More Primary Source Material: Colonial Williamsburg Historic Threads

Checking around , I found another terrific source for researching clothing and accessories for men and women. When you see these things, it will make you totally marvel at the artistry and detailing. The link is under Primary Source:     http://www.history.org/history/museums/clothingexhibit/index.cfm

Thinking about Guilford and Beyond

Isabella Furgeson's tombstone; They should have carved "patriot" on it as well!

“I am a rebel, glorying in the name. My brothers are rebels, and the dog Trip is a rebel too… Rebel and be free that is my creed.” – Isabella Barber Ferguson, 1780. When Mrs. Ferguson’s husband was being convinced by his brother, a colonel in the British Army ,  to join the Loyalist cause in South Carolina, Mrs. Ferguson had another thing in mind! Ultimately she threatened to divorce her husband, Samuel, if he joined his brothers in their opinions. Now that’s some kind of woman, there!

I’ve been packing my things, notably my musket and cartridges, accountements and all that goes with creeping in the woods and I’m thinking that this lady would have been in her element had she been alive today. While I was ironing my one of two shirts, I was thinking I still feel odd at the thought of being cannon fodder and am hoping I don’t disgrace myself during drill (“Hayfoot…”) but when I think of Isabella Furgeson who had everything to lose, very little to gain if the rebels lost and you have to think it was one hell of a longs shot, it makes me think that where she me right now, she wouldn’t hesitate in doing a lot of things.

If you want to read more about Furgeson and others, check out this google book: The Women of the Revolution, Elizabeth Fries Ellet,  http://books.google.com/books?id=f_t_IScv4z0C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

TENNESSEE CIVIL WAR GIS PROJECT

Depending on your point of view, Andrew Johnson, local Tennessee patriot, 1861

I know this has nothing whatsoever to do with the Washington County Regiment but this resource is too good not to tell you about.  I read about this in another blog called PAST IN THE PRESENT (  http://pastinthepresent.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/mapping-the-civil-war-in-tennessee/   )and was fascinated. This was created by  the Tennessee State  Library and Archives and if you are interested in history, you need to check it out.  You can select any engagement  or if you don’t know the names, select a county and get battle  locations on a modern-day aerial, street, or terrain map, along with primary source material; instantly access unit histories relevant to each county; see the locations of historic markers across the state and more. It’s an unbelievable historical resource and I only hope they do it for Revolutionary times as well.

http://tnmap.state.tn.us/civilwar/

Don’t let Yo’ Mamma Raise No Puddin’Heads or Namby Pambies!

Seems like lately we’ve seen a lot of puddingheads, both near and far, and probably voted for a few unbeknowingst to us. In my wanderings, looking for historical holiday recipes reflecting the cultures of the settlers of this area, I came across a fantastic satire from the early 18th century which on second read feels uncomfortably familiar. Attributed to Henry Carey, the poet (1687-1743), he slams the health system :o) and the puddings and dumplings he refers to stand for political sleight of hand ( corruption).  What do the historians say; history repeats itself? A little piece of trivia here, Carey also invented the noun “namby-pamby” which came into popular use meaning a weak and vascillating man.

‘The Head of Man is like a Pudding; and whence have all Rhymes, Poems, Plots, and Inventions sprung – but from that same Pudding? What is Poetry but a Pudding of Words?

The Physicians, though they cry out so much against Cooks and Cookery, yet are but Cooks themselves; with this difference only – the Cook’s Pudding lengthens life – the Physician’s shortens it: so that we live and die by pudding – For what is a Clyster but a Bag Pudding – a Pill but a Dumpling – or a Bolus but a Tanzy, though not altogether so toothsome. In a word, Physic is only a Puddingizing, or Cookery of Drugs – the law is but a Cookery of Quibbles.

The Universe itself is but a Pudding of Elements, ­ Empires, Kingdoms, States, and Republics, are but Puddings of People differently mixed up.

The Celestial and Terrestrial Orbs are deciphered to us by a pair of Globes, or Mathematical Puddings.

The success of War, and the fate of Monarchies (Presidencies?), are entirely dependent on Puddings and Dumplings – for what else are Cannon-balls but Military Puddings, or Bullets but Dumplings – only with this difference, they do not sit so well on the stomach as a good Marrow Pudding or Bread Pudding. In short, there is nothing valuable in Nature but what more or less has an allusion to Pudding or Dumpling.

Some swallow every thing whole and unmixed, so that it may rather be called a Heap than a Pudding.- Others are so squeamish, that the greatest mastership in Cookery is required to make the Pudding palatable : – the Suet, which others gape and swallow by gobs, must for these puny stomachs be minced to atoms, the Plumbs must be picked with the utmost care, and every ingredient proportioned to the greatest nicety, or it will never go down. From a learned Dissertation on Dumplings’

From: Henry Carey, A Learned Dissertation on Dumpling; its Dignity, Antiquity and Excellence with a Word upon Pudding London 1726

 If you want to read the receipt describing the forerunner of the Christmas Pudding, Go to the “Let’s Burn Something ” page. A lot of good things there!!!

ADDED LINK: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/ AMERICAN MEMORY

I added a link under Primary Sources for the Library of Congress’s new collection of documents and histories called The American Memory,  tracing the American experience.It’s a really excellent research source. The only thing about it is that sometimes you’ll find things a bit differently when you do your search. Check it out and explore the  site; it’s definitely worth it.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html

FANTASTIC NEW LINK

One time I made the mistake of asking Bob McCroskey and Chad if the Regiment had a real history. Bob’s voice boomed back at me, almost blasting me across the Visitor’s Center of the site, saying “you bet we do, Lady!”

I found this fantastic site telling about all kinds of regimental histories in various states. There’s so much there in the pages and links, it will take quite a while to go through it all.

Check over to the right, under PRIMARY SOURCES.  It’s called Rev War ’75.

Happy Reading!

TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY: TRANSYLVANIA PURCHASE

Dragging Canoe drawn by Mike Smith

Towards the end of March, the regiment will be recreating the treaty agreement between Henderson and Attaculacula. Rather than do a lot of plagerizing, I got together some of the best links to other sites which will give anyone interested a refresher course in Tennessee history. There are many with primary sources which make for some excellent reading.

One of the most interesting on line research sites is http://smithdray.tripod.com/draggingcanoe-index-9.html#talk which gives the native side of the story and worth checking out.

North Carolina History project has primary source material on the Transylvania Purchase : http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/98/entry

The best source I’ve seen forever- George Washington Ranck’s book called 

Boonesborough: Its Founding, Pioneer Struggles, Indian Experiences

It’s been digitalized as a Google book ; start with the appendix- ALL primary sources!! Starting on  pg 151 is the actual Treaty and from there  all of the correspondance dealing with it and the legislation to set up the “colony”.

http://books.google.com/books?id=lHMOAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA253&lpg=PA253&dq=transylvania+purchase&source=bl&ots=7c2ul8yNT4&sig=ajZVBSIMsBXDVtQofqWHjyXEOmM&hl=en&ei=j7iiS9GMOZG1tgfz2dyYCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBQQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=transylvania%20purchase&f=false

John Fingers wrote an excellent piece in the e-zine ,  Sequoyah Speaks , called Sycamore Shoals. Very well written and very easy reading

http://www.sequoyahmuseum.org/File/2006_SequoyahSpeaks.pdf

There is also an excellent WEB BOOK Called the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals. Starting on Chapter 14 it goes into detail about what happened between Henderson and the Transylvania Company but I’d go back to Chapter 10 or so- really good read.

http://www.web-books.com/Classics/ON/B0/B866/SouthwestC15.html

Finally, one for the homies- TN GEN NET Project: Colonial Period Indian Land Concessions

http://www.tngenweb.org/cessions/colonial2.html

As they seys in tha hills, ” ater than ‘un, there ain’t no mo!”

ROBERT ROGERS’ 28 “RULES OF RANGING”

 

ROBERT ROGERS

OK! I saw you drilling using the Manual of Arms and boys, you do look increasingly spiffy! Now that you know your left from your right, your chin from your elbows and your “about face” from your “snap to attention”, it’s time to range. After all, May Seige is coming some time this year!

I was reading about Robert Rogers lately, especially the juicy parts about how his wife, Betsy Browne Rogers, sued for and was granted a  divorce becasue he ranged too much in other ladies’ back yards and caught the big “S’ (I wonder if the “short arm inspection” was part of any military drill?). Anyway, I did a no-no and hit on Wikipedia and found something very interesting and thought you might like to add this to your military practices. What I thought was particularly cool (being a rank indentured servant and all and not knowing didilly about things soldier except smelly socks) was that Roger’s Rules are still to this day being used as the basis of the Standing Orders taught to the US Rangers . I copied the original as is for your enjoyment.

The 28 “Rules of Ranging” are a series of rules and guidelines originally created by Major Robert Rogers in 1757, during the French and Indian Wars.

The rules were originally written at Rogers Island in the Hudson River near Fort Edward. They were intended to serve as a manual on guerilla warfare for Rogers’ Rangers Company, a 600 strong contingent whose members were personally selected by Rogers.

U.S. Army Rangers storm the cliffs at Pointe du Hok on D-Day, 6 June 1944.

The rules were the result of Rogers’ blend of Native American tactics and his own innovative combat techniques, ideas that were revolutionary compared to the standard military practises of the time. Combined with intensive training and live fire exercises , these rules created a mobile, well trained force that was capable of living off the land around it in order to sustain itself for long periods of time.

Ranger commander Lt. Colonel William Darby read the rules to the 1st Ranger Batalion prior to action during World War II, and a modified version of the rules is still followed by the 75th Ranger Regiment to this day, and they are considered as the model for all Ranger activities. They also form the basis of the “Standing Orders” taught to US Army Rangers today.

The true Plan of Discipline, extracted from Major Rogers’s journal and intended for his Roger’s Rangers in 1759:

1. All Rangers are to be subject to the rules and articles of war; to appear at roll-call every evening, on their own parade, equipped, each with a Firelock, sixty rounds of powder and ball, and a hatchet, at which time an officer from each company is to inspect the same, to see they are in order, so as to be ready on any emergency to march at a minute’s warning; and before they are dismissed, the necessary guards are to be draughted, and scouts for the next day appointed.
2. Whenever you are ordered out to the enemies forts or frontiers for discoveries, if your number be small, march in a single file, keeping at such a distance from each other as to prevent one shot from killing two men, sending one man, or more, forward, and the like on each side, at the distance of twenty yards from the main body, if the ground you march over will admit of it, to give the signal to the officer of the approach of an enemy, and of their number, &c.
3. If you march over marshes or soft ground, change your position, and march abreast of each other to prevent the enemy from tracking you (as they would do if you marched in a single file) till you get over such ground, and then resume your former order, and march till it is quite dark before you encamp, which do, if possible, on a piece of ground which that may afford your sentries the advantage of seeing or hearing the enemy some considerable distance, keeping one half of your whole party awake alternately through the night.
4. Some time before you come to the place you would reconnoitre, make a stand, and send one or two men in whom you can confide, to look out the best ground for making your observations.
5. If you have the good fortune to take any prisoners, keep them separate, till they are examined, and in your return take a different route from that in which you went out, that you may the better discover any party in your rear, and have an opportunity, if their strength be superior to yours, to alter your course, or disperse, as circumstances may require.
6. If you march in a large body of three or four hundred, with a design to attack the enemy, divide your party into three columns, each headed by a proper officer, and let those columns march in single files, the columns to the right and left keeping at twenty yards distance or more from that of the center, if the ground will admit, and let proper guards be kept in the front and rear, and suitable flanking parties at a due distance as before directed, with orders to halt on all eminences, to take a view of the surrounding ground, to prevent your being ambuscaded, and to notify the approach or retreat of the enemy, that proper dispositions may be made for attacking, defending, &c. And if the enemy approach in your front on level ground, form a front of your three columns or main body with the advanced guard, keeping out your flanking parties, as if you were marching under the command of trusty officers, to prevent the enemy from pressing hard on either of your wings, or surrounding you, which is the usual method of the savages, if their number will admit of it, and be careful likewise to support and strengthen your rear-guard.
7. If you are obliged to receive the enemy’s fire, fall, or squat down, till it is over; then rise and discharge at them. If their main body is equal to yours, extend yourselves occasionally; but if superior, be careful to support and strengthen your flanking parties, to make them equal to theirs, that if possible you may repulse them to their main body, in which case push upon them with the greatest resolution with equal force in each flank and in the center, observing to keep at a due distance from each other, and advance from tree to tree, with one half of the party before the other ten or twelve yards. If the enemy push upon you, let your front fire and fall down, and then let your rear advance thro’ them and do the like, by which time those who before were in front will be ready to discharge again, and repeat the same alternately, as occasion shall require; by this means you will keep up such a constant fire, that the enemy will not be able easily to break your order, or gain your ground.
8. If you oblige the enemy to retreat, be careful, in your pursuit of them, to keep out your flanking parties, and prevent them from gaining eminences, or rising grounds, in which case they would perhaps be able to rally and repulse you in their turn.
9. If you are obliged to retreat, let the front of your whole party fire and fall back, till the rear hath done the same, making for the best ground you can; by this means you will oblige the enemy to pursue you, if they do it at all, in the face of a constant fire.
10. If the enemy is so superior that you are in danger of being surrounded by them, let the whole body disperse, and every one take a different road to the place of rendezvous appointed for that evening, which must every morning be altered and fixed for the evening ensuing, in order to bring the whole party, or as many of them as possible, together, after any separation that may happen in the day; but if you should happen to be actually surrounded, form yourselves into a square, or if in the woods, a circle is best, and, if possible, make a stand till the darkness of the night favours your escape.
11. If your rear is attacked, the main body and flankers must face about to the right or left, as occasion shall require, and form themselves to oppose the enemy, as before directed; and the same method must be observed, if attacked in either of your flanks, by which means you will always make a rear of one of your flank-guards.
12. If you determine to rally after a retreat, in order to make a fresh stand against the enemy, by all means endeavour to do it on the most rising ground you come at, which will give you greatly the advantage in point of situation, and enable you to repulse superior numbers.
13. In general, when pushed upon by the enemy, reserve your fire till they approach very near, which will then put them into the greatest surprise and consternation, and give you an opportunity of rushing upon them with your hatchets and cutlasses to the better advantage.
14. When you encamp at night, fix your sentries in such a manner as not to be relieved from the main body till morning, profound secrecy and silence being often of the last importance in these cases. Each sentry therefore should consist of six men, two of whom must be constantly alert, and when relieved by their fellows, it should be done without noise; and in case those on duty see or hear any thing, which alarms them, they are not to speak, but one of them is silently to retreat, and acquaint the commanding officer thereof, that proper dispositions may be made; and all occasional sentries should be fixed in like manner.
15. At the first dawn of day, awake your whole detachment; that being the time when the savages choose to fall upon their enemies, you should by all means be in readiness to receive them.
16. If the enemy should be discovered by your detachments in the morning, and their numbers are superior to yours, and a victory doubtful, you should not attack them till the evening, as then they will not know your numbers, and if you are repulsed, your retreat will be favoured by the darkness of the night.
17. Before you leave your encampment, send out small parties to scout round it, to see if there be any appearance or track of an enemy that might have been near you during the night.
18. When you stop for refreshment, choose some spring or rivulet if you can, and dispose your party so as not to be surprised, posting proper guards and sentries at a due distance, and let a small party waylay the path you came in, lest the enemy should be pursuing.
19. If, in your return, you have to cross rivers, avoid the usual fords as much as possible, lest the enemy should have discovered, and be there expecting you.
20. If you have to pass by lakes, keep at some distance from the edge of the water, lest, in case of an ambuscade or an attack from the enemy, when in that situation, your retreat should be cut off.
21. If the enemy pursue your rear, take a circle till you come to your own tracks, and there form an ambush to receive them, and give them the first fire.
22. When you return from a scout, and come near our forts, avoid the usual roads, and avenues thereto, lest the enemy should have headed you, and lay in ambush to receive you, when almost exhausted with fatigues.
23. When you pursue any party that has been near our forts or encampments, follow not directly in their tracks, lest they should be discovered by their rear guards, who, at such a time, would be most alert; but endeavour, by a different route, to head and meet them in some narrow pass, or lay in ambush to receive them when and where they least expect it.
24. If you are to embark in canoes, battoes, or otherwise, by water, choose the evening for the time of your embarkation, as you will then have the whole night before you, to pass undiscovered by any parties of the enemy, on hills, or other places, which command a prospect of the lake or river you are upon.
25. In paddling or rowing, give orders that the boat or canoe next the sternmost, wait for her, and the third for the second, and the fourth for the third, and so on, to prevent separation, and that you may be ready to assist each other on any emergency.
26. Appoint one man in each boat to look out for fires, on the adjacent shores, from the numbers and size of which you may form some judgment of the number that kindled them, and whether you are able to attack them or not.
27. If you find the enemy encamped near the banks of a river or lake, which you imagine they will attempt to cross for their security upon being attacked, leave a detachment of your party on the opposite shore to receive them, while, with the remainder, you surprise them, having them between you and the lake or river.
28. If you cannot satisfy yourself as to the enemy’s number and strength, from their fire, &c. conceal your boats at some distance, and ascertain their number by a reconnoitering party, when they embark, or march, in the morning, marking the course they steer, &c. when you may pursue, ambush, and attack them, or let them pass, as prudence shall direct you. In general, however, that you may not be discovered by the enemy upon the lakes and rivers at a great distance, it is safest to lay by, with your boats and party concealed all day, without noise or shew; and to pursue your intended route by night; and whether you go by land or water, give out parole and countersigns, in order to know one another in the dark, and likewise appoint a station every man to repair to, in case of any accident that may separate you.

The army had a couple of hundred years to see if all this worked. They made a few changes.

The Rules as they are today

1. All Rangers are subject to the rules of war.
2. In a small group, march in single file with enough space between so that one shot can’t pass through one man and kill a second.
3. Marching over soft ground should be done abreast, making tracking difficult. At night, keep half your force awake while half sleeps.
4. Before reaching your destination, send one or two men forward to scout the area and avoid traps.
5. If prisoners are taken, keep them separate and question them individually.
6. Marching in groups of three or four hundred should be done in three separate columns, within support distance, with a point and rear guard.
7. When attacked, fall or squat down to receive fire and rise to deliver. Keep your flanks as strong as the enemy’s flanking force, and if retreat is necessary, maintain the retreat fire drill.
8. When chasing an enemy, keep your flanks strong, and prevent them from gaining high ground where they could turn and fight.
9. When retreating, the rank facing the enemy must fire and retreat through the second rank, thus causing the enemy to advance into constant fire.
10. If the enemy is far superior, the whole squad must disperse and meet again at a designated location. This scatters the pursuit and allows for organized resistance.
11. If attacked from the rear, the ranks reverse order, so the rear rank now becomes the front. If attacked from the flank, the opposite flank now serves as the rear rank.
12. If a rally is used after a retreat, make it on the high ground to slow the enemy advance.
13. When laying in ambuscade, wait for the enemy to get close enough that your fire will be doubly frightening, and after firing, the enemy can be rushed with hatchets.
14. At a campsite, the sentries should be posted at a distance to protect the camp without revealing its location. Each sentry will consist of 6 men with two constantly awake at a time.
15. The entire detachment should be awake before dawn each morning as this is the usual time of enemy attack.
16. Upon discovering a superior enemy in the morning, you should wait until dark to attack, thus hiding your lack of numbers and using the night to aid your retreat.
17. Before leaving a camp, send out small parties to see if you have been observed during the night.
18. When stopping for water, place proper guards around the spot making sure the pathway you used is covered to avoid surprise from a following party.
19. Avoid using regular river fords as these are often watched by the enemy.
20. Avoid passing lakes too close to the edge, as the enemy could trap you against the water’s edge.
21. If an enemy is following your rear, circle back and attack him along the same path.
22. When returning from a scout, use a different path as the enemy may have seen you leave and will wait for your return to attack when you’re tired.
23. When following an enemy force, try not to use their path, but rather plan to cut them off and ambush them at a narrow place or when they least expect it.
24. When traveling by water, leave at night to avoid detection.
25. In rowing in a chain of boats, the one in front should keep contact with the one directly astern of it. This way they can help each other and the boats will not become lost in the night.
26. One man in each boat will be assigned to watch the shore for fires or movement.
27. If you are preparing an ambuscade near a river or lake, leave a force on the opposite side of the water so the enemy’s flight will lead them into your detachment.
28. When locating an enemy party of undetermined strength, send out a small scouting party to watch them. It may take all day to decide on your attack or withdrawal, so signs and countersigns should be established to determine your friends in the dark.
29. If you are attacked in rough or flat ground, it is best to scatter as if in rout. At a pre-picked place you can turn, allowing the enemy to close. Fire closely, then counterattack with hatchets. Flankers could then attack the enemy and rout him in return.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Rogers%27_28_%22Rules_of_Ranging%22#Original_rules

IMPRESSIVE NEW LINK

Please check out the link to British History Online under THINGS OF INTEREST. This is a site maintained by the University of London and the History of  Parliament Trust. On it, there are primary and secondary sources of all historical periods and by regions as well. This one is definitely worth familiarizing yourself with.

Thomas Paine Society

Thomas Paine "Rights of Man"

Thomas Paine was one of the most controversial writers of the Revolution. A protege of Benjamin Franklin, a failed stays maker, a Britisher who passionately voiced the sentiments of the Revolution here and helped to ignite the French Revolution later on, he remains even today a striking figure. Washington, himself , distributed Paine’s pamphlet, “Common Sense” to the beleagured soldiers at ValleyForge. He said that Paine did more to rally the troops during the “times that try men’s souls” than any other source and he credited Paine for boosting morale to the point where the troops were able to win the battle of Trenton under unlikely circumstances. There’s a terrific link to the Thomas Paine Society I am putting in the primary source section. You might want to read and definitely check out the links.

Thomas Paine on You Tube:

http://www.thomaspainesociety.org/video.html