Monmouth telly programme

set your boxes to tape this Saturday 29th November, 8:00pm Channel 4 - Tony Robinson. Details here
Tony Robinson hikes up from Lyme Regis on Dorset's Jurassic Coast to the Somerset Levels in the footsteps of a ragtag rebel army led by the young Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles II.

Aanval op de bergvesting Colle dell'Assietta, Hyacinth de La Pegna, 1754

Go here to see zoomable versionPresumably this is a depiction of the Battle of Assietta in the War of Austrian Succession

Marcellus Laroon

 

'Apart from its general charm, the picture is most important in that it clearly portrays the uniforms worn by officers and privates of the Grenadier Companies of the Coldstream Guards in the early 18th century.'

Marcellus Laroon, Painting of three children, probably of the Keppel family. From here
'

help with a reader's query

Dear Ralphus, 

I am taking the liberty of contacting you with a question, encouraged by you excellent blog, yet understand if this is a bit off topic. But - given you should have the time and interest, I ask; 

Do you have any idea about the uniform worn by the horsemen in this picture? Or any other comments on the image? I have bought the painting at an auction in Denmark, and it is signed 'Mevlen'. One possibility is the Flemish painter Adam Frans van der Meulen (1632-1690). See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Frans_van_der_Meulen

Knowing AF Meulen's affiliation with Louis XIV, I am trying to figure out the uniforms of the horsemen in order to place the scene more precisely in history. Now, he did paint extensively on battle scenes, but also things like this, of encounters (and ambushes) in the woods and on roads. (I am not quite sure what the men on the ground are representing, though, but there seems to be a story being reflected). 

Any comments or ideas are welcome - from my initial research I realise that French uniforms weren't fully standardised before the end of the 17th century. From other images the furthest I could get was that they resembled the attire of French musketeers a bit, yet there are no guns carried, as far as I can see. The red trousers with the ornaments do look like something someone with a higher standing might be wearing (officers, members of court??), but maybe the cavalry as such had a fairly high standing?

Best regards, 

Tormod

Alex Goss's Narva 2014 photos

Here

Raise the Clans: The Wargamer's Guide to the Jacobite Britain By: Martin Hackett

Most wargaming titles concentrate on the more popular periods of history, such as the Napoleonic Wars and the Second World War. In this book, Martin Hackett brings his extensive wargaming experience and historical knowledge to the Jacobite Wars of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, taking us from the Glorious Rebellion of 1685 until 1746, a period of history with much less coverage in wargaming terms. He takes us on a tour of all the relevant sites and gives us the historical facts, together with a comprehensive set of wargame rules, to allow realistic Jacobite wargames to be recreated on any scale and with any relevant figures. Profusely illustrated in colour and black and white, Martin begins with the Glorious Revolution and takes us through all the Jacobite battles of the period, from Killiecrankie up to the final battle on Culloden Moor. Martin Hackett, author of Lost Battlefields of Britain and avid wargamer, tells the story of this tumultuous time in British history, and shows us how to play realistic wargames in this period.

"Der vollkommene Teutschen Soldat" 1726

from here

Maxen 1759

Today is the anniversary of this 7 YW fight. Kronoskaf page

New 40mms from Prince August

go here to see more

Black Hussar Seven Years war

I am not an expert on the Seven years war but these 28mms by Black Hussar are some of the best I have seen - these are French command - just out - check them out here

Review of the Prussian musketeers here (German text). Facebook page

Saxon cavalry 1/72

Some useful cavalry from the History in 1/72 site. More photos here

new Seven Years' war book

SUMMERFIELD (Stephen) PRUSSIAN FUSILIERS OF THE WAR OF SUCCESSION AND THE SEVEN YEARS WAR: UNIFORMS, ORGANISATION AND EQUIPMENT. 224pp., colour illustrations throughout. 2014. As this catalogue goes to press we are just completing the editing of this book ahead of time. Following Stephen’s acclaimed study of Prussian Musketeer uniforms (now out of print awaiting a revised edition) he turns his attention to the stunning uniforms used by the Fusilier regiments, the regiments being classified by the system devised by Hans Bleckwenn. This is the most detailed study to date, meticulously researched to provide a full service history for each regiment plus the most detailed study of their uniform, the fusilier caps, officer’s uniforms & lace, musicians uniforms & flags. Essential, terrific. £37.50

Battle of Rossbach

Today November the 5th is the anniversary of this Prussian victory. Wiki here