tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38972971252317542962024-02-08T01:47:44.914+01:00British Army LineagesDevoted to the lineages of the regiments and corps of the British ArmyWienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-55018956569292979452017-09-16T02:46:00.000+02:002017-09-16T02:46:00.362+02:00Book: The Army of James II 1685--1688. The Birth of the British ArmyThis new book in the <i>Century of the Soldier 1618-1721</i> series by <a href="http://www.helion.co.uk/published-by-helion/century-of-the-soldier-c-1618-1721.html" target="_blank">Helion & Co</a> was announced already in late 2016. However, those with an interest in the post-Restoration British army had to wait until August 2017 before the title finally became available. The (long) wait was well worth it! With <b><i>The Army of James II 1685--1688</i></b>, that has as sub-title <i><b>The Birth of the British Army</b></i>, mr Stephen Ede-Borrett delivered a fine monograph and very useful contribution to the available literature on the armed forces of the later Stuart monarchs.<br />
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In just over 200 pages, including all front and back matter, the author gives an overwhelming amount of detail on the regiments of James II during his short reign. The regiments and troops of guards, horse, dragoons and foot are dealt with in neatly written separate chapters, each detailing the composition, uniforms, equipment, flags, and other bits considered of interest. This is supported by almost a dozen of appendices that give more fine-grained details, like a succession of colonels, independents troops and companies raised in 1685 and 1688 and a very interesting overview of deserter notices compiled from the <i>London Gazette</i>. A good selection of illustrations complements the text.<br />
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Adding everything up, mr Ede-Borrett goes a long way in showing James II's efforts to improve the effectiveness of the regiments forming his army, in particular those that were on the English Establishment (in 1685 there was no single British Army. All three kingdoms enjoyed their own military establishments (``armies''), each with its own characteristics). This fine book should be welcomed, with the author congratulated by its completion, and will form a useful addition to the library of anyone with an interest in early modern military history who want to form an idea of how the regiments under James II were organised, how they were uniformed and what armament they carried.<br />
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There are, however, a number of comments to be made on this work.<br />
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As with other works in this series by Helion, it is surprising that some, I think, basic book layout rules have not been observed: page numbering of the front matter is usually done in Roman numerals; new chapters usually start on the right-hand (odd) page; the page where a new chapter started does usually not bear a page number.<br />
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Secondly, there are several loose ends in the author's narrative, in particular in the introductory chapter. For example on page 13, there is mention of Charles II's attitude towards the army (a `necessary evil') that goes without any references. So this point remains somewhat in the void. Though Charles may have preferred the lady's dress over the battle dress, he was also short of funds to allow for a larger military establishment army. (Until William III, the army (the Guards & Garrisons) was the king's, who (had to) paid for it and not Parliament.) <br />
Another example is on page 16, where it is mentioned that in 1685 the army had `little logistical support' and could not have functioned as an army in a Continental sense. The improvement on the logistical support is, unfortunately, not mentioned further. (On the back of the book we read 'a fully-fledged Army with all of its necessary supporting arms and services', but none of these statements are proved inside.) As to the functioning of the army in a Continental sense, that is of course a hypothetical question that can never be answered (nunc pro tunc). Under Charles II, in case of an emergency, new regiments were raised to form a field army. This happened in 1667, in 1673 and again in 1678. Only in 1678-79, a corps went over to Flanders, but this did not see any combat. <br />
On page 17, the author narrates on the continuation of the army after the Dutch invasion of late 1688 and removal of James II. Here the phrase `perhaps reflects on how the new king saw the quality ...' ignores that William III needed the men as he had to fight in Flanders, Scotland and Ireland. As to William's resistance to disbanding the army after 1697, that had all to do with the looming conflict over the Spanish inheritance. Actually, much of James' army <b>was</b> legally disbanded from the English Establishment in 1697 and 1698, when most of the regiments were transferred to the Irish Establishment.<br />
These loose ends somewhat blur the argument the author wants to make.<br />
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Thirdly, with the amount of details gathered, it is unavoidable for some facts and details to remain unclear or unmentioned. For example:<br />
In Chapter 2, on the Horse Guards, the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards is mentioned. Though that designation was used to denote the three, later four, English troops of guards between 1660 and 1688, with an adjutant appointed in 1685, it was a not a regimented regiment, i.e., with a colonel on top, etc, since the troops remained distinct. This becomes not entirely clear.<br />
Also, with the reference to the company (troop) of horse grenadiers added to the Scots troop in 1702, a reference to the grouping of the English horse grenadiers into a single troop in 1693 would have made the narrative clearer.<br />
Likewise, in Chapter 5 on the Foot Guards, the use of 'Royal Regiments' seems strange. The regiments of guards formed part of the Royal army, and were Royal regiments in the that sense, but only the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards was at times designated as Royal.<br />
As to the formation of regiments of dragoons in 1685, John Berkeley, the future 3rd Baron Berkeley Stratton never was colonel of regiment in 1685. Also, the regiment of dragoons that was transferred to Ireland, under the command of Richard Hamilton, <b>was</b> raised specifically for Ireland (see CSPD James 2, 1685, 20 June).<br />
On the foot regiments, the summary of Prince George of Denmark's Regiment on page 78 would have benefited from a remark that it was constituted as a normal foot regiment already in 1667: both this regiment and the Holland Regiment were initially on the Naval Establishment, until September 1667 when transferred to the Military Establishment. A grenadier company was added to the regiment already in 1678 (albeit for a short period only).<br />
As to the Royal Regiment of Fuzileers, Lord Dartmouth already commanded a regiment in 1678 that had this additional gunsmith -- an indication that a regiment for the purpose of guarding, maybe even serving, the guns was not new? Though unconfirmed, since the regiment was also called 'the Ordnance Regiment', and had miners attached, it could very well have been an embryonic Royal Regiment of Artillery?<br />
Table 5, page 136ff, stated that the Holland Regiment dates from 1572, which is a somewhat loose interpretation of the regiment's lineage. See, for example, <a href="http://britisharmylineages.blogspot.nl/2009/11/formation-of-holland-regiment-in-1665.html" target="_blank">by blog post on the origin of this regiment</a> for details. The assumption that the Royal Regiment of Foot (future Royal Scots) was formed from ex-Scots in Swedish service could have been nuanced: the 1633 regiment was a new entity (a few years later, Scots in Swedish service were absorbed into the regiment). The regiment had been on the English Establishment in 1661 and 1666, and finally in 1678 (not 1679). The regiment takes it's precedence from 1661.<br />
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That brings me to the last category: the 'it would have been nice if'.<br />
In this distant era precedence (rank) between (gentle)men was observed very closely. With regiments being the property of the proprietor, precedence between regiments was also something that was looked upon very seriously. A few words on this subject would have been nice.<br />
The author provides a succession of regimental titles in Appendix III. Strangely, only the 1985 successor regiment is given, many of which disappeared in the reforms afterwards.<br />
With support arms and services (engineers, artillery, logistics) belonging to the concept of an army, these topics are, unfortunately, barely touched -- the garrisons in England and Scotland are mentioned (table 6, page 139-40), those in Ireland are lacking.<br />
Also, the publication would have benefited from short biographies of some of the more influential officers under James II: who were these men, Catholics or Anglicans? what was their career path?<br />
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Finally, the sub-title, the birth, is somewhat misleading. If the British Army was born at some point, it was (officially) in January 1661. Rightfully, under James II the army grew very fast from a toddler into an promising and aspiring adolescent. But, this army was never tested in the field. It can be said that under William III, under the umbrella of the Confederate Army in Flanders, it learned the trade of continental warfare (and got a legal status through the Bill of Rights) and finally achieved maturity under the Duke of Marlborough. <br />
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Though the above list of comments seems long, it is well understood that 200 pages is simply not enough to cover such a detail-rich subject -- it may also very well be beyond the intended scope of the monograph (like, for example, biographical information).<br />
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When it comes to <i>the regiments</i> of James II between 1685 and 1688, this book provides the essential details on organisation, equipment, uniforms and flags. And for that reason this book is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in those aspects. Regarding <i>the army</i> of James II, as it covers not all aspects that constitute and define an army, I consider this book still valuable but with some reservations.<br />
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I rate this book 8.5 out of 10.<br />
<br />Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-56029287304971624842015-07-06T14:49:00.003+02:002015-07-06T17:16:49.350+02:00Michiel de Ruyter ~~ an overrated movie of an undervalued period Earlier this year a movie was brought out depicting several episodes of the life on of the greatest Admiral's of the Dutch Republic: Michiel de Ruyter (see the movie's <a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michiel_de_Ruyter_%28film%29" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> for further details) who knew how to set fire to English oak.<br />
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The marketing of this movie was quite professional, and it was almost impossible not to know about this movie. The movie's cast is a mixture of old-hands in the business (Rutger Hauer and Charles Dancer), the usual soapies (I seem to forget those names) and a very friendly guy from Mierlo, close to Eindhoven (Frank Lammers) who plays de Ruyter. So many known names, and this probably helped the marketing. At the same time, there was the usual bunch of anti-anything-and-we-are-the-moral-compass people, who thought the movie is glorifying nationalism, mercantilism and above all Dutch history, with de Ruyter being the personification of evil. Evil has many faces, since several others depicted in the movie are considered evil as well.<br />
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Despite all this cheering and shooting, positive and negative, one can judge a movie only by actually seeing it, I would say.<br />
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Though I am probably a bit biased regarding the 17th Century, there are many remarks to be made regarding this movie. Not because there is any glorification, but simply because it is an average movie at best.<br />
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1. The script of the movie is as shallow as a dry riverbed in the Sahara, in the summer. Almost only one-liners, supposed to be cheeky, with too much a "doe es ff normaal, jonguh, rare koekwaus die de bent" (impossible to translate) undertone ("it's the 17th century, anything is possible");<br />
2. Charles II, portrayed by Charles Dance and probably one of the best actors in the movie, is depicted as an old, evil, wicked man, who is residing in his dark lair with young mistresses feeling frustrated over the world and the pesky Dutch in particular. In reality, Charles II was born only in 1630, and thus a young man in the prime of his life (hence the mistresses) in the 1660s and 1670s, and known as the "merry monarch"; and over 20 years junior to de Ruyter;<br />
3. The depiction of the capture of Maastricht by the French is simply ridiculous; civilians walking near the walls, in the midst of a siege?<br />
4. People don't grow old ... this is a common mistake in many movies. The first battle in the movie (Ter Heijde) and the death of de Ruyter span more than 20 years.<br />
5. The whole concept of nationality and nationalism/patriotism as displayed in the movie is an anachronism for this period;<br />
6. Mary Stuart had the tender age of fifteen when she married her cousin Willem III van Oranje;<br />
7. After two naval battles one gets to know the two tricks the director had and it becomes boring (men firing cannon, men flying through the air, men looking tough and mean). <br />
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Despite all this, the movie is somewhat amusing to watch if you curb your expectations on acting and historical accuracy. Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-21997185764263889072015-06-24T21:46:00.002+02:002015-06-24T21:46:24.367+02:00The First Colonial Soldiers ~~ finally into calm watersThe journey began in May 2013, and by then we though to be back by the end of year. But we were delayed, and we thought it would be <a href="http://britisharmylineages.blogspot.nl/2013/11/pending-projects-first-colonial-soldiers.html" target="_blank">summer 2014</a>. However, with so much to explore, so much to chronicle and so much to investigate further the journey was <a href="http://britisharmylineages.blogspot.nl/2014/09/the-first-colonial-soldiers-progressive.html" target="_blank">split into two</a>. <br />
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The first part of the journey was accomplished in November 2014, with the coverage of the British territories in Europe, think of Dunkirk and Gibraltar, but also the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, North Africa (Tangier), West Africa (the Gambia, Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast), St Helena, and the factories in East India (present day India and Indonesia). <br />
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The second journey ventured West. From the cold and barren Hudson Bay, via the cod fisheries of Newfoundland, the Puritans in New England, to the Dutch and the fur trade in New Netherland, the Swedes in New Sweden, and Quakers in Pennsylvania. The plantation colonies of Maryland, Virginia and Carolina were followed by the island colonies of Jamaica, with of course a narrative of Cromwell's Western Design, the Barbadoes, the Leewards, the Bermudas, and the many smaller settlements, and attempts to settle, in Middle and South America. <br />
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And then, the <a href="http://www.drenthpublishing.nl/colonialsoldiers/colonialsoldiers.html" target="_blank">work was done</a>, the journey came to an end and was neatly written down in two volumes, with the second volume in two parts. Together over 100 illustrations and maps, and almost 1,000 pages of text.<br />
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Next a short rest, and a glimpse of what is to come next:<br />
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<br />Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-83094424510520028512015-06-15T16:27:00.000+02:002015-06-16T06:36:05.353+02:00Book: Marlborough's other army. The British Army and the Campaigns of the First Peninsular War, 1702-1712When this book was first announced on the <a href="http://www.helion.co.uk/" target="_blank">publisher's site</a>, I was pleased to see a book in this subject being written and published. It is needless to say that I was very keen on giving this book a good reading, and see how and where it could fit in my own research in the period.<br />
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The book I will be discussing is <i>Marlborough's Other Army. The British Army and the Campaigns of the First Peninsular War, 1702-1712</i> by Nicholas Dorrell. Dorrell wrote <i>Marlborough's Last Chance in Spain</i> a couple of years ago.<br />
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In his book, Dorrell describes the campaigns on the Iberian Peninsula in chronological order. Thus he begins with the Anglo-Dutch raid against Cadiz and Vigo and Portugal's entry into the war and describes each year's campaign right through the evacuation of the region in 1713. Lists of regiments for the various campaigns and battles, and some uniform details, are provided. The book is adorned by over thirty illustrations, and maps are included to show troop movements, etc.<br />
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Given the scarcity of books on the Peninsular theatre during the War of the Spanish Succession, this book should be welcomed for providing a neat and concise survey.<br />
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There are, however, several aspects of this book that could have been improved or avoided. <br />
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1. A first are several remarks on the general layout, typesetting and 'look and feel' of the text: <br />
a) Though highly subjective of course, the book just doesn't look attractive by browsing through it. This is mainly caused the by the lack of indentation where orders of battle are provided, which gives the text a solid and massive appearance. Here using a tabular way of formatting, and avoiding left-alignment, would have helped. <br />
b) Furthermore, it is custom for books (other than novels of course) that new chapters start on an odd (i.e. right-handed) page, even though this may create a blank page preceding the new chapter.<br />
c) Another point of criticism is that the page numbering of the main matter (in Arabic numbers) continues that of the front matter (in Roman). Page numbering usually (re)starts at 1 for the main matter.<br />
d) The painting of the Battle of Almansa is wrongly attributed to <a href="http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Balaca" target="_blank">Ricardo Balaca</a>, a nineteenth century artist. He indeed made a painting with the battle of Almansa as subject in 1862. The painting reproduced in the book is by <a href="http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buonaventura_Ligli" target="_blank">Buonaventura Ligli</a>, who made this painting in 1709.<br />
e) The maps are not scaled uniformly, i.e., the map-scale is of course different depending on what is shown, but it is good practise that the text in the maps is in the same format regardless of map scale.<br />
These aspects give the book a somewhat unfinished appearance, and could have been avoided in my opinion.<br />
f) The text reads as if it was compiled sequentially from sources given in the bibliography, without giving it a second thought. This results in a somewhat uneven introduction to general concepts, and the text lacks a certain smoothness. This could have been avoided by putting that kind of details into an introduction or earlier chapter.<br />
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Next, there are several aspects of the contents itself that could have been improved. I will address a few:<br />
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2. The ``British Army'' was one of main stakeholders, and the first chapter gives a basic introduction (pages 15-17) . Though the author rightly states that there was no ``British Army'' at this period, he seems to have overlooked completely the concept of establishment. Instead of an army, there were three establishments: an English, a Scots and an Irish, one for each of the three kingdoms. Ireland is not mentioned at all in this part. The concept of a ``British Army'', as an institution, was however something for the future. On his discussion of the regimental organisation, the author overlooked the fact there were many more establishments (i.e. authorised organisation and strength) for regiments than he states, and (British) regiments serving in Spain were organised according to several establishments, all depending on where they came from. This is a confusing topic, but the short-cut taken by the author is simply to simplistic. In his discussion of the cavalry (page 17), the troop as building block for regiments and owned by a captain is omitted in favour of the more popular squadron.<br />
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3. Dorrell rightfully mentions the Dutch (chapter 3, page 29ff.) as an important stakeholder. According to Dorrell, the Dutch contribution to the Iberian Peninsula was not as large as it could have been. However, Here the author should have been aware that the English and Dutch forces sent to Portugal and Spain, even the complete effort regarding that region, was settled according to quotas: 2/3 English and 1/3 Dutch, giving a more objective and nuanced interpretation of why there were relatively few Dutch troops. Though Dorrell uses some German language sources, it is a pity he didn't consult the Dutch "Het Staatsche Leger". <br />
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4. Another important player was Portugal, and the contributions of the Portuguese army have somewhat been neglected in the literature on the War of the Spanish Succession. Here Dorrell mentions that the obscurity of information is in part caused by the custom of naming the regiments after its colonel, whereas other states used a more clearer (e.g. numerical) method of naming. This, however, it not entirely correct. Regiments of other nations were still named after their colonel, or had some other designation when named after, e.g., a member of the Royal family. The concept of precedence added some ordering, but the habit of adding a numerical addition to a regimental title was something of a later date.<br />
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5. The capture of Minorca is dealt with very shortly, and unfortunately the details on the invasion force are not according to the latest insights. Furthermore, it is a pity the author omitted the garrison on the island between 1708 and 1713. The same can be said for Gibraltar.<br />
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Because of the above remarks the final evaluation of this book is more elaborate than usual. <br />
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Given the subject, I would rate the book as recommended and I am convinced it will find its way to the libraries of (amateur) historians and students of the battles of the War of the Spanish Succession<br />
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Unfortunately, the book's appearance is not up to standards, and some serious editing would have been useful. Furthermore, though the author is no doubt complete in providing orders of battle and narrating on the many battles and campaigns, and for this achievement the author deserves full credits, there seems to be a lack of completeness and consistency (as in ``big picture'') in his story. <br />
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These two points combined give the book the appearance of a manual for those wishing to re-create battles, and those looking for orders of battle. And for that purpose I feel this book will be useful.<br />
However, the book would have benefited from a more out-of-the-box thinking, to get the big picture and conceptual understanding of an early eighteenth-century army more clear.<br />
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So I would rate the book as recommended and certainly as very relevant because of the lack of literature on this topic and the amount of work put into it by the author. However, this is with reservations depending on what the reader is looking for.Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-5405775602445673512015-05-28T08:47:00.002+02:002015-05-28T08:47:56.787+02:00The First Colonial Soldiers, volume 2 ~~ the final chapterAfter more than two years of writing, editing and research, the end is near. December 2014 saw the "birth" of Volume 1 of the First Colonial Soldiers, and Volume 2 is being proof-printed as we speak. If everything goes as planned, the books will be available in a few weeks.<br />
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As usual these days with final volumes / episodes / parts, it will come in two sub-parts. Stay tuned!<br />
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<br />Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-7774899199313197352015-01-24T20:28:00.003+01:002015-01-24T20:28:52.424+01:00Winter sale: free shipping when ordering Half pay lists 1699 and 1714 togetherIn order to make room for new books, no shipping costs will be charged when the two half-pay lists published by Drenth Publishing are ordered together.<br />
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See the <a href="http://www.drenthpublishing.nl/index.html" target="_blank">publisher's site</a> for the details.<br />
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This offer is valid as long as stocks last. Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-78193813174507772762014-11-21T08:06:00.000+01:002014-11-21T08:06:29.507+01:00The First Colonial Soldiers ~~ almost thereLast September I reported the decision made to deliver the project in two phases. The first phase on the British Isles, Europe, Asia and Africa, and the second phase on the Americas and the Caribbean. The deliverable for each phase should consist of a volume (= book).<br />
<br />
Now, two months later, the first volume about to get printed and will be available for sale in December. Only 100 copies will be made, so first come first served!<br />
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More, formal, details are found on the publisher's realm (<a href="http://www.drenthpublishing.nl/colonialsoldiers/colonialsoldiers.html" target="_blank">The First Colonials at Publisher's</a>) and a sneak of the cover:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuCPdbp2xsboBzJm7y8l3myr4nYqC6q2m4MbaZwOjcAvAUleswJVbM-0F-kwWRwhMgSQ7hMGp2B1gELr3fA4uXz4t0Hf7ZPfFt_TzCyzoX1D_Icrc7XtAaIiJvAteZzdkHacpsQF9mx0/s1600/cover1_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuCPdbp2xsboBzJm7y8l3myr4nYqC6q2m4MbaZwOjcAvAUleswJVbM-0F-kwWRwhMgSQ7hMGp2B1gELr3fA4uXz4t0Hf7ZPfFt_TzCyzoX1D_Icrc7XtAaIiJvAteZzdkHacpsQF9mx0/s1600/cover1_sm.jpg" height="320" width="246" /></a></div>
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An image from Volume 1 tells it's own story, and this tropical commodity was very much the reason to sail to the other end of the world:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmn9DV0JOYsg2lCEK1BBEXccb3DktTwqXdzf7uvw4XpfA7Yxcu2boPCGsMXxoXxTjODc-gMMB6WXC3Il42R3hFwJAbZFhgzJ1ucV6-qSnUprkSiRM9r4hRBGHNt3Q0DqYhJ6msdxJpwk/s1600/nutmeg_RP-P-OB-75-396.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmn9DV0JOYsg2lCEK1BBEXccb3DktTwqXdzf7uvw4XpfA7Yxcu2boPCGsMXxoXxTjODc-gMMB6WXC3Il42R3hFwJAbZFhgzJ1ucV6-qSnUprkSiRM9r4hRBGHNt3Q0DqYhJ6msdxJpwk/s1600/nutmeg_RP-P-OB-75-396.png" height="248" width="400" /> </a></div>
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For those interested, here what the cover of Volume 2 is supposed to look like: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AUMvENrSaVvreZgJ90UrRaRggWRkB_ijZ5kRJm-_5UNUQfP48Kj_epRO20c_ku36k8VH0WMr2yQEyjQNRtWbijPVy66tprBmtb_x2Fg0qJ_IVlsbt3qokpGNW3sMyuSOQD95l0_kkLk/s1600/cover2_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AUMvENrSaVvreZgJ90UrRaRggWRkB_ijZ5kRJm-_5UNUQfP48Kj_epRO20c_ku36k8VH0WMr2yQEyjQNRtWbijPVy66tprBmtb_x2Fg0qJ_IVlsbt3qokpGNW3sMyuSOQD95l0_kkLk/s1600/cover2_sm.jpg" height="320" width="246" /></a></div>
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The similarity in appearance should not be surprising. Volume 2 will appear in March 2015.<br />
<br />Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-33882622681555154702014-09-18T04:30:00.001+02:002014-09-18T04:30:34.939+02:00The First Colonial Soldiers ~~ progressive insights on tackling a large subjectIn a previous blog the pending publication of <a href="http://drenthpublishing.nl/colonialsoldiers/colonialsoldiers.html" target="_blank">The First Colonial Soldiers</a> was announced. This work, a true Anglo-Dutch joint operation, was scheduled for this autumn.<br />
<br />
However, given the lack of existing publications in this area that tackle the subject of colonial soldiering, we ended up with a lot of new information digested into our planned book. Initially the book was thought to number about 400 pages. That became soon 500, and this broke the 600 boundary. With the end only marginally visible.<br />
<br />
So, instead of lumping all information into a big volume we decided to split the subject into two volumes:<br />
<br />
<b><u>Volume 1: the British Isles, Europe, Asia and Africa</u></b><br />
this volume deals with the several of British possessions in Europe like Dunkirk, Gibraltar and the Channel Islands. It also tackles the beginnings of the British empire in India and touches on the West African Gold Coast. This volume is to be published in November 2014.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Volume 2: the Americas and the Caribbean</u></b><br />
this volumes deals with the colonies in the New World and the temporary holdings in that part of the world. Discussed are the militias of those colonies, the expeditions and battles, the regular forces sent from England, and much more. This volume is to be published in March 2015.<br />
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Though designated "Volume 1" and "Volume 2", the volumes can be read independent of each other as each comes with its own introduction, list of references, indices, illustrations and maps. <br />
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<br />Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-88830493161108537062014-09-17T10:34:00.000+02:002014-09-17T10:34:33.348+02:00Paymaster General's Account Book 1690A few years ago the Account Book of the Paymaster General of the army of William III for the year 1690 was discovered in the Belfast City Hall. See for example<br />
<a href="http://www.boyneobelisklol1690.com/paymaster_general.php" target="_blank">http://www.boyneobelisklol1690.com/paymaster_general.php</a> and<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/tIt6bsYHTNOVlszDIKd-lg" target="_blank">http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/tIt6bsYHTNOVlszDIKd-lg</a><br />
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This Account Book by Paymaster General <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Coningsby,_1st_Earl_Coningsby" target="_blank">Thomas Coningsby</a> lists the payments made to the regiments in William III's army, and those made to hospitals, intelligence, etc.<br />
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It is a bit unfortunate and strange that this document is kept by the <a href="http://www.grandorangelodge.co.uk/" target="_blank">Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland</a> in Belfast, and not by an institution like the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland.<br />
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Nevertheless, this Orange Lodge made a rather nice workbook based on this Account Book. Though aimed at children, it will be nice for adults too: <a href="http://www.grandorangelodge.co.uk/docs/paymaster-general-workbook.pdf" target="_blank">paymaster-general-workbook.pdf</a>. Unfortunately there is no further information regarding accessibility of this Account Book for researchers. I truly hope this document is not abused for pursuing a political agenda.<br />
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Contrary to rumours and gossip, this Account Book does <b>not </b>contain the names of all men in William III's army. It does, however, contain the names of about 400 officers. With about 40 officers in a regiment of foot, this means that this Account Book does neither contain all officers in William III's.<br />
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But anyway, let's hope that the information in this document will become available soon! Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-21865668822085122832014-06-10T21:31:00.000+02:002014-06-10T21:32:02.836+02:00The First Colonial Soldiers ~~ a glimpse of what is to come this summer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvD5tjtZWTI9Sl0gNzk1P3G2MFMsfaUD4yz1aQxnj_AiqT-eMCprBDayLar1xFLLm9T_I7ZdziV_wVs2HUpEKbhomFYqb1GHKiLx7ewhocmksduIzIy1Y0XapGRpxF31JsJjOSQ6cMtA/s1600/ColonialSoldiersCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvD5tjtZWTI9Sl0gNzk1P3G2MFMsfaUD4yz1aQxnj_AiqT-eMCprBDayLar1xFLLm9T_I7ZdziV_wVs2HUpEKbhomFYqb1GHKiLx7ewhocmksduIzIy1Y0XapGRpxF31JsJjOSQ6cMtA/s1600/ColonialSoldiersCover.jpg" height="400" width="307" /></a></div>
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After more than one year of editing, formatting, reading, more editing, sending and receiving more emails to my co-author, re-shuffling, and quite a bit of editing ahead, the project <a href="http://drenthpublishing.nl/colonialsoldiers/colonialsoldiers.html" target="_blank">The First Colonial Soldiers</a> is nearing completion! Stay tuned!Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-32230748777479912322014-04-07T12:32:00.000+02:002014-04-07T21:02:17.931+02:00Colonial Records ~~ New Haven<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven_Colony" target="_blank">New Haven</a> was founded in 1638 as a ``new haven'' for orthodox Puritans, who found that Massachusetts Bay had become to much of a Sodom and Gomorrah.<br />
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The colony, lying west of the Connecticut River, never received a Charter. When the much larger Connecticut Colony was grated a Royal Charter in 1662, this encompassed the towns of New Haven. In January 1665 the colony was finally absorbed into Connecticut.<br />
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Two records exist (the years between 1649 and 1653 are missing):<br />
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<b>Volume 1:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyp00newh" target="_blank">1638 - 1649</a> (Records of the Colony and Plantation of New Haven)<br />
<b>Volume 2:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo00newh" target="_blank">1653 - 1664</a> (Records of the Colony and Jurisdiction of New Haven)Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-81291121814476122232014-04-01T21:37:00.001+02:002014-04-01T21:37:30.475+02:00Map of Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth Bay and Rhode IslandMaps tell so much more than words. So, maps will be an important part of a forthcoming publication.<br />
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Here a sneak preview of a map for part of New England. Boundaries of provinces (dashed) and counties (dotted) are approximate, and reflect the division of circa 1700.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRm5Sh7-BwNIX0-w2vv-_eaWo-G93triN6jXIwNQffTBH1ofclVs68DZ4zhVbWhsgzflqE5sFMxsPi8jzhIlNTZgA3IHv6HEvV_5NiQEDdB7X4SUXerXmOLY3uwd7krfMA7PAo92GgfLo/s1600/mass.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRm5Sh7-BwNIX0-w2vv-_eaWo-G93triN6jXIwNQffTBH1ofclVs68DZ4zhVbWhsgzflqE5sFMxsPi8jzhIlNTZgA3IHv6HEvV_5NiQEDdB7X4SUXerXmOLY3uwd7krfMA7PAo92GgfLo/s1600/mass.png" height="400" width="326" /></a></div>
<br />Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-87608012890476057452014-03-26T14:27:00.000+01:002014-03-26T14:27:12.338+01:00Jean Baptiste Lully ~~ Marche pour la ceremonie des turcs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ScyTHuKDCFc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Nice tune, and some nice wigs too.Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-27031646370015761882014-03-24T22:17:00.001+01:002014-03-24T22:17:09.715+01:00Musical intermezzo ~~ Jean Baptiste Lully<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Od1ZbV9rutI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Lully">Jean Baptiste Lully</a> (1632 - 1687) was the composer of choice for Louis XIV. The above selection of his work is rather nice, and gives an idea what Louis was listening to, and perhaps trying a new dance, whilst relaxing from his ambitions to conquer Europe. Though some of the pieces sounds rather martial.<br />
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<br /><br />Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-54634337349315093802014-03-20T15:37:00.000+01:002014-03-20T15:37:02.727+01:00Colonial Records ~~ PennsylvaniaThough this province didn't have much of a militia in during the reigns of William III and Anne, because of the Quaker dominance, there are still relevant records available for the colonial period. These are known either as <i><b>Colonial Records of Pennsylvania</b></i> or as the <i><b>Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania</b></i>. These records form part of the 138 volume <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Archives">Pennsylvania Archives</a>.<br />
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<b>Volume 1:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecords01coungoog">1683 - 1700</a><br />
<b>Volume 2:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecordsov2harr">1700 - 1717</a><br />
<b>Volume 3:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecordsov3harr">1717 - 1736</a><br />
<b>Volume 4:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecordsov4harr">1736 - 1745</a><br />
<b>Volume 5:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecordsov5harr">1745 - 1754</a><br />
<b>Volume 6:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecordsov6harr">1754 - 1756</a><br />
<b>Volume 7:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecordsov7harr">1756 - 1758</a><br />
<b>Volume 8:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecordsov8harr">1757 - 1762</a><br />
<b>Volume 9:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecordsov9harr">1762 - 1771</a><br />
<b>Volume 10:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/colonialrecordsov10harr">1771 - 1776</a><br />
After 1776, when the Revolution had broken out, there are six more records called <i><b>Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council</b></i>, still part of the <i><b>Colonial Records</b></i> series.<br />
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Secondly, there are four volumes in the <b><i>Series 1</i> </b>of the <i><b>Pennsylvania Archives</b> </i>relevant for the colonial period:<br />
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<b>Volume 1:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniaarc35instgoog">Pennsylvania Archives .. commencing 1644</a><br />
<b>Volume 2:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniaarc34instgoog">Pennsylvania Archives .. commencing 1748</a><br />
<b>Volume 3:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniaarc10librgoog">Pennsylvania Archives .. commencing 1756</a><br />
<b>Volume 4:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniaarc33instgoog">Pennsylvania Archives .. commencing 1760</a> <br />
Volume 5 commences in 1776; in total there are twelve volumes in this series.<br />
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There is an index for the <b><i>Colonial Records</i> </b>and the <b><i>Pennsylvania Archives</i></b>:<br />
<a href="https://archive.org/details/indextocolrecords00hazarich">General Index .. colonial Records .. Pennsylvania Archives ..</a><br />
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<b>Series 2</b> contains a few additional volumes of interest:<br />
<b>Volume 5:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniaser205harruoft">Papers Relating to the Colonies on the Delaware 1614 - 1682</a> <br />
<b>Volume 6:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniaarc04instgoog">Papers Relating to the French Occupation in Western Pennsylvania 1631 - 1764</a><br />
<b>Volume 7:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniaarc18penngoog">Provincial Affairs 1682 - 1750</a>Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-77996096306575112732014-03-19T11:08:00.000+01:002014-03-19T11:19:42.819+01:00Colonial Records ~~ Rhode IslandNext in this series on Colonial Records the Colony of Rhode Island. A small province, with the much larger Connecticut and Massachusetts Bay on its West and North, respectively. Nevertheless, quite extensive material exist published as the <i><b>Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England</b></i>.<br />
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<b>Volume 1: </b><a href="https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo01rhod" target="_blank">1636 - 1663</a><br />
<b>Volume 2: </b><a href="https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo02rhod" target="_blank">1664 - 1677</a><br />
<b>Volume 3: </b><a href="https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo03rhod_0" target="_blank">1678 - 1706</a><br />
<b>Volume 4: </b><a href="https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo04rhod" target="_blank">1707 - 1740</a><br />
<b>Volume 5: </b><a href="https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo05rhod" target="_blank">1741 - 1756</a><br />
<b>Volume 6: </b><a href="https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo06rhod" target="_blank">1757 - 1769</a><br />
<b>Volume 7: </b><a href="https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo07rhod" target="_blank">1770 - 1776</a><br />
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<br />Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-26692687160853834892014-03-14T11:36:00.000+01:002014-03-25T14:15:14.319+01:00Colonial Records ~~ New HampshireSecond in this series of Colonial Records is the province of New Hampshire, for which there are several volumes called <i><b>Documents and Records related to the Province of New-Hampshire from the earliest period of its settlement: 1623 - 1776</b></i>. This is a sub-serie of the <i><b>State and Provincial Papers of New Hampshire</b></i>, which has up to 40 volumes (see <a href="http://www.library.unh.edu/diglib/bookshelf/NHPapers/series.shtml" target="_blank">here</a> for an overview). Those deemed of interested for the period before the Revolution include:<br />
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<b>Volume 1:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/provincialpapers00boutrich" target="_blank">1623 - 1686</a><br />
<b>Volume 2:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/provincialandst17boutgoog" target="_blank">1686 - 1722</a> (mostly Council records)<br />
<b>Volume 3:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/provincialandst16boutgoog" target="_blank">1692 - 1722</a> (containing the journal of the Council and Assembly from 1692 - 1722)<br />
<b>Volume 4:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/provincialandst04boutgoog" target="_blank">1722 - 1737</a><br />
<b>Volume 5:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/provincialandst07boutgoog" target="_blank">1738 - 1749</a><br />
<b>Volume 6: </b><a href="https://archive.org/details/provincialandst10boutgoog" target="_blank">1749 - 1763</a><br />
<b>Volume 7:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/provincialandst08boutgoog" target="_blank">1764 - 1776</a><br />
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<b>Volume 14:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/newhampshireprov14none">Rolls of the Soldiers in the Revolutionary War, volume 1</a> (contains some rolls related to Queen Anne's War)<br />
<b>Volume 17:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/newhampshireprov17none">Rolls of the Soldiers in the Revolutionary War, volume 4</a> (contains several Provincial Papers 1629 - 1725)<br />
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<b>Volume 19:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/provincialandst14boutgoog" target="_blank">Provincial Papers of New Hampshire (roughly 1679 - 1764)</a><br />
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<b>Volume 23:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/provincialandst11boutgoog" target="_blank">A list of documents in the PRO in London England relating to the Province of New Hampshire</a><br />
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Another interesting publication is from the <i><b>New Hampshire Historical Society</b></i>:<br />
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<b>Volume 8:</b> <a href="https://archive.org/details/collectionsofnew08newh" target="_blank">Collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society</a>: <span class="x-archive-meta-title">containing
province records and court papers from 1680 to 1692, notices of
provincial councilors, and other articles relative to the early history
of the state.</span> Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-68646940401946219652014-03-14T09:24:00.004+01:002014-03-14T10:08:51.618+01:00Colonial Records ~~ ConnecticutThe ubiquitous <a href="http://www.archive.org/" target="_blank">Archive.org</a> holds tons of digitized volumes related to the colonial history of the English colonies in North America. Important amongst those for the student of colonial administration (see also <a href="http://britisharmylineages.blogspot.nl/2013/11/pending-projects-first-colonial-soldiers.html" target="_blank">the Colonial soldiers project</a>) are the records from the colonial administrators. This post, and following, are to summarize links those records for ease of access, as an online bookmark.<br />
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First colony is Connecticut, for which we have a series of 15 volumes called the <i><b>Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut 1636 - 1776</b></i>. These volumes cover the years when the colony was founded, until the American Revolution.<br />
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<b>Volume 1:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc001conn" target="_blank">April 1636 - April 1665</a><br />
<b>Volume 2:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecords02conn" target="_blank">May 1665 - November 1677</a> <br />
<b>Volume 3:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc003conn" target="_blank">May 1678 - June 1689</a><br />
<b>Volume 4:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc004conn" target="_blank">August 1689 - May 1706</a><br />
<b>Volume 5:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc005conn" target="_blank">October 1706 - October 1716</a><br />
<b>Volume 6:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc006conn" target="_blank">May 1717 - October 1725</a><br />
<b>Volume 7:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc007conn" target="_blank">May 1726 - October 1735</a><br />
<b>Volume 8:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc008conn" target="_blank">October 1735 - October 1743</a><br />
<b>Volume 9:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc009conn" target="_blank">May 1744 - November 1750</a><br />
<b>Volume 10:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc010conn" target="_blank">May 1751 - February 1757</a><br />
<b>Volume 11:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc011conn" target="_blank">May 1757 - March 1762</a><br />
<b>Volume 12:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc012conn" target="_blank">May 1762 - October 1767</a><br />
<b>Volume 13:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc013conn" target="_blank">May 1768 - May 1772</a><br />
<b>Volume 14:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc014conn" target="_blank">October 1772 - April 1775</a><br />
<b>Volume 15:</b> <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/publicrecordsofc015conn" target="_blank">May 1775 - June 1776</a>Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-61916832620139730322013-11-21T14:42:00.000+01:002013-11-21T14:42:22.315+01:00Pending projects ~~ The First Colonial SoldiersAfter the relative success of my '1699' and '1714' half-pay lists, the last of which good pretty nice reviews in <i>The Irish Sword</i> and the J<i>ournal of the Society of Army Historical Research</i>, a number of new projects were started.<br />
<br />
One of these projects will be written together with an Englishman of name, and with a good deal more experience in writing. Apart from the topic, on which more shortly, this cooperation is already very inspiring and instructive.<br />
<br />
The topic of this project focusses on colonial soldiering in the 17th and early part of the 18th centuries. Whereas this topic is pretty well covered in literature for the period of the later 18th century (King George's War, the French and Indian Wars), this is much less true for the preceding period.<br />
<br />
Thus, the scope of the project is related to the early years of settlement and colonisation of New England, the West Indies and, to a lesser degree, West Africa and the East Indies, and more in particular to the garrisons of these colonies: <em>The First Colonial Soldiers</em>. Also dealt with are 'European' overseas possessions like Gibraltar, Dunkirk and the Channel Islands. <br />
<br />
For each colony, or overseas possession, an introductory narrative is provided with the relevant background information on the genesis of that colony. More important, and the main topic of the project, are the 'colonial soldiers', the garrisons in those colonies. Lists of troops are provided, regulars and militia, with dates of commissions and organisational / regimental details. Whereas information on regular troops is - relatively - well known and available, the parts on the various colonial militias are often the result of new research and compilation of information from various sources.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, the militia had, almost by definition of being the local form of defence, strong bindings to the local community and administration of the colonies. Reading the history of these militias, and their officers, reads like a history of the colonies.<br />
<br />
The First Colonial Soldiers is expected to be published by July 2014. Visit this blog for updates, or check the <a href="http://www.drenthpublishing.nl/" target="_blank">publisher's site</a>.Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-2549095104344846872013-10-21T21:58:00.002+02:002013-10-21T21:58:46.290+02:00Some regimental establishmentsFollowing the earlier <a href="http://britisharmylineages.blogspot.nl/2013/10/what-was-size-of-regiment-of-foot.html" target="_blank">post</a> on the size of the regiment of foot, and the various (official) establishment listed, this post will actually detail some of these establishments. This post will look at the regiments in the Low Countries.<br />
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As stated previously, regiments in the Low Countries numbered 867, 876 (no typo) or 938 men. How does these numbers translate in companies, sergeants and privates.<br />
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Let's start with the largest. This establishment was authorised already in the conflict for regiments serving in the Low Countries. The regiments were composed of thirteen companies: twelve battalion companies and one of grenadiers. Besides the private men, each company consisted of three officers - captain, lieutenant and ensign, or a captain and two lieutenants for the grenadiers, three sergeants, three corporals, and two drummers. The battalion companies had 60 private men, the grenadier companies were slightly larger with 70 men. Together with 5 staff officers - chaplain, adjutant, quarter-master, and the surgeon and his mate - this adds up to 938 men.<br />
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The smallest is a big odd, but it existed. This regiment had only twelve companies, 11 battalion and one of grenadiers, at the same establishment as the large regiments, with also five staff officers. This was the regiment of William Evans. It was raised in April 1703, and went to the Low Countries the same year. Though at first established with 938 men, and thirteen companies, part of the regiment was drafted in 1704 to regiment that went to Portugal. The result was this 12 company establishment.<br />
<br />
The middle sized regiments, there were four of them in the Low Countries, were all part of the augmentation of 20,000 men to the Confederate forces agreed upon in 1703. Four of the regiments of this augmentation were English, and established with 876 men. These regiments also had thirteen companies, and five staff, and had the same number of officers, non-commissioned officers and drummers. However, the difference was in a somewhat lower establishment of the companies: each company had 56 men. <br />
<br />
The estimates for the forces show these establishment until the end of the conflict, and it is interesting to know why the regiments of the augmentation were somewhat smaller than those of the earlier British contingent. Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-5127376850080936972013-10-13T17:42:00.001+02:002013-10-13T17:43:28.854+02:00What was the size of a regiment of foot?After a couple of months of research for other projects, I returned to the reductions after the War of the Spanish Succession (see also my <a href="http://britisharmylineages.blogspot.nl/2012/05/regimental-list-of-half-pay-officers.html" target="_blank">Half-Pay officers for 1714</a>). Here I looked into the question on the size of a regiment. More in particular, and do keep it simple, the size of a regiment of foot.<br />
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Anyone, including me, with some knowledge of the British army, and the Marlburian period, would probably answer that a regiment numbered 13 companies with one of grenadiers.<br />
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However, a careful look at the establishment lists of the armies between 1701 and 1712 reveals a variation that must have given contemporary quartermasters severe headaches. And it gives some nice number-crunching.<br />
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Let's use the estimate for the armed forces for 1711 as an example (see the <a href="http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=85798" target="_blank">Calendar of Treasury Books</a>):<br />
In the Guard & Garrisons, i.e., the regiments serving in England or in garrison on the colonies we have regiments of 760, 809, 834, 876, and 951 men. Judging from the reductions, the regiments were all established with 12 companies.<br />
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In the army in Flanders we find regiments of 938 and 876 men. The ones with 938 men were definitely established with 13 companies, the ones with 876 men most likely.<br />
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When we move to the Iberian Peninsula, the situation was as worse as at home: regiments of 725, 785, 834, 845 and 876 men. All regiments appear to have been established with 12 companies.<br />
<br />
After the reductions of 1712-14 we find the following establishments:<br />
at Dunkirk, 669 men to a regiment of foot with 12 companies<br />
in Flanders 613 to a regiment with 12 companies<br />
at Minorca 625 men with 12 companies<br />
at Gibraltar 500 with 12 companies<br />
In England/Scotland, including the West Indies, 445 men with 10 companies<br />
in Ireland, 444 men, also in 10 companies<br />
(the one man difference between England and Scotland was the Quarter-Master, for whom was no room on the Irish Establishment).Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-81684876388600931592013-09-26T13:16:00.000+02:002013-09-26T13:16:13.221+02:00Podcast on the War of the Spanish SuccessionAndrew Tumath contributed a nice article in the latest issue of the Journal of the Society of Army Historical Research on the British army in Spain after the Brihuega disaster. In the note about the author, it was mentioned that mr Tumath hosts a history podcast called <a href="http://www.anewhistorypodcast.com/content/portal.php" target="_blank">A New History Podcast</a>.<br />
<br />
One of the series (or should this be podcasts?) is on the War of the Spanish Succession, neatly divided into yearly or half-yearly episodes. Well worth checking out, and listening to. Mr Tumath has a pleasant voice, and narrates eloquently and packs a lot of detail in his lectures. Yet, whilst taking the listeners from Northern Italy to London and then to Portugal, it remains clear and comprehensive.<br />
<br />
Highly recommended, though his appreciation of the dreaded and evil Dutch Deputies keeping the Duke from picking his fruits from his victories seems a bit influenced by Chandler et al .......Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-67396146058951837472013-06-24T12:29:00.001+02:002013-06-24T12:29:20.992+02:00the Marlborough historiography For those with an interest in the life and times of the Duke of Marlborough, please check out this rather good read at Jamel Ostwald's <a href="http://jostwald.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>: <a href="http://jostwald.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/whats-the-matter-with-the-marlborough-historiography/" target="_blank">What's the matter with the Marlborough historiography</a>Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-84485366549713315192013-04-30T16:37:00.002+02:002013-04-30T16:37:50.730+02:00A musical intermezzoOn this joyful 30th April 2013 some musical entertainment from the early modern period.<br />
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One is called '<i>Marlbrough ne revient pas</i>', and written after the battle of Malplaquet of September 1709. It tells how Sarah Churchill is told that her husband found his death on the fields of Malplaquet. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/YqRpPMOaMIA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<i>Le roi et mort, vive le roi</i>: The funeral march for Louis XIV. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5tkaaCXu1zs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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And finally, William Croft's ode for the peace of Utrecht, now 200 years ago.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/irMqnWXXww8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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(Please ignore any commercials)<br />
Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3897297125231754296.post-9113345522983746402013-04-26T09:43:00.001+02:002013-04-26T09:43:10.904+02:00Book writing ~~ lessons learned In little over than one year, two books were compiled by the author of this blog and published by <a href="http://www.drenthpublishing.nl/" target="_blank">Drenth Publishing</a>.As the two books are on the same subject, half-pay officers, this post will compare both efforts and look into lessons learned and differences between the two projects.<br />
<h4>
Lessons learned:</h4>
<ul>
<li> Never underestimate your audience. However, don't assume your audience is that well informed into the subject you are writing on as you are. So, it is better to write a bit more on some intricate detail, than leave it out (and: you can always remove it afterwards).</li>
<li>Who are the people that will buy your book? Or, putting it a bit differently, know about your target audience. This helps in formulating the scope of the project, and finding additional scope to be covered.</li>
<li>If I were a potential customer, what would I want to see in such a book.</li>
<li>Be critical to yourself. Re-read what you have written, and question yourself: what is the scope, what is the level of detail, what would a reader expect.</li>
<li>So, accept that requirements can change! </li>
<li>(Unless you have agreed to someone deliver before a certain time, don't set a hard deadline when there are still things to be sorted out.)</li>
<li>(So, communicate the fruits of your labour only when the completion is feasible.)</li>
<li>Make a print of the document to see what it looks like on paper, or at least view the document in a two-page modus. This will avoid silly mistakes that makes the project look like a rubbish.</li>
</ul>
<h4>
Differences:</h4>
<ul>
<li>The second project on the <a href="http://www.drenthpublishing.nl/halfpay1699/" target="_blank">reduced officers for 1699</a> greatly benefited from technicalities solved in the first project on the <a href="http://www.drenthpublishing.nl/halfpay1714" target="_blank">half-pay officers for 1714</a>.</li>
<li>This meant layout issues: how to present the lists of officers, how to format tables.</li>
<li>But it also meant that the design of the cover could be done much quicker.</li>
<li>Contact with a printing company was already established. </li>
<li>The first project had the benefit of being, partially, based on an existing document. This meant more research time was needed for the second project, even though the information was readily available: the first project run between January and April 2012 (three months), the second between April 2012 and March 2013 (one full year!). </li>
<li>So, where does this extra time from given the 'newby' issues with the first and 'documentation' issues with the second:</li>
<ul>
<li>the second project has an index of officers (should have been done for the first too ...)</li>
<li>the introduction in the second project has a more detailed and quantitative approach</li>
<li>one appendix was almost a project in itself</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
When the second project was started, it seemed to be an easy walk-over: the information was present and had 'only' to be arranged and edited. However, during the process the requirements changed a bit by the inclusion of 600+ Huguenot officers, and addition of an index. This explains for a large part the extra time needed.<br />
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Now, on to the next project!Wienand Drenthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706264747223852048noreply@blogger.com2