NR officer, who is an NPS Black Powder Safety Specialist, teaching weapons safety
Soldiers in the American Civil War lived 24 hours a day the drill, discipline, and the various soldier skills necessary to fight effectively. To accurately portray such soldiers in a “living history” context today and teach the public about their sacrifices is a challenge. The National Regiment (NR) is one of a few such living history organizations which tries to honor the memory of those soldiers by emulating as close as possible what they wore, their daily life, and how they fought as a regiment. The NR is made up of many smaller living history units who have decided to band together as a regiment to better understand how the soldiers of the past functioned and fought. To accomplish this, the NR holds an Officer/NCO School each year at the beginning of the living history season. It is open to all who are an officer or NCO, and those who aspire to become a leader in the unit.
We meet in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and the atmosphere is conducive to teaching, rather than trying to appear totally authentic at the school. For that reason, and because we are required to wear soft sole shoes on the floors where we hold the school, the attendees usually wear modern trousers and shoes, with their Civil War period coats, caps, equipment and weapons. Fully authentic camp schools are also held, but later in the year, and with all hands present, not merely the leadership.
NR NCO demonstrating correct position of the rifle musket
The NR Officer/NCO School is to try to instill in the leaders of the organization, to the degree possible in two days, the soldier skills that the Civil War soldier took for granted every day – a bit of the muscle-memory they acquired through constant repetition. Thus, we may well teach the same subjects each year, with a few new ones thrown in to spice things up.
Subjects taught include drill, guard duty, dress parade, military courtesy, cooking food and generally surviving in the field, how to pack for the field, weapons safety and maintenance, skirmish drill, the correct way to wear the uniform, etc. These subjects are not very different from what might be taught as a refresher course at any National Guard unit on any given weekend today, but we also teach our troops how to present the image of a Civil War soldier to the public at National Parks and elsewhere – to properly and appropriately do honor to their memory.
This past weekend we conducted our school at the firehouse in Gettysburg. From all reports from attendees, it was a success. They learned a great deal, and will be able to pass that knowledge on to the soldiers in their respective smaller units – and that’s what it’s all about.
To the members of the National Regiment who were there, and to the NR membership everywhere, my cap is off to you, and I’m proud to be one of you.
Instruction in changing of the guard between posts
NR senior officer teaching classroom battalion drill before going outside to execute maneuvers
Lieutenant Knox's Officer Sash, worn in the Crimea
The crimson silk patent net sash with tassels in this photograph was the symbol of an officer in the nineteenth century. The officer who wore this sash in the Crimea was Lieutenant (Later Major) John Simpson Knox, VC, Rifle Brigade. Although the formal sash of an officer of Rifles was more ornate, with cords and tassels, many Rifle Brigade officers wore the same sash as the rest of the Army while on campaign for convenience and durability.
According to 1846 Uniform Regulations, the type of sash shown in this photograph, worn by most officers in the Crimea, should wind around the waist twice, tie in front of the left hip, with the tips of the pendent hanging uniformly 16 inches in length from the tie point.
The story of John Simpson Knox is a tale of courage and dedication to duty. He arrived in the Crimea a Sergeant in the Scots Fusilier Guards. At the Battle of Alma on 20 September 1854, he behaved with conspicuous courage at a decisive moment in the engagement by rallying and reforming the Guards ranks under scathing enemy fire. Because of his gallantry, he was plucked from the enlisted ranks to become a Lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade. On 18 June 1855, Lieutenant Knox volunteered for a ladder party in the assault on the Redan, and again demonstrated conspicuous courage in leading his party and remaining on the field until wounded twice. For his actions in the Crimean War he was awarded the Victoria Cross, England’s highest medal.
Courtesy of the Royal Green Jackets Museum
Captain Neville's Cigar Case
This is a cigar case, containing four cigars, the property of Captain the Honourable H. C. Neville, 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, the Grenadier Guards.
The Grenadier Guards landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Guards Brigade, 1st Division, English Army of the East. These were Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s elite personal household guard. In the Crimea, the Guards Brigade consisted of Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Fusilier Guards. The Guards battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.
In 1854, cigarette smoking was definitely not in fashion. Many enlisted soldiers chewed tobacco, but this was not a thing done by the officer class. Most British officers preferred a pipe or a good cigar. This cigar case is sufficient to hold six cigars, three on each side behind the canvas. If you are a cigar smoker today, you can find very similar cases in any tobacconist.
The cigar case in this photograph is typical of those used to protect cigars from being crushed on campaign. It, and the four cigars within, were carried by Captain Neville, Grenadier Guards, during the Crimean War. As can be seen, one of the cigars is wrapped in paper. The paper reveals the sad truth. It contains the following hand-written note:
Capt. Hon. H. C. Neville
3 Bn Gr. Guards
Killed at Inkerman 5 Nov 54
Judging from the responses, I guess many of you enjoyed the Ram’s Head Snuff Mull, so I thought I’d add a few more photographs from “Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War.”
Black Watch Bonnet
The Highland bonnet shown here was worn at the Battle of the Alma, Crimean War, by Captain Sir Peter Halkett, 42nd Highland Regiment of Foot. The 42nd is more commonly known as The Black Watch.
The officer’s bonnet is cocked and feathered with six black ostrich feathers, ten inches deep, according to regulations. The skull is blue cloth fastened at the back with black ribbons. It has a check band of the regimental pattern, and a silver regimental badge bearing the name ‘Egypt’, surmounted by a Sphinx on the left side. There is a scarlet vulture feather, eight inches long, above the badge on the left side. The black ribbons can be seen, but a black leather chin-strap is missing.
Thanks for enjoying the photographs.
This artifact was photographed courtesy of The Black Watch Museum, Perth, Scotland.
Ram's Head Snuff Mull - 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot
So many of the 1500 photographs I took in the UK for our recently released book, “Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War,” were unusual, with interesting histories, but this snuff mull is one of my absolute favorites. It is a silver mounted ram’s head snuff mull, which had a home in the Officer’s Mess of the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot until the Crimean War.
The Crimean War took place between 1854 and 1856, primarily on the Crimean Peninsula in today’s Ukraine. Imperial Russia had for some time been exhibiting expansionist ambitions which were threatening established trade routes to India. Under what was perceived as a veiled attempt to further these ambitions, Russia invaded parts of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). Britain, France, and eventually Sardinia joined Turkey and declared war on Imperial Russia.
The 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot, more commonly known as The Black Watch, landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September1854, as part of the Highland Brigade, 1st Division, of the English Army of the East. Their battle honours include Alma, and the Siege of Sevastopol.
The snuff mull in this photograph is the head shoulders and horns of a ram, and is about two feet square. It currently rests in a fine case in The Black Watch Museum, Perth, Scotland, where we found it. It was originally in the 42nd Regiment Officers’ Mess, and contained snuff in the round silver jeweled tray on its top between the horns. There was a ritual-like ceremony attached to the snuff use that each officer was bound by mess tradition to follow.
According to the Black Watch Museum records, this particular mull was brought to the Crimea by the Highland officers to be used in their mess, but upon arrival, they found no source for proper snuff. Thus, the commanding officer used the snuff mull as an inkpot. On close examination you can see the ink stains inside the round tray on top of the mull.
After the war, the mull was lost. It literally disappeared for 75 years. It was found under odd, but interesting circumstances. There is now a silver plate added on the front of the snuff mull which reads: “This Black Watch snuff mull was discovered in a saleroom by H.M. Queen Mary who presented it to the Black Watch in 1932.”
Thus, this superb artefact found its way to its rightful home, and I found an amazing story to attach to my photograph of this noble creature. There’s something endearing about the way he is looking at you – almost as though he’s looking across the ages.
Page from Corporal D's Diary - Crimean War
A good friend of mine, the Archivist NCO of the Scots Guards, Wellington Barracks, London, and I are working on publishing the hand-written diary of a Scots Fusilier Guards corporal (who will merely be called “D” until we publish), who was in the Crimean War (1854-1856). It is an amazing document.
Usually ‘other ranks’ diaries, which are scarce to begin with, are in quite poor English and almost impossible to read … no capitals or too many, no periods between sentences, sentence fragments, no commas, bad tenses, and atrocious spelling. This soldier was the opposite. He was educated, and had a meticulous hand. His writing is legible, even delicate, and grammatically better than most officer diaries I have seen.
We are typing it out as accurately as possible, and adding footnotes to explain such entries as, “Some of the Bashi Bazouks came by…” (The Bashi Bazouks – which literally means ’damaged heads’ – were irregular Turkish cavalry fighting against the Russians. They were recruited from the gutters, badly led, unreliable, and very willing to run when the heat was on. However, on those rare occasions when they did actually engage the enemy, they were reputed to be impressive.)
It is also always interesting to read what was written at the time the battles of the Crimean War were fought, a primary source. Hopefully, we will be able to publish this diary within a year – It deserves to be read.
Bashi Bazouks
Bashi Bazouk Chief
Black Bashi Bazouk
The 2010 calendar is rapidly filling up. I have over the past month or so been gathering dates for various lectures and author events. The entire list will be posted on my web site soon, but it isn’t complete yet.
The year is filled with exciting events, including book signings, book fairs, talks at various collectors groups and Civil War Round Tables, a photography project at the Gettysburg National Park, a book tour in the United Kingdom (May 1 – 16), and taking part in the Gettysburg Festival (June 18-27). In addition, Civil War Round Tables have asked that I present my most recent talk, “Relax Men, It’s Only the President! – Lincoln’s Approach to Personal Security,” on several dates in 2011.
Follow Me to Glory - The Crimean War
The Gettysburg Conspiracy - The American Civil War and Abraham Lincoln
Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War
I’m looking forward to two full years of book promotion, rich with opportunities to talk to folks about the Crimean War, the American Civil War, Gettysburg, and Abraham Lincoln. It appears the most difficult part will be finding the time to research and write the third novel in the Ian Carlyle Series, “The Ear Collector,” and work on publishing an extraordinary diary of a Crimean War Scots Fusilier Guards soldier – a project long overdue.
Curling sheets - Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010
So I’m watching Ice Hockey, and it’s the big one … US versus Canada. What a game! I still can’t believe we won, but I’ll damned sure take it. For me it’s almost as much fun as watching Rugby, and in the case of hockey, I can understand why they wear so much padding. Anyway – I’m watching hockey, and they switch on me to “curling.” My first reactions - – - “Giant shuffleboard – come on, get serious – an Olympic sport? Then I began watching it more closely and became mesmerized.
I couldn’t understand much at first, but the air began to clear, and it became very interesting. Of course, being the obsessive that I am, I immediately began researching curling, even as I was looking at it on the telly, and became even more intrigued. Now I have a whole new vocabulary: bump, a slider shoe, free guard zone, hammer, blank end, stealing, a biter, burn, and so many more.
Alas, I know curling has been around in Scotland since like the sixteenth century, in the US since the early 1800s, and an Olympic official sport since 1998, but it never perked my attention until I saw it in the Vancouver Olympic Stadium.
I love learning about new things…at least new to me… Curling – - – who knew?
Lord Abinger seated second row left. Can you identify the others?
A very close friend of mine has given me a challenge, and I am passing it on to you. He sent me the photographic image you see with this blog. It is a group of what appear to be American Civil War officers, one British observer officer (Diced headband on his forage cap), and possibly two other observers or American officers in civilian clothing lying down in front.
My friend is the archivist for the Scots Guards at Wellington Barracks in London. The British chap in the image is Lord Abinger (William F. Scarlett, 3rd Baron Abinger, Lt. Col., Scots Fusilier Guards – former name of the Scots Guards). The image is purported to have been taken at Falmouth, Virginia, in 1863. The challenge is to identify the officers and others in civilian clothing appearing with Lord Abinger in the image.
Can you assist in this worthy cause ?
The Baltimore Plot by Michael Kline
I wrote a few days ago about a plot to kill Lincoln in Baltimore in February 1861. What I failed to mention is a fine book on the subject entitled, oddly enough, “The Baltimore Plot,” by Michael Kline. It was most compelling to me because Kline is an attorney, and approaches the alleged plot from an investigative/intelligence perspective, which you do not see much in history books.
I found the book fascinating and exactly what Michael Kline said it was – - an in-depth investigative look at circumstantial evidence surrounding the possibility of a plot. As a former investigator myself, I found Kline’s methodology, analysis, and information gathering both interesting and thorough.
He admits that his analysis is rather circumstantial, as there are no witnesses to interview, there are no confessions, and written documents differ and contradict. What Kline did was very much like what is done in the intelligence community today when analyzing bits and pieces of unsubstantiated data from sources of varying reliability. Kline does a masterful job of pulling those bits and pieces together to make reasonable inferences and conclusions.
Other than going back in time, as I’m certain Kline (and I) would love to do, his analysis is as good as it gets. I personally agree that there is a high probability of a plot having existed, and who the perpetrators were
I recommend the book to anyone interested in Lincoln, the causes and political machinations of the Civil War, or anyone who wants to view an excellent word picture of those turbulent times.
