Captain William Smith House (part 2)

  Now that I had assembled the house, how to paint it?  Most New England structures in the 18th century were stained a dark color to preserve the wood.  The bright colors may show up in trim.  The present colors of the Smith House are based on period records.  I intended to follow these and paint it a dark color but with red trim around the Windows and doors and white trim by the roof.

  After searching through my paints for just the right shade of brown, I remember a suggestion from John the OFM from The Miniatures pages.  Stain them.  Brilliant! I thought.  So I got out my citadel Agrax Earthshade and did the front, sides and back.  I think it looked very nice and to me looked like the actual stain on the house today.

  The roof was a light gray.  I highlighted it with white and added a few grey blue shingles for contrast.

  The red trim, doors and windows were done with craft paint.  They were a bit tricky and I taped around the edges as my hand is not as steady as it once was.  The foundation was rocks which I painted medium gray.  I added a little brown to the white trim so as not to be too bright.  Lastly the chimney was dry brushed red.

  All in all this was a fun kit to make and paint.  It makes a very nice structure for your table at a very reasonable price.  it is mostly easy to put together if you fit the parts together before gluing.  You could also change the paint job to get a different house out of it.  Lastly, for me it was a most happy walk down memory lane.  I sincerely hope this is the first of more historical houses  "Things From The Basement " make.

  Ranger Mark says go out and buy yourself one. Or buy two!   Highly recommended!

Captain William Smith house (part 1)

  Back in the late 1980's I transferred back to Minute Man National Historical Park.  I had been a district supervisor in Boston NHP's Charlestown district but wanted to get out of the city.  One of my first projects at MMNHP was the newly restored  Captain William Smith House.  The building had just finished being restored to its mid eighteenth century appearance and I was to set up weekend  interpretive programs around the house and property.  Over the next nearly twenty years I spent a lot of hours at the Smith House.  So when I saw that "Things From the Basement " has done a model of the house I had to buy one.

Open package and examine the pieces

 Starting construction, I open the bag it came in and looked over the various pieces.  I also called up the assembly instructions for the house which can be found in the "Things In the Basement" website.  These are easy to follow and very crisp pictures of the kit. 

 As an example of the great detailing here are the front Windows.  It is a little extra work putting them together but well worth the effort visually.  In addition note the detail of the siding on the house. Very nice!

  There is quite a bit of details inside the house.  things like stairs and diirs.  While great for skirmish type games I intend to glue down the roof of the house and will not be placing figures inside the house.

House frame put together.

  The roof and especially the chimney are very finicky.  Take your time fitting them together before you glue them.  This took some doing, hence no construction pictures of this phase. 

  The roof, when done fits nicely over the house frame.  You can glue it on to the frame, or leave loose if you are playing skirmish type games where you need to place figures indirectly building.

  And there you have it. I put together the house in a couple hours after work.  I will let it dry then touch up with glue the stress points for added strength. 

  Next:  painting the house And the finished model in part 2.

2nd Light Infantry battalion

  For most of General Sir William Howe's campaigns the Grenadier and Light Infantry battalions were his one two punch. These battalions were formed by taking Seattle light infantry and Grenadier companies from their parent regiments and forming them into combined battalions.  They were usually his spear head for most attacks in most battles.

  The Light Infantry companies were the new boys in the British establishment.  During the Seven Years War (French and Indian war in North America) it became the custom to form skirmish companies or light infantry companies in each regiment.  This became official in 1770.  These companies were often distinguished by their dress (black or tan belting, caps, red waistcoat and short regimental coat). Because of poor discipline and training William Howe was ordered to set up a training camp for light infantry in 1774.  The results were Howe's Light Infantry discipline and a standard trading requim for the Light Infantry.  Howe used this to train his entire army in 1776 while in Halifax prior to the invasion of New York.

  During this time the Light Infantry adopted the uniform they would wear during the Rev War.  Black belting and equipment, a short sleeved waistcoat and gaitered trousers or overalls.  As the entire army was going with a slouch hat so too did the Light infantry.  The Light Infantry were formed into three battalions starts start of the 1776 campaign.  After the invasion of Rhode Island the third battalion was broken up and combined into the remain two battalions.

  The second Light Infantry battalion was made up by the following companies: 40th (buff), 43rd (white), 44th (yellow), 45th (green), 49th (green), 52nd (buff), 55th (green), 63rd (green) and 64th (black).  For gaming purposes I use 30 figures per battalion with six figures per base.  So I organized them by facing color with one stand buff, two stands green, one of yellow and one of black.  It would have worked out better with six stands but we cannot have everything.

Once in the table I have a very nice command of two Light Infatry battalions to fight alongside their "big brothers" in the Grenadier battalions .

   Figures are from Fife and Drum miniatures and represents the British Light Infantry campaign uniform for 1776-77.  Slouched hats, short jackets and overalls, and black equipment.  Uniform is based on both orderly books and the famous DelDe Garta paintings of the fighting at the Chew House at Germantown in October 1777.  These are really beautiful figures and a joy to paint.  Jim is one of the very few manufacturers who do this uniform and it is a credit to him to provide them to us Rev War buffs.  Great fugures!

Progress painting and new figures

  Although busy with regular life after vacation I have managed to work some Painting in.  The Light Infantry battalion is finished and needs to have its based painted and grass added.  The Grenadier battalion is coming along very nicely.  With snow in the forecast this weekend I should be able to finish it up.

  For Christmas time I got a number of miniatures.  These are American Rev War figures from Old Glory and Brigade games. About a brigade's worth ( Four battalions of thirty figures each) from both  companies.  The brigade figures are brand new from their kickstarter and the Old Glory are from their second edition.

  Old Glory figures are American continental line.  They come in bags of  38 figures with command figures (officers, standardbearers, drummers and NCO included).  Uniforms are the regulation coat or hunting shirt.  I have bags of the line in cocked hats, slouch hats and hunting shirts.  these should produce four slightly different regiments.  If you have a Old Glory Army card these figures are very affordable.

  Brigade Games has Continental line in uniform as well as militia in the bounty coats offered by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress in 1775.  When I was at Minute Man NHP I worked with Henry Cooke to have some of these coats made for the park.  They were a short working man's jacket with false cuffs and no lapels with regimental buttons.  A very comfortable and practical garment.  I had to get some of these!  They have a nice variety of mixed hats and equipment in each figure to give you regiments a slightly non regulation look. 

What does a 32 pound naval cannonade do?

Gerry Altoff and his cannon crew at Perry's Victory.

  Back in 2002 and 2004 at the NPS black power school I worked with Gerry Altoff from Perry's Victory  National Memorial.  He both times trucked down to the school the park's 32 pound naval carronade.  This is a very big gun.  Gerry always mentioned that along with the Brig Niagara they had done a live firing exercise against a mock up of a section of a British ship.  It had been filmed to illustrate the terrible damage done during the naval battle on Lake Erie.  He also had outakes from a film someone did. I had lost touch with Gerry after our retirements from the service.

   Recently I found this video on YouTube from the Brig Niagara 's site.  Here is the day they did the live firing.  It s a fascinating watch. I wish I could figure out how to do screen captured so I could post some pictures from it.  Alas!  I am technology challenged so will just post this link.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR2flTz1Jt40yBcgg5TyAkDm62jqOTraMvjI6Dx1QctkiU4IL8Uy73PTWFs&v=yGM6AlwjGS0

 Gerry holds a deep responsibility for my War of 1812 War game armies.  During our down time while teaching the course we talked about the War of 1812.  Not being much of a salior,  I was more interested in the land armies.  But he did teach me a lot about the naval aspects.

   For those who are interested Gerry is the author of the following books:

A signal Victory:  The Lake Erie Campaign, 1812-1813.

Deep Water Sailors, Shallow Water Sailors.

Amongst My Best Men.

Year in review 2019 and goals for 2020

2019 in review:
 Hobby wise the past year was most interesting.  I certainly painted less then the year before.  My favorite new units we actually command stands from Fife and Drum.  George Washington and William Howe came out great and are some of my better painting efforts.

   I also tried out building the new MDF kits. These are great!  They have graced mountable in numerous battles and always draw positive attention.

 I put on a number of games this year and had great fun doing so.  These include one from each of my collections. American Rev War, War of 1812 and Crimean War.  I am happy with my output and surprised I did so many.

Conventions:
Cold Wars 2019


So, what are my plans for for 2020?  Here is my goals and plans.

Battles:
I am looking to continue my roll of putting on more games this year.  For big games I would like to do a battle based on Lundy's Lane.  This will require some additional terrain items and how to fight in the dark.  also working on putting on Trenton and also Princeton for the Rev War.  Everyone at game night turn the club enjoyed my large Crimean war game so at least another one for another game night.  Is putting on a game a more too much to ask?

Painting:
Diverge American Rev War I have a number of figures bought and ready turn the painting table.  These include another
British Grenadier battalion and British Light Infantry battalion to round out my Cornwallis field force.  For the Americans I will be adding  4  Continental line battalions in Massachusetts bounty coats and mixed civilian clothing.  These will be for one of the New England brigades in 1776.  Another brigade will have mixed hunting shirts and regular uniforms.  If course this means I will be adding another division commander and two brigade commanders. I also have a group of civilians from Perry  miniatures as well as their camp group and the group interrogating a  captured officer.  The last add to give some life to the table top.  In war of 1812 I need to add more Native warriors.

MDF Buildings:
I have enjoyed building these MDF kits.  They are fun to do and look very nice on the table top when done.  I have picked up a couple kits to build in 2020.   Captain William Smith House from "Things in the Basement" is first on my list.  I spent a lot of time there during my time at Minute Man NHP.  I hope he adds some addition structures from the park to his collection.  I also picked up the Tidewater home from "Charlie FoxTrot. ". This will work well in southern campaign battles from the Rev War.

Terrain:
I will be adding some additional trees in based to my set up.  And a larger hill for my  Lundy's Lane battle I want to put on later this year.  Mandy a small pond or lake just because!

Conventions:
I will be attending the Seven Years War convention in April.  I have my room reserved and flights listed. Looking forward to it.  In would also like to attend two local conventions, Havoc in Massachusetts and Huzzar in Maine.

  Well, those are my goals and plans.  Let's see how I do.  In addition I enjoyed sharing reasearch posts I have done.  I have been working on a number concerning the fighting in 19 April 1775.  In the month of April u.plan on sharing these as well as a photo of some of

Hawaii: Kaua'i

Light house on north shore

Handlei beach at sunset.

This was the location they filmed the first season of the old TV series "Gilligan's Island.". Here was where the SS Minnow went aground.

Na Papi coast

Wailua falls

Just a quiet spot we found for a picnic.