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Saturday, April 26, 2014

The Sword

Cold Steel


This blog is about cold steel: more specifically,  the sword.  Despite the steady encroachment of firearms, blades were still an important part of military life during the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies. Although Britain and France manufactured their own blades by the mid 18th century, the best still came from those countries with a long tradition of forging finely tempered steel - Spain, Germany, and Italy. During an age when firearms were primitive, slow, and inaccurate, combat with cold steel at close quarters could be decisive. And the sword was indeed the most versatile blade weapon at close quarters: whether in melee, ambush, or siege. There were practical and symbolic sides to the sword.  First and foremost it was a weapon of simplicity, requiring simple maintenance. It could be used by footmen or horsemen. It could kill, cut, and maim.

Symbolic


Throughout most of history, the sword served as a symbol of leadership and distinction.  This reached its high point during the middle ages when the sword became the symbol of knighthood. Knights were anointed and welcomed into the brotherhood of arms with a sword. Later on, at least in Europe, carrying a sword was considered the mark of a gentleman, worn on various occasions by civilians and military men alike. Although by the mid-18th-century civilians rarely carried a sword, it remained something special in military circles. Symbolism affected its use as warfare in the 18th century progressed. A sword might be drawn as a salute, a signal to prepare for action, or returned to its scabbard as a signal to end fighting.

Weapon of Choice


Before the development of the socket bayonet, every military man carried a sword of some sort. The infantry, artillery, and of course cavalry all carried swords of various types for close action. But as the ring mounted or socket bayonet became more widespread, the need for an accompanying sword diminished, at least for the infantry. By the time of the American Revolution, only sergeants and officers in the infantry carried a sword, which remained a symbol of authority as well as a weapon. There were exceptions such as the highlanders and the German mercenary regiments. And artillery crews and cavalrymen still carried swords.  In the case of the former, swords were used for close-in action if the guns were overrun. While in the case of the latter they remained the primary weapon of action.

Cold steel could still be decisive


Let's discuss the general types of swords used during the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies. This is meant as a short overview, not a detailed or authoritative account.

Infantry Sword


The infantry sword, sometimes called a hanger, was a short sword carried for close-in action. Generally 25 inches or so in length. By the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies, such swords were mostly carried by American and British infantry sergeants. The hanger had a long, slightly curved blade and a short metal pommel covered by a small round handguard joined to the butt of the sword by a small metal knuckle guard. The hangers carried by infantrymen were cheap, simple weapons that served well in bloody hand-to-hand fighting by common soldiers.  Marines also carried the hanger.






Short Saber


Used by many officers in combat, the blade was around 30 inches long. Used for cutting or thrusting. These weapons could be simple, or ornate.  In some cases, they were family treasures, handed down by a father to a son on his commissioning.







German Jaegers

Hunting Sword


Originally a sidearm for hunters, the hunting sword was a short, cut and thrust weapon used by the German Jaegers, American riflemen, and officers of both sides. Sometimes known as the cuttoe, it lacked knuckle and handguards and served as a brutal, bloody weapon for American militias as well. The blade was around
28 inches and could be curved or straight. Jeremiah Creed carries a version of this in the Yankee Doodle Spies.



Small Sword


By the time of the American Revolution, these were mostly carried by civilians or officers, not with troops. Light and thin, rapier-like in appearance, it was good for quick thrusting.



Cavalry Sword



                                         





Mounted troops carried these longer and heavier blades, usually around 35 inches in length. They could be edged but were mostly curved in America. They usually carried a heavy hilt for maximum protection in mounted combat. The trained dragoon could slash an opponent or drive the point home with an extended arm, much like a lance. And the saber in the hands of a cavalryman had a tremendous psychological effect. Often just the sight of a formation of cavalry brandishing sabers could send all but the best trained and stoutest infantry running for safety.



British Dragoons


Naval Cutlass


Most people know of the cutlass from pirate movies. But the cutlass really was the seaman's version of the short saber. Cutlasses were single-edged, heavy, and had an expanded hilt to maximize protection. Cutlasses were not suitable for dueling, but in the arms of a strong sailor, these crude but effective weapons could smash and crush, as well as slice and cut.


Naval Cutlass with the expanded hilt


The Ultimate Symbol?


As mentioned above, the sword was a practical weapon with a symbolic aspect. Perhaps no greater sign of that symbolic use is the classic "surrender."  Whether on ships at sea, in great fortresses, or on the field of honor, a commander often yielded his personal sword as the ultimate symbol of submission. That act was almost always accepted graciously and ensured a modicum of consideration to the surrendering forces. So the sword bridges the spectrum from being the signal to initiate combat to be the signal for laying down arms - yielding. Thus, the sword served as the unique weapon of its era.















Saturday, April 12, 2014

A Blog about a Blog?

Finding the First Maryland 400


The heading recalls the famous Seinfeld episode where they were trying to sell a TV series to NBC. The concept was a show about nothing! Of course, it was anything but that.  I was going to take a pass on doing a blog this week as it is, after all, Easter week. But I received a post from a blog I follow and I decided to review the Blog as it directly connects to The Patriot Spy, book one in the Yankee Doodle Spies series. So this week we have a blog about a blog!

The Blog


Several months ago, a Facebook friend sent me a link to a Blog established by the State of Maryland Archives.  The Archives commissioned a research project on Maryland's First Continental Line regiment called "Finding the Maryland 400."  As the Blog's home page explains:

The attack of the Maryland 400 
"During the Revolutionary War, men from all over Maryland joined the Continental Army to fight the British. In August of 1776, a group of these men under Col. Smallwood were sent to New York to help defend the city from an attack; the ensuing conflict is remembered as the Battle of Brooklyn (or Battle of Long Island). The battle was a resounding defeat for the Americans under the command of Gen. George Washington, and they were forced to retreat and give up the island. The story of the Maryland 400 goes that during  these
events, 400 of Maryland’s soldiers were sent to cover the retreat from the field and bravely threw themselves at a much stronger and better positioned British force repeatedly. Though they succeeded in buying enough time for the retreat, they suffered heavy losses, perhaps over half of their number. Who exactly these men were has remained unknown, with little to commemorate their actions in the battle."

So in the summer of 2013, the Maryland State Archives and the Maryland Military Department, Office of the Adjutant General, the Maryland Military Historical Society, and other partner groups hired some interns to research the identities of the First Patriots who served in the Maryland 400 at the Battle of Long Island. Their goal was to create an accurate list of the Maryland soldiers who participated in the battle and write biographies about some of the men. The chronicles the research progress as well as new discoveries.


The Design


The blog is well designed and appealing.  The key sections are:

William Smallwood
Updates - These are articles about individuals or events the research has uncovered or that otherwise relate to the Maryland 400. The latest discusses Larkin Dorsey, a sixteen-year-old from Anne Arundel County who enlisted in the Ninth Company of the First Maryland Regiment. Readers of The Patriot Spy might recall my fictional Lieutenant Jeremiah Creed originally commanded the Light Company but later led men from several companies, perhaps even the Ninth. Larkin's  father asked Lieutenant Colonel Francis Ware to keep an eye on Larkin Dorsey."  Apparently, such fostering was common in a time when people were linked by bonds of family and place. As the post explains... "Ware was second in command of the Regiment. Ware, who did not have children of his own, agreed to take on the responsibility for young Larkin. It should be noted that both Smallwood and Ware missed the seminal action on Long Island due to other duties and arrived at the end of the engagement. Major Mordecai Gist led the attacks.

Biographies - This is a list of members of the 400 with links to their biographies. Among them are Smallwood, Mordecai Gist (who has a role in The Patriot Spy), and Ware (mentioned above).  The biographies are listed by the company, a nice touch.

Mordecai Gist
Roster - Although not fully complete, this section provides a very comprehensive roster of those identified as members of the unit. The gaps in understanding who served and fought are explained, as is the paper and field strength of the unit when it fought. There is a search capability included.

Interactive Map - This is my favorite part of the blog. Everyone has to be somewhere and the researchers do a really nice job geospatially portraying the movement of the members of the 400 based on pension records, unit rolls, correspondence, etc. As more data is uncovered and added, this will prove a fun and easy research tool. One can note quickly, for example, that several members migrated to the reaches of Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania after the war, indicative of the new nation's trend west that ended (ironically) when the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. The original Brooklyn Dodgers clubhouse was a building at the center of the battle in which the gallant 400 fought.


The Maryland Monument in Prospect Park


The Rating


Those who want to see for themselves (and let us know via this blog) can go to directly to the Blog, which is on Word Press (can I mention another blog platform?):  http://msamaryland400.wordpress.com/about/
You do not have to be from Maryland or even a Revolutionary War, or even a history buff to appreciate and enjoy "Finding the Maryland 400" Blog. Although still a work in progress, based on what the researchers have put together so far, and the quality of the display, I give "Finding the Maryland 400" a full Five Fifes