How, an eighteen-year-old from Massachusetts, summed things up with his usual Yankee succinctness: "This morning at 4 o'clock we set off with our field pieces. Marched 8 miles to Trenton"

Merry Chrismas

We got together for  Christmas in a most 2020 Covid way! 

 Janine and I have for the most part stayed home up to now, due to her medical preconditions. Alexandra has also been staying low and has had to have two medical operations this year. Nathaniel has been at work at a new job and a new apartment so has been very busy. We have seen few people and when we have it has been at a social distance and with masks.  But we all wanted to get together for Christmas.  How to work this out?  The idea struck us to have a Christmas get together based on a old add from L.L. Beans that said be an Outsiders.  So outside we went.

Janine got up early and baked and cooked.  Apple cider donuts, mulled cider, bread and beef stew.  I was outside Clearing snow and setting up a fire pit on the driveway.  I placed a number of brick blocks as a base and brought the fire grate across the snow.  After clearing it out I gathered wood and prepared a fire.  We set up chairs and a table for the food and soon Alex and Nathan arrived and a most wonderful time it was!

Nathaniel

Alexandra

A most Merry Christmas to all my friends in the blogging world.  I thank you all for the joy and happiness you have brought to me during this most unusual  year.  I have learned much from all of you and been unspired by all of you.  And most importantly each of you has made this a better year and a better experience for me.  And for that I am most grateful to each and everyone of you.  

A most Merry Christmas to you all And here is hoping for a better new year.  Thank you all.

Some light painting

 

I needed a break from painting historical miniatures and research.  Digging around the boxes of old figures I would do "sometime" I found these.  Eureka miniatures dud a series if teddy bears in 18th century uniforms.  I think I'm picked tum up at an long ago Cold Wars or Historicon on a whim.  Just the thing to paint for the holiday season and waiting to dig out after a snow storm.

Now back to researching the Provincial Light Infantry battalion and the 17th company of the 17th Regiment of Foot and their misadventures in South Carolina 1781.

The Flag of Lee's Legion 1781

 

In my previous posting about Lee's Legion I mentioned I was not sure about the documentation of the Legion's flag.  Here is as much as I could pull together about that flag.  

The present flag that is associated with Lee's Legion is owned by Stafford Hall, the home of the Lee's of Virginia.  It was purchased through the Robert E. Lee Memorial Foundation in 1947 from Francis Bannerman and sons.  The flag itself is made of silk and is 2' 4" wide by 4' 11" long.  Shortly after it was acquired for Stafford Hall the flag was folded, mounted and sealed in a case measuring 26" x 26" by the National Archives in 1948.   It  was remounted in 1983 for exhibition and placed on display.  In 2009 it was removed from display for preservation reasons. Due to exposure to light the the textile colors were fading and there was some deteriorating of the fabric.

The flag is of tan or brown material with a brown horses head and light tan main in the center. The white scrolling has a medium blue center with the words "U.S. Light Dragons." The wording used is very curious as that term was not used by the United States military until the 1790's and the War of 1812.  Since there is no history of where the flag came from before Bannerman sold it it might have been a militia flag from that time period.  In addition there us no mention of this flag in Richardson's book, "Standards and Colors of the American Revolution."

Since the documentation for this flag is so poor I do not intend to use it for my miniature regiment.

The conclusion is my opinion only and I leave it up to each individual if they wish to add it to there miniature regiment.  Often there is so much we do not know and too much information lost that all we can do is come up with a best guess for what we do.  Hence my habit of presenting  what I know or have found out and make my best guess based on that.

Bibliography and links to where to fund it:

The owners of the flag with some background on it:

https://www.stratfordhall.org/the-mysteries-of-museum-collections/

The Son's of the Revolution of the Commonwealth of Virginia site with a illustration of the flag:

http://srvirginia.org/light-horse-harry-lees-light-dragoons-guidon/

For much more about the Legion:

Sherman, William T.  "Lee's Legion Remembered."

https://archive.org/details/LeesLegionRemembered/page/n1/mode/2up

Lee's Legion Infantry 1781

 

A few years ago I painted up "Light Horse" Harry Lee and his Legion.  Although very happy with the cavalry I was less so with the infantry.  In reorganizing my forces I decided to redo the infantry element.  

The 2nd Partisan Corp or as it's better known name,  Lee's Legion was formed in April 1778 when it was detached from the 1st Continental Light Dragoons.  Through its commander, "Light Horse" Harry Lee and his memoir the Legion's service is one of the better known regiments during the American Revolution.  As to if it was an elite unit, that is up to the reader to decide. But what is not debatable is it could be, at times as ruthless as the British Legion with whom it fought. It was a very active part of Greene's army and played a prominent role in his campaign. Incidentally, Lee's  memoir was written partly to adress the controversy over Lee's action at Eutaw Springs.  His son, Robert E. Lee would continue the defense of his father in later editions of the book.

  I understand that suggesting Lee's Legion were not dressed in green coats might go against current  practice.  This color combination  is usually suggested by

 Lee's ambush of Pyle's loyalists.  Lee himself in his memoir says they were dressed similar to the British Legion in green.  (Please note the memoirs were published long after events and have been questioned in numerous details).  When I painted them up I bucked tradition and used the painting of Lee himself in a tan/brown faced green coat. I feel thus might be a more accurate presentation.  Again, my opinion only and I wouldn't criticize another interpretation.

In addition I also used the following quote from private Shaw of the 33rd regiment of foot. He was captured just prior to Guilford Courthouse and wrote later:

"Scarcely had we gone half way up the lane, when seven of Lee's light horse made their appearance: my companion swore there was Tarleton's light horse coming, and, says he, ‘we shall be taken up on suspicion of plundering, and get 500 lashes a piece.' ‘No;' said I, upon observing their brown coats, and white cockades, ‘no, friend, you are deceived; these must be the rebels.' Having therefore discovered his mistake, he began to cry;--but for my part, I thought it very good fortune.—As they were advancing towards us, we concluded to go and meet them; which we accordingly did, and falling on our knees begged for quarter; which they granted ….

 The Infantry of the Legion are much more of an mystery.  I think the evidence suggests the Legion infantry had a different uniform from the mounted element. There was an issue of enough cloth to three officers to make coats of blue faced red and lined white (see p40 Katcher Uniforms of the Continental Army). This was from the clothier general of Maryland in 1782.  There is also a portrait of an officer of the Legion Infantry,  Lieutenant Laurence Manning who was shown in a blue coat faced red with silver lace.

  So I feel confident the Infantry element of the legion in 1781 at least we're in standard blue faced red coats.  There is no evidence of helmets issued so I outfitted my infantry in standard infantry uniform. Please feel free to disagree.

  For my table top Legion I have once again used the most excellent figures from Brigade miniatures for the Infantry of the Legion.  I have been going through my box of extra and left over figures to fill out my collection as of late.

 The flag for the Legion is much more questionable so I have not added one.  There are some sources that suggest one but I am unsure of the documentation.  If better information comes available later to convince me I will add it then.  

And now I look forward to Lee tangling with Tarleton in the battle of the legions on my table top!

A unusual command figure

I needed a command figure for one of my Rifle regiments .  One of the rules sets I regularly use allowed skirmishers to snipe at a battalion's command.  Devastating small arms casualties could also possibly kill them.  Thus creates morale issues for that battalion.  But what figure to use?

Going through my box of left over figures I passed by various officer types.  Doesn't work I thought.  Then he jumped out at me!  Perhaps influence by Eric's 1798 Irish rebellion games and that crafty Jesuit Father Carol (A very well know individual on TMP).  Perhaps it was the Rev. Caldwell yelling "Give em Watts boys" * at the battle of Springfield NJ.  Or the southern Baptist at Huck's Defeat.  Could it be the  Mad Padre from his blog which I greatly enjoy transported back in time?  

No matter he seemed the perfect figure to march with my "Over The Mountain" riflemen who are going to chastise Patrick Ferguson at Kings Mountain.

*During the battle, according to tradition the Rev Caldwell took copies of the old Watts hymnals  from the church and gave them to the troops to use as cartridge paper.