Fort Niagara 2009 - Battle on the Beach

More footage from the DVD of this summer's 250th anniversary reenactment.

Fort Necessity Musket Test

An interesting experiment to demonstrate the defensive value of the timber stockade against musket balls.

Fort Duquesne

Today in 1758 this French fort surrendered to the British so I thought I'd feature a couple of top-class reconstructions to inspire you. The digital rendering is Gary Ritchie's 3D model for a project on Frontier forts.

The next one is professional modeller Ray Ottulich's model for Tabletop Studios

Also see here for a plan of the fort.

Fort William Henry 1757 (LotM)

Believe it or not we haven't had any of the Michael Mann Last of the Mohicans movie yet on this blog, figured you've all seen it... but this clip made me change my mind. It features some of the good and deleted scenes to tell the story of the siege - even if you've seen 'Lotm' many times you might enjoy this

Battle of Wildcat Creek 1812

This battle - also known as Spur's Defeat was fought this day and resulted in a victory for Native forces against the Indiana Rangers.

1776 or the Hessian Renegades (1910)

Film by D W Griffiths and featuring Mary Pickford.

Blue Moon Manufacturing

Thanks to Ray on the Mocassins list for noticing this interesting range of 28mm French and Indian War miniatures. Called Drums in the Ohio Valley the range looks useful indeed.

These French Marines are part of a Braddock's defeat theme which are part of the range.

Hessians!

Interesting little movie from German tv in 1976 - see what you think.

Historic Prophetstown War of 1812

Interesting little film about a reenactment weekend held recently. Noticed one is an Indiana Mounted Ranger. Read about the Rangers in the War of 1812 on this blog.

Von Reck drawings 1736

This was mentioned on the Nativelist and I thought you might be interested. Look here

"In 1736, Philip Georg Friedrich von Reck, then only twentyfive years old, sailed with other colonists from Germany to Georgia. One of his intentions, expressed in a letter before he left Europe, was to bring back from America "ocular proof" of what he called "this strange new world." Idealistic nad enthusiastic, welleducated and blessed with an amazing artistic gift, von Reck kept a travel diary, wrote separate descriptions of the plants, animals and Indians he discovered in Georgia and drew some fifty watercolor and pencil sketches of what he saw. [...]

These drawings, accompanied by von Reck's writings, are important as history, science and art. As history, they give us a new and absolutely unique glimpse of Georgia as it looked when the first Europeans settled there. [...] As science, von Reck's natural history drawings represent the earliest records of several plants and animals. [...] Von Reck's drawings and writings are especially important for the light they shed on Indian life. The drawings show in detail their costumes and equipment, houses and activities. [...] As art, von Reck's drawings are as fresh, intimate and alive on the paper as the day they were drawn."

Also check this drawing out here

New novel about Joseph Brant

Manituana is the name - by Wu Ming which is I think a group of Italians - and according to the website the background is
In 1775, at the dawn of the revolution that gave birth to the United States of America, British loyalists and rebels compete for an alliance with the Six Nations of the Iroquois. The Iroquois, the most powerful indigenous tribal group in the Mohawk River Valley, with a constitution hundreds of years old, have coexisted with the colonists for generations. Now they must make a painful decision that gravely endangers the future of their mixed community. Together, English and Indian representatives of that community undertake a long voyage to London, capital of the British Empire, knowing that the road back will be paved with war
There's a review from the Guardian here
Video trailer to the Italian edition here

Tun Tavern

Today in 1775 the US Marine Corps was formed with recruitment centring on this historic tavern in Philadelphia. This tavern was the starting place for many organisations - the Pennsylvania Militia was raised from here in the Seven Years War and the first Masonic meeting took place here. It burnt to the ground in 1781.

Someone's extensive John Jenkins collection

Toy soldiers of the French and Indian war.

Rick and the War of 1812

CBC reporter Rick Mercer tries out life as a War of 1812 reenactor. Interesting insight. With the bicentennial of the War approaching this period needs a higher profile.

Battle of Tippecanoe

Fought today in 1811. Wiki article. Below is an interesting visit to the site and a perspective on events.

News From Galloping Major

www.gallopingmajorwargames.com
The first 3 packs of Huron will be accompanied by our first pack of rangers when they are released very soon.
Leading French language wargames publication VaeVictis features a 3 page interview article on us in the No.89 November 2009 edition, with lots of hitherto unseen pictures of yet to be released figures. The first two pages can be viewed under "Interview" on:

http://vaevictis.histoireetcollections.com/publication/2369/vaevictis-89-2009.html
Our figures are now also available in France from Comitatus Figurines on http://www.comitatus-figurines.com/

War of 1812 in 40mm

This page of photos is great. A mixture of manufacturers create an interesting set up. Well done.