The historical photographic chronicle, Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War, photographed by me and written with my co-authors (Michael Vice and B.J. Small), received a 2010 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Silver Award for best reference book.

My most recent novel, The Gettysburg Conspiracy, received a 2010 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Bronze Award for best regional fiction.   In addition, The Gettysburg Conspiracy was selected as a finalist in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award (BOTYA) for historical fiction.

IPPY Awards –         http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1362&urltitle=Announcing%20the%20Results%20of%20the%202010%20Independent%20Publisher%20Book%20Awards

BOYTA Award Finalists –         http://www.bookoftheyearawards.com/finalists/2009/category/fiction-historical/

Just me at the table

It is always good to be surrounded by like-minded folks.  For me that is especially true if they are historians, and the folks at this meeting are some of the best of the best.  It was last weekend from Thursday through Sunday.  I was able to renew old acquaintances and make new ones.  Mike Vice and I set up a table to talk about our book, “Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War,” and that served as an introduction to many of the attendees I might not otherwise have engaged with.  The displays of military artifacts were among the best I’ve seen – all the personal collections of the members.

A room full of history

The accommodations were superb at the Sheraton Hotel – Reston, and the meeting went like clockwork. There was plenty of time to chat about military history with the elite of military historians, who were more than willing to share their knowledge and research.  It was gratifying to discover how many of the members knew of our book, and how many already had a copy.  They were most kind in their praise for the work, which was for us a labor of love.

I would like to take this opportunity to thanks the CMH for an outstanding weekend.

Nearly Complete Marching Order - Other Ranks - 19th Regt of Foot

Please excuse my not having blogged in a bit.  Life, as it often does, got in the way.  Since my response to publishing photographic images and descriptions from “Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War, has met with positive responses, I shall continue to do so for a time.

The 19^th Regiment of Foot, better known today as the Green Howards, landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Light Division of the English Army of the East.  Their battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.

The artifacts in this photograph represent the only known museum presentation of a nearly Complete Marching Order uniform, with shako (1844-1855), enlisted soldier’s coatee, and nearly full accoutrements and equipment, as worn in the Crimea in 1854.  Based upon the shoulder epaulettes, the white over red shako plume, and the plain number 19 in the shako badge (without a grenade for grenadier company or a hunting horn for light company) we know that this is the uniform of a member of a ”battalion company” of a line regiment.

The red serge coatee has two tails in the back, which have white turn-backs.  The coatee has grass-coloured regimental facings on collar and cuffs.  There are ten rows of doubled white tape with square end loops across the front.  The coatee is fastened by a single row of pewter buttons bearing the regimental number 19.

You can see on the back a black Trotter style knapsack with white leather shoulder straps across the front.  The black waterproof cloth-covered mess tin set is  just visible strapped to the knapsack top. The leather cartridge box can just be seen peeking out from where it is suspended on the cross belt on the right side, under the right arm.

The manikin is wearing one plain white cross belt, and the then newly issued waist belt with locket buckle.  The outer ring of the buckle bears the name of the county the regiment is from:  York North Riding Regiment, today the North Yorkshire Regiment.  Inside the ring is, again, the number 19.  No bayonet is on this manikin, but would have been worn with the scabbard affixed to a leather frog on the left side of the waist belt.  Note the small white pouch slid onto the shoulder belt to contain percussion caps for igniting the powder in the barrel when firing the soldier’s rifle musket.

Originally the bayonet in its scabbard was worn on a second cross belt across the opposite shoulder, which also contained a brass belt plate with the regiment’s number on it.  Just before departing for the Crimea, the second cross belt was eliminated in some line regiments, and replaced by the waist belt.  The locket buckle at the waist, bearing the regimental number, replaced the brass shoulder belt plate.

The soldier represented by the manikin is wearing the British standard issue round canteen on a leather strap, painted a bluish colour.  The soldier does not have a linen haversack over his shoulder, normally used to carry rations.

This artifact was photographed courtesy of The Green Howards Museum, Richmond, UK.

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.

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.