"A Skirmish in the Wilderness" 1758 (1 Viewer)

[PolarBear]

Herein begins the tale of a member of the British 27th Regiment in the woods of New York during the French & Indian War. The time is March 1758. A few members of 27th Regiment of Foot were to participate in the famous Battle on Snowshoes near Lake George.The men of the 27th were assigned to supplement Captain Robert Rogers and his Rangers who were being sent by Lt. Col. William Haviland (27th Regt. of Foot), post Commander-in-Chief at Fort Edward on a reconnaissance patrol against French fortifications at Fort Carillon and Crown Point.

The member of the 27th who is the focus of our tale was one Charles Pelham, formerly of Maidstone, Kent in England. Pelham was 19 years of age when the 27th Regiment sailed for North America to participate in what historians would later call the French & Indian War. In England Pelham had been apprenticed to his uncle Peter Pelham, a local blacksmith. The daily work near the heat of a forge turning molten iron into horseshoes did not excite the young man's thirst for adventure. So when he saw a recruiter in town looking for members for the 27th Regimant of Foot and learning that the Regiment would soon be sailing for North America, the young Charles Pelham jumped at the chance to to trade his present life for something more exciting. At the time, however, he was unaware that his decision was to make him a participant in a war between two empires for the future of a continent.

To be continued.....

Below is a picture of Pelham on patrol in the winter of 1758 wearing a winter coat over his red 27th Regt. uniform.

 

[Combat]

I assume this means you received the February release.

 

[PolarBear]

I assume this means you received the February release.

Yes--I'm right on target with BOS. Any ideas what March may bring for BOS? John says that the March releases were received but I have no idea what they might be. I love this new set.
Randy

 

[Combat]

Yes--I'm right on target with BOS. Any ideas what March may bring for BOS? John says that the March releases were received but I have no idea what they might be. I love this new set.
Randy

March is a real wild card for BOS. I think everything on display at Chicago has now been released. My guess is more Indians. I know that there are also plans for Rogers himself and the French commander at some point. Add a couple of sets of 1812 and maybe something from the St. Francis range. Braddock would be a nice surprise though!!! He's long overdue.

 

[Capitolron]

Yes - We do need a Braddock Figure !

Mounted would be my call.

 

[PolarBear]

EPISODE 2: 2/8/08

As mentioned previously our tale about Charles Pelham of the 27th Regt. begins at Fort Edward a small island of “civilization” currently under British control in the wilderness area of New York along the Hudson River. Here is what one historian has said about the development of the French & Indian War era fort:

“Prior to the construction of any forts, the area was known by the old Indian name of Wahcoloosencoochaleva or the "Great Carrying Place." At this point on the Hudson River with rapids and falls, further travel by water to the north was not possible. The Indians would leave the Hudson at Bond Creek carrying their canoes overland to the headwaters of Lake Champlain. War played an important part in the early development of this area.

Sir Francis Nicholson was sent here during Queen Anne's War to erect a stockade and build a road to Fort Ann in 1709. This fortification became know as Fort Nicholson only to be abandoned shortly thereafter.

In 1731, John Henry Lydius, a Dutchman from Albany, erected a fur trading post here known as Lydius House or Fort Lydius. This was Fort Edward's first documented structure. A sketch of this house was included in a survey made by a Frenchman named Anger in 1732.

Again, war caused the construction of another fort under the direction of Phinehas Lyman during the French and Indian War. Sir William Johnson changed the name of the fort from Fort Lyman to Fort Edward on September 21, 1755. It was named in honor of Edward, the Duke of York and Albany, grandson of George II and brother of George III. At this time a large military hospital complex was constructed on the island, presently known as Rogers Island.”

A website devoted to James Fenimoore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans which is set during the French & Indian War, has this to say about Fort Edward:

"At the location known as The Great Carrying Place - where the Hudson River, after escaping the Adirondack Mountains, bends sharply to the south, towards Albany and New York City beyond - a succession of posts and forts, ultimately to become Fort Edward, were to occupy the ground. It was a strategic place, as anyone using the great north/south waterway of the Hudson and the lakes to the north, George and Champlain, needed to travel from, or to, here by land. Thus, the name ... bateaux, canoes, supplies, all needed to be transported by carrying them. So, at the time of Last of the Mohicans, Fort William Henry stood at the northern end of the portage, the southern end of Lake George, while Fort Edward stood at the bend, the southern terminus ... a distance of approximately 17 miles.

Built in 1755, Fort Edward is most notable for its association with Robert Rogers and his Rangers. Adjacent to the Fort, on an island situated at the great bend in the Hudson River, was the base camp of Rogers' Rangers during the French and Indian War. There was on this site, named Rogers Island, a hospital, a blockhouse, barracks, and Ranger huts. A hub of activity throughout the French and Indian War, Fort Edward was abandoned in 1766 by the British when they removed themselves to Crown Point. Left in disrepair, the fort fell to ruin and no portion of the once crucial military base exists today."

Below is a map showing the location of Fort Edward and Rogers Island and a model reconstruction of the fort itself:

To be continued next week....

 

[PolarBear]

EPISODE 3: 2/11/08

Episode #3 2/11/08

In March, the young Charles Pelham learned that he and some of his fellow members of the 27th Regiment would be accompanying Rogers Rangers on reconnaissance patrols to the areas around the French forts of Carillon (Ticonderoga) and St. Frederic (Crown Point). The word around the barracks at Fort Edward was that Rogers was concerned about the way that Col. Haviland of the 27th had handled the mission.The two issues that worried Rogers were the size of the force he would be leading and the possibility that word of the mission had been picked up by the French from the recent capture of a member of the Connecticut Provincial Regiment stationed at Fort Edward as well as a servant assigned to one of the Rangers’ sutlers. The original plan had called for 400 men but this had been reduced to 184 by Col. Haviland. Pelham was aware of the grumblings among the men, but he was tired of sitting around waiting for a chance to prove himself in battle and he welcomed the chance to go with the famous Rogers, who lived and trained with his men on the nearby Rogers Island. For Pelham, the Rangers were akin to the stories he had heard as a boy about Robin Hood and his men in Sherwood Forest.

Robert Rogers (By John Jenkins):

 

[PolarBear]

EPISODE 3: 2/11/08 continued

Fort St. Frederic (Crown Point) as it looked during the French & Indian War:

 

[PolarBear]

EPISODE 3: 2/11/08 Continued

The French at Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga):

 

[PolarBear]

EPISODE 3: 2/11/08 continued

On March 10th Rogers Rangers and the supplement of men from the 27th Regt. that included Charles Pelham departed from Rogers' Island and made their way through the wilderness towards Lake George ever on the lookout for the French or their Indian allies:

 

[PolarBear]

EPISODE 3: 2/11/08 continued

The Rangers and the men of the 27th moved onward into the forest and as the day progressed and the temperatures fell, each man could see his breath before his face.

 

[Tex]

Wow--breath effect! Did you use a thinned-out cotton ball for the breath?

 

[Tex]

or is it added on the computer?

 

[PolarBear]

or is it added on the computer?

Photoshop paint brush.

Randy

 

[UKReb]

Hi Randy

Just spotted this thread of yours inundated with your usual brilliant shots and backdrops. Fascinating link with your young Pelham character as I too was born in Maidstone-the county seat of Kent- and lived there for a number of years, a lovely town situated in a county known as "The Garden of England".

Also well done on your very informative story line which is an excellent mini-introduction for other collectors unfamilar with that war.
Now where on earth did you get that idea

Reb

 

[Harrytheheid]

Randy,
In common with UK Reb, I also have just spotted this thread - and its brilliant.
I hope you realise that You, Combat and Capitolron are responsible for me getting enthusiastic about an era in which I had no previous real interest - apart from likeing the "Last of the Mohicans" movie (the old Randolph Scott one as well).
I am going to buy some of the JJ figures for sure towards the end of this year. Simply can't resist it for much longer......
PS. I luv the idea of the visible breath. I'm going to try it with some of my winter diorama photo's.
Best Regards
H

 

[PolarBear]

Hi Randy

Just spotted this thread of yours inundated with your usual brilliant shots and backdrops. Fascinating link with your young Pelham character as I too was born in Maidstone-the county seat of Kent- and lived there for a number of years, a lovely town situated in a county known as "The Garden of England".

Also well done on your very informative story line which is an excellent mini-introduction for other collectors unfamilar with that war.
Now where on earth did you get that idea

Reb

My wife is a descendent of 18th C English artist William Woollett who was born in Maidstone and is best known for his engraving after Benjamin West's Death of Wolfe. Pelham is the last name of the step-father (Peter Pelham) of my favorite 18th C American artist John Singleton Copley.

My FIW storyline might be compared to an Indie film production with a small cast and limited budget in contrast to your epic film with its cast of thousands, special effects and detailed historical narrative. You and Kevin, the Lt., Tim and others have been inspirational and I thank you for that.

Randy

 

[PolarBear]

EPISODE 4: "The Woodgatherers" 2/12/08

It is late in the afternoon of March 10th, 1758 on the first leg of the Rangers' reconnaissance patrol against French forces in the area. Soon it will be time to stop and make camp for the night. Rogers sends two men from the 27th ahead to gather wood and scout out a good campsite.

 

[PolarBear]

EPISODE 4 2/12/08 continued

Simon Winslow has cut down several trees and is gathering wood to cut into logs to be carried on his sled to the campsite.

 

[PolarBear]

EPISODE 4 2/12/08 continued

Meanwhile his companion and the focus of our narrative, Charles Pelham, keeps a wary eye and ear on the surrounding woods for the presence of the enemy. His emotions are a mixture of excitement and fear.