History Geek

History, Fresh Air and Paint!

2008-11-05T12:43:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I finally got back into plein aire painting...that is, painting outside. Naturally, I chose historic Allaire Village which I've written about before.

Winslow Homer was a big proponent of painting in natural light and I am reminded why. Although I am way out of practice and my results where dismal, it was a heck of a lot of fun! Plus, it's a great way to experience a historical spot. Even if you don't fancy yourself an artist, making a small sketch or painting on location really forces you to see and think about what is before you.

For inspiration, here's a few more pictures of the day:

The scene I was working on...the foreman's quarters

The mill pond right next to where I was working

Plenty of scenes to paint!

A costumed interpreter

And one last look at the geek at the easel!

History that Goes Bump in the Night

2008-10-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

Recently I decided to play around with my color palette and mute things down. I came up this nocturne of a lonely Confederate Soldier on picket (9x12, oil). Ghostlike you might say.

Well, 'tis the season. If you want to know about Halloween History, I wrote about it last year. History and Haunting seem to go hand in hand though. This year, I thought it might be fun to look a some ghostly historic spots.

I guess my painting will conjure up thoughts about The Ghosts of Gettysburg, PA. Apparently, apparitions are so plentiful there, a whole industry has sprung up around them. I've tramped those fields day and night (I even got to camp on the field once) and never saw a darned thing(not in Gettysburg anyway), though I do admit to having felt a little creepy at times. However, the never ending commercialization of Gettysburg is downright scary! Click here for some other Civil War ghost hunting ideas.

You don't have to go to a battlefield to get spooked either. Sometimes a bar is just as good. Ernest Hemingway fans know he spent a bit of time in Key West, FL and that one of his favorite "haunts" was Sloppy Joe's Bar. What a lot of people don't know is that the site that Hemingway frequented is now called Captain Tony's (Sloppy Joe's moved a block or so away). Jimmy Buffet fans will recognize the name. Well, the building was once the town's morgue. If that's not eerie enough, a tree that grows through the building was the site of 75 public hangings during the riotous early years of the town. A tomb stone in the floor of the pool room is for the 16 or so bodies found during excavation of the foundation. They're still there by the way. The final straw: the bathroom is haunted. Talk about stage fright! Yikes.

So, where's your best chance to see a ghost? How about the "most haunted city in America": New Orleans. 'Nawlins is a rich gumbo with it's exotic mixture of Spanish, French, and Caribbean cultures. Not to mention all that voodoo! Naturally, it is home to the "most haunted house in America."

That would be the LaLaurie House at 1140 Royal Street. So many ghost stories, truths, half truths and outright lies swirl around the house that it's hard to make sense of it all. It was built in 1832 by Mme Louis Lalaurie and her 3rd husband, Dr. Leonard Louis Nicolas Lalaurie. Things were swell until the house caught fire in 1834. Neighbors who came to help were appalled to find a number of slaves chained in their quarters and helpless. An angry mob gathered and were only dispersed by some soldiers called to the scene. The LaLaurie's escaped and eventually fled to France. They never returned to 1140 Royal Street.

In the press, the LaLaurie's were portrayed as fiend's who performed horrific human experiments on their slaves. The mutilated bodies were said to be found buried in the courtyard and under the kitchen floor. That's when the ghost stories started. Disembodied voices, footsteps, misty gray figures and a legless vision of Dr. LaLaurie himself!

The whole tale of the fiendish couple may be an apparition itself. Some contest the stories of the murderous mutilations as simply yellow journalism of the 1800's. Maybe. But why all the ghosts? Some say they are all in the minds of those who believe the stories. Are you one of the sceptics that has to see a ghost before you believe?

I'll leave you with this: I have, and I believe.

Happy haunted historic Halloween!

Ridin' with the Geek

2008-09-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

I don't get out of the office much anymore, so I jumped at the chance to participate in a Staff Ride conducted by Brigadier General (promotable) Nick Justice which took place at Monmouth Battlefield State Park on 25 September. The park is doing just fine since the state nearly shut it down back in April.

In preparation for the event, each participant was given reading material related to the battle and a personality to portray. My assignment was Brigadier General Edward Mathew who commanded the British Foot Guards at Monmouth. Mathew instituted some changes to the Guard's uniforms for service in America and since I'm a visual type anyway, I produced this gouache study to illustrate them. So this is what "my command" would have looked like on June 28, 1778. Pretty cool, huh?

Now, I've spent countless hours out on that battlefield - heck, I've slept there numerous times - but I've never had a detailed tour of it. This was a rare chance to, a. get a tour and b. participate in a staff ride. As you'll see, the weather was iffy. A nor'easter was blowing in and the cool, gray and windy weather was in marked contrast to the 96 degree heat the soldiers suffered with during the battle. Indeed, as many succumbed to the sun as did to shot and shell.

Our little class trip started with a pre-brief the day before the "ride". Pictured below is the scene I encountered as I entered the conference room. A sand table of sorts marks all the key terrain features and is populated by toy soldiers representing the troop movements. Even our tour guide, Dr., COL (retired) Jim Johnson has donned the uniform of an ensign in a New York Continental Line regiment.

COL Johnson did a fantastic job explaining the battle to us in terms we could all understand. He has taught at the US Military Academy at West Point and it showed. Jim has a way of making history sound more like a story and less like a lecture. BG Justice reminded us that the point of a staff ride is to take lessons learned from the past and apply them to what we do now. That gave us something to think out before the "ride" the next day.

We started our grown up class trip at 8:15am when the bus left from Fort Monmouth to Monmouth Battlefield. The first stop was the visitors center where resident historian, Gary Stone gave us an overview. After that, it became predominantly a walking tour of the ground. At each stop, key figures were called on to explain their roles in that particular stage of the battle. As we followed the footsteps of the soldiers you could see, in your minds eye, that battleline on the ridge ahead suddenly erupt in fire and smoke. You could hear the balls as they buzzed by or made that sickening thump that told of another casualty. I think all of us experienced an emotional response to what we learned out there.

This wouldn't be the venue for a full history of the Battle of Monmouth, but here's some photos to give you an idea of what we saw last week.

Gary Stone points to key terrain features

The scene were General Charles Lee met Washington and near where "my" guards were ambushed by the Americans.

A view from the Parsonage Farm where some heavy fighting took place.

The view from Perrine Ridge where most of Washington's Army was arrayed.

Ok, so what of lessons learned? We had an after action review and here's what I got out of it. Both Washington and Clinton (the British commander) achieved their objectives. Neither really wanted a big battle. Clinton marched his army to New York and arrived intact. Pretty simple. Washington was eager to show off his newly trained army. Baron Von Steuben famously introduced a standard drill manual and taught it to the army during the long winter at Valley Forge. At Monmouth, Washington put on a show. His army, for the first time, went toe-to-toe with the British and didn't run. That was all he wanted.

As a graphic designer, I see this as "re-branding". He wanted to change the brand message of his Continental Army from brave, but bumbling amateurs, to brave, efficient, professional soldiers. That is a timely thought for me. The product I support is changing from just an army thing to a Joint (meaning Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines) product. In the coming year I will have to "re-brand" our project accordingly.

Except, I don't have a Von Steuben.

Giant Grid Iron Greats

2008-09-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

The new NFL season officially started last night with my beloved New York Giants beating the Washington Redskins at home. Of course I got to thinking about last year's Giants and their truly historic run to the Superbowl and their improbable victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots. Go Big Blue! Then the history geek in me became a little nostalgic about the old time Giants.

I just love old fashioned football as evidenced in this 11"x14" oil painting I did recently called "Smashmouth". Leather helmets and iron men. That's what I'm talkin' about! Not many NFL teams have a more rich history than the New York Giants, which is probably a big reason the I like them. The other is that they used to practice close to where I grew up. That was always a thrill for me. Enough about my history and let's take a look at some of the notable Giants from the past, shall we?

"Tuffy" Leemans was a Hall of Fame running back for big blue from 1936 to 1943. He was a dependable tailback who also played some fullback. Once in a while he was a passer as well as a receiver (presumably not on the same play). The Giants honored him and his achievements with "Tuffy Leemans Day" at their old stadium, The Polo Grounds. The day they picked: December 7, 1941. The Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor kinda stole his thunder. Tuffy was going to join the Navy in 1942 but a head injury left him deaf in one ear. After football, he ran a duck pin bowling alley down in Maryland. Anyone know what a "duck pin" is? Oh yeah, and his real name was Alphonse. No wonder they called him "Tuffy".

Jack Lummus was another NY Giant on the field for "Tuffy Leemans Day". Jack was a two way end out of Baylor University. 1941 was his first pro season. It was also his last. In January of 1942 he had left football the join the Marines. In 1945 he took part in the famous assault on the island of Iwo Jima and won his country's highest military award; the Congressional Medal of Honor. Lummus' citation reads like a John Wayne movie. He survived two grenade blasts while single handedly taking out a couple of enemy pill boxes. Then, as he urged his men on, 1st LT Jack Lummus stepped on a land mine that blew off his legs. The surgeon that attended him quoted Jack: "Well, I guess the NY Giants have lost the services of a damn good end." Then he died.

John "Shipwreck" Kelley was billed as the fastest man in the south during his college years in Kentucky. I suppose that could be taken two ways. He lived in an 18 room mansion on Long Island Sound and was known to cavort with the rich and famous of his day. There were bull fights with Pablo Picasso, golf with the Duke of Windsor, an African safari with Ernest Hemmingway and dates with Tallulah Bankhead. How did this guy have time for football? Shipwreck was also chums with Herbert Hoover and did a little spying for him during WWII. A regular James Bond in shoulder pads!

So, I guess what I like about the old school grid iron greats is that it wasn't all about football for them. What I wouldn't give to break just one huddle with some of those guys. The closest I'll get is a trip to Past Time Sports. Their reproduction old fashioned athletic gear is gorgeous!

Enjoy the football season, whoever you root for, and do a little digging into the history of your favorite team. You never know what interesting anecdotes you'll find.

GO BIG BLUE!

Cultural Diversity....Civil War Style

2008-08-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

OK, you're thinking, "Nice painting of a Civil War Soldier but, Pete, that dude looks Chinese!" Well, he is. I was inspired to do this one after reading about a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives recently.

Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) spearheaded the effort to pass resolution 415 which posthumously honors Asian Americans who served in our Civil War. Some of you may be rolling your eyes. Big deal, so a couple of Chinese men fought in the Civil War. Actually it kinda is a big deal.

This little gouache study is my best shot at a portrait of Joseph L. Pierce. No one knows how Pierce (he picked the name after the President), got into the country but he ended up in the care of a sea captain from Connecticut. The captain's mother raised him as part of the family and he eventually became a farmer.

When the war broke out he enlisted in the 14th Conn. Volunteers and fought at Antietam, MD and Gettysburg, PA. Joseph L. Pierce is specifically named by H. Res. 415. The other name mentioned is Edward Day Cohota. Cohota was a stowaway on a clipper ship named "Cohota" and, like Pierce, was raised by the captain's family. He served in the 23rd Mass. Volunteers until the end of the war. Then, he rejoined the army where he had a 30 career. Astonishingly, he was denied US citizenship due to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act which was an attempt to stop Chinese immigration. Shameful.

It goes to show you how ethnically diverse America was during the Industrial Revolution era. I've always known that African-Americans, Irish, Germans, Poles, Scandinavians and Italians participated in our Civil War and now I know to add Chinese to that list. If you want to find out more, as always, there's a website. I suggest you take a peek. It's made me look at that period in our history just a little differently.

We, as Americans, have always struggled with immigration issues and how to deal with our diverse culture. We probably always will.

Historicon - History Geek City!

2008-07-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I made the trek (actually only a 2 hour drive) to Lancaster, PA which is the site of the annual Historicon odyssey. What is it you say? I guess the easy answer is that it's the biggest convention of war game players in the free world. Maybe the universe. When I pulled up to the convention center, I had to park on the lawn like it was Woodstock or something. Crazy!

I don't play war games (God knows I don't need another hobby) and I had no idea how big of an industry it is. I was enticed by my friend Keith Rocco to make the trip, meet him there and check it out. Keith is a great guy and I knew that regardless of how the show went, it would be worth the drive just to hang out with him and have dinner. So, off I went.

My first impression was absolutely overwhelming. I mean every nook and cranny of that convention center had gaming tables crammed in. The games ranged from simple board games to huge, elaborate affairs complete with realistic terrain (think model railroading) and thousands of tiny hand painted figurines (which may cost in the 10's of $K) . Some required only measuring sticks and dice to play, while others used more sophisticated computer software. The games continued far into the night.

Then there was the vendor area. Cavernous. Most of the vendors were geared toward gaming supplies but one could also find tons of books, movies, artwork....you name it. I had a great chat with the folks at Casemate Publishing who do mostly military titles. Their marketing guru, Simone Drinkwater, did a short seminar on the history book publishing industry. That was especially interesting to me since I'm contemplating writing a book myself. We may be reviewing some of their titles right here at History Geek soon, so stay tuned! By the way, if you are interested in doing a review, drop me an email.

I also had the pleasure to meet with Gerald Swick, online editor of Armchair General and History.net. Unfortunately I missed his seminar on How to Write History (without putting people to sleep!. I know, I could probably use a few pointers. Anyway, I may get the chance to practice by being a monthly contributor for them. Stay tuned on that too!

Oh yeah, and I did get to have dinner with Keith and the convention's guest of honor, Rene Chartrand. You can check out his full bio here. He's the editor for the Company of Military Historians series of plates. They will be using one of my paintings for a color plate next year and I was eager to meet him in person. Basically, he's a French Canadian with an encyclopedia for a brain, a quick wit and a million stories. It was a great evening.

OK, so let's face it; when someone mentions "wargamers" you get a not-too-flattering image in your head. It's prejudice, I know. What I found was a cadre of very intelligent people who are serious historians and, to be honest, just plain fun.

Even if you aren't a gamer, there is a tremendous educational experience to be had. The list of seminars alone is worth the price of admission.

The New Face of an Ancient Art Form

2008-07-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

The fellow at the left is miniature sculpture I did a few years ago. It's only about 2 1/4 inches high and has been painted in a realistic manner, with shading and highlighting to enhance the form. As you can see, this is no toy soldier, though, the art form did develop from them.

Going back to the 1950's or 60's modelers have developed the notion of realistically painting these mini-sculptures to the point where it has become art. Yeah, I saw The 40 Year Old Virgin. You're thinking, "Art? No way. That's just the ultimate geek hobby." Maybe so, but before you pass judgement take a look at these photos from the recent World Expo event held in Spain a few weeks ago. There are even more here. Collectors are buying these works as they would an original painting or bronze sculpture.

Ok, so where's the Ancient part? 1960 is not exactly antiquity now is it? Well, remember all of those gleaming white marble sculptures that typify ancient Greek art? According to archaeologist Vinzenz Brinkmann, they were painted. Time has erased almost all traces of paint - at least those visible to the naked eye. He's employed high-intensity lamps, ultraviolet light, and cameras to re-evaluate these ancient sculptures for color. Then he reproduced some of them in living color! Vivid color:

According to an in depth Smithsonian article, he has even found evidence that techniques for painting the statues developed over time. After a while, the ancient Greeks may have used subtle shading and highlighting or cross hatching to enhance the forms and volumes. You have to wonder how sophisticated they got with their paint jobs. Maybe that flat painting style like the one reproduced in the photo above is only the under-painting. One thing for sure, it certainly changes the image of those austere, white Greek temples into one of dazzling color!

So, there is real historic precedent in the ultimate history geek hobby! And, we all know that those ancient Greek dudes were pretty cool too.

A History Geek's Day Out

2008-06-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

You've heard of a Golf widow, right? Well, last Sunday poor Debbie was a History Geek Widow. I joined my friend Kevin on a tour of the final resting places of many of his dead relatives. Crazy? Perhaps. But so is spending 5 hours knocking the devil's pellet around a course with a bunch sticks trying to get it to fall into a hole. Eighteen times.

It also just so happened that the annual reenactment of The Battle of Monmouth was that same weekend. It also just so happens that Kevin lives only a few miles from the site. Coincidence? It's possible.

Ok, so who's the dude in the painting you ask? Well, he was the main focus of our boneyard jaunt. He is my reconstruction (based on old photo's of other relations) of Asher Hart. Asher, who is Kevin's great great great(there's probably a couple more greats in there)-grandfather, served in the 1st Hunterdon County Militia during the Revolutionary War. He was at every major battle that took place in New Jersey during the war, including Trenton, Monmouth and Springfield. According to his detailed pension records, he was "drafted" in July of 1776 at Pennytown (now, Pennington). In all, he was called up 3 times in 1776, 4 in 1777, 4 in 1778, 2 in 1779, 2 in 1780, and 2 times in 1781. It's an impressive record and a testament to the amount of activity there was in New Jersey (or, the Jersey's as it was referred to) during that conflict.

Kevin has certainly done his homework. The pension records are full of detail because, sadly, the government gave Asher such a hard time in granting a pension. He didn't apply for one until 1832 because of, "his being in comfortable circumstances and unwilling to accept the bounty of the government until his advancing years and declining health induced him...". The government finally came through...in 1846. He was given a wooping $30 a year, but they at least backdated his claim to 1831.

Ok, so back to the cemetery shuffle. After a brief stop at the reenactment - you know, to get into that Revolutionary groove - I met Kevin at his house and he drove us out to Pennington, NJ to visit Asher. That's Kevin by the grave site . As I mentioned, Kevin does his homework. Doing the genealogy is one thing, but finding the grave is legwork too. Literally. He tramped around a few graveyards before he found it; almost by accident. It takes patience, a sharp eye and good light. Thanks to Kevin though, Asher Hart will be easier to find for future generations. He petitioned the government for a veterans headstone which you see on the ground in front of the old upright stone. Kevin even installed it himself.

We also visited ancestors in Hopewell and Ewing. Along the way we saw markers for other soldiers of Asher's regiment thanks to like minded families who obtained new markers. In Hopewell, there's a small monument to John Hart (distant relation) who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Our final stop was the Old Tennant Church just outside of Freehold. It is the home of more of Kevin's dead relatives and it served as a hospital following the Battle of Monmouth in 1778.

So, after leaving the house at 8am, and arriving home around 5-ish, I'd covered quite a bit of history. Strolling around graveyards looking at someone else's family history may not scream "fun" to most folks but I enjoyed it. It was natural that, after recreating that long gone soldier, I should see his final resting place and visit the site where he was mustered that first time in July of 1776. He was a young lad of 16 with many adventures ahead of him. Did he have any inkling that the events for which he was about to take part in would be remembered 242 years later? He certainly wouldn't have guessed some history geek artist would try to bring him back to life with brushes and paint.

I'll never know how close (or how far) I got to his true likeness. I don't suppose it matters. 242 years is a long way. Through this whole process I was able to bring it tantalizingly close. My minds eye flashes images of him trudging to Pennytown for yet another muster. I can almost hear his voice and even sense his emotions. Excitement, fear, and weariness.

For me history isn't about a fading name on an old, crumbling gravestone. It's the flesh and blood that ancient stone represents.

And, it's much more fun than golf.

They said it....or did they?

2008-06-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

Just in case you're wondering, "what the heck is that?"...it's not a clam, or gum stuck to the side walk. It's an ear. I was brushing up on my anatomy and started sketching an ear. It got me thinking what a wonderful piece of engineering it is. Feeling very philosophical and being a history geek, I started to ponder the importance of the ear in history.

Quotes! Yes, wonderful utterings made at momentous occasions of grand historical stature! It seems like there's always someone around to hear them, and record them. Geeks love quotes like, "to err is human...". Well, an ear is human and can certainly "err". Far more interesting than what was actually said, is what we think was said, or could have been said or what is just plain old BS. Here's some classic quotes debunked. Enjoy!

"The British are coming, the British are coming"
The classic quote by Paul Revere as he warned the Massachusetts countryside about the approaching British army. Too bad the only time Revere uttered those words was in the Longfellow poem (actually, not even there) . Think about it. The Revolutionary War hadn't even started yet, and American independence from Great Britain was neither declared nor won at that point. Far from it. Paul Revere and the Minute Men he called upon that night were still British themselves. He would have referred to the British army as the "Regulars" or something of that nature. In fact, he didn't really ride through towns yelling at the top of his lungs either. But, that's another story. More information about that period is found here.

"Nice guys finish last."
A classic from that crotchety Brooklyn Dodgers manager, Leo Durocher. Yeah,.....but no. The real quote: "The nice guys are all over there, in seventh place." That quote, aimed at the rival Giants, is quite a bit different and a lot less nasty that what was eventually credited to him. Never the less, the misquote followed Durocher around and ended up as the title on his autobiography.

"Anything that can go wrong, will." (Murphy's Law)
OK, I have to admit that I had no idea that Murphy was a real guy. I just thought it was some ephemeral drunken Irishman who stammered the famous line after 14 pints of Guiness and everyone yelled, Brilliant! Nope. Edward Murphy was an US Air Force engineer and what he said was, "If there's more than one way to do a job, and one of those ways will result in disaster, then somebody will do it that way." Much more funny in my opinion. Genius in fact. Check here for more of the story.

"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
No, I'm not going to tell you that Neil Armstrong's famous moon walk was filmed on a Hollywood Set. Armstrong did flubb the line though. His actual words were: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Huh? Isn't that the same quote? Almost. He forgot the article "a" before the word "man". Without that single letter word, the sentence doesn't quite make sense. In the famous audio clip, you can almost hear him pause before the second part of the line as if he's thinking, "Oh, sh#t, can we do a re-take?".

"I fear that all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with terrible resolve."
This one broke my heart. I've always loved the incredible insight Admiral Yamamoto shows in that poignant scene in "Tora, Tora, Tora". The Japs have just scored a big victory in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and yet in this moment of triumph the wise Admiral knows the grave consequences of their actions. Great drama! It's a shame that's all it is....drama. Admiral Y never said it, except on a Hollywood sound stage.

Those are just a few misquotes, but there are many, many more. For instance, my cousin claims that Admiral Farragutt's victory at Mobile Bay was really due to a mis-heard command. His research shows that Farragutt made odd culinary decision the night before the battle that would come back to haunt him. So, when Farragutt was lashed to the rigging amid the thunder of cannon fire he called out to his helmsman:

"Damn those Tostitos, I need the head!"

I'm really, really sorry about that one. If you have a great misquote to share, leave a comment!

Allen House Massacre

2008-05-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

Sounds ominous, huh? At left is a thumbnail sketch I did for the cover of the book that I haven't written yet. It's a true event that happened close to where I grew up and I have been intrigued with it since I was a kid. Back in December, I introduced some of my initial theories here. Susan's post on American History in One Year reminded me that I should do an update to the story. As we head into Memorial Day weekend, maybe it's fitting that we remember some nameless Americans who died in a vicious little civil war.

Civil War? If you read the December post, you may think I'm losing it. That would imply I had it to begin with. No, the American Revolution was very much a civil war too. In Monmouth County New Jersey, the appearance of the King's troops and the soldiers of the American Continental line were almost an intrusion to the local's private little war. Shrewsbury, New Jersey was a hotbed of Patriot activity. 40 estates in that town alone where seized by the revolutionary government and auctioned off. Talk about your Eminent Domain issues! The loyalists, or Refugee's as they were called, ended up in a rough camp on a spit of land known as Sandy Hook where the Shrewsbury River protected them on one side and the Atlantic Ocean (and the King's Navy) protected the other.

Over the winter, I spent some time at the Monmouth County Historical Society's library and found a wonderful article by Michael S. Adelberg (if anyone knows how to find him, I would love to get in touch: email). He cleared up some fuzzy points for me. The raid on the Allen House, which was a tavern known as the Blue Ball at the time, occured in the summer of 1779. It was led by local tory refugees, Joseph Price and Richard Lippincott (who later hung Joshua Huddy) and three others. 12 ill-disciplined Virginia Continentals were cozied up inside the tavern with their muskets stacked when the tories struck. In 1846, Lyttleton White recounted the details as he had heard them from Joseph Price years later:

"....a scuffle took place being 12 to 5 of the Refugees. The Man who held fast on the guns of the American troops was thrown but held fast and they put the Bayonet through one of the 12 and he fell down on the floor-and run two more of them through. The lieutenant surrendered-one of the two last killed got out into the Road, his Bowels coming out. He soon died. The other one got some what farther off and fell likewise and Died...."

Fairly gruesome stuff, huh? Lyttleton went on to relate that he himself had tried to plane out the blood stains decades later, but they still kept coming up fresh. What story is complete without a touch of the supernatural? In fact, there are many more twists and intrigues to this story, as my original post suggests...the Quaker's role, the counterfeiting connection, why was the Blue Ball a target?, what about the ex-slave who we now know didn't lead the raid? Too many to address in one post. So, stay tuned as I try to unravel this story.

In the meantime, on Monday at 3pm, try to remember that it is, in fact, memorial day. Lyttleton White couldn't erase the stain of war from that old tavern and in 2008, neither can we. 229 years later, Americans you never heard of are still losing their lives in places far from home.

T'was ever thus.

Remember them.

A Different Homer...

2008-05-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, so my attempt at a watercolor painting of Currituck Light might look more like a Homer Simpson than a Winslow Homer, Winslow is the topic today. Specifically, his mastery of watercolor. In the annals of American Art History, there are few more important painters than Homer. Winslow, that is.

In his early days as an illustrator, he chronicled the American Civil War and later on as fine artist he covered everyday rural American life with a simplicity and honesty unrivaled. Originally trained as a realist, he eventually became one the first (the first?) unofficial American Impressionists. His most famous works are those done in oil although he is widely recognized for his mastery of water colors as well. He himself believed that his watercolors would pay the bills while the oil paintings he produced - and he thought of his art a "product"- would gain him notoriety. That's kind of how it worked out.

I'd always thought that Winslow Homer's watercolors looked as though they were dashed off in mere moments by a confident master as recreation between major oil paintings. It seems like his watercolors got to the point quickly and with few strokes. Effortlessly. Well, the Art Institute of Chicago decided to take a closer look. It turns out this history geek doesn't know squat about one of America's most famous historic painters.

The AIC took 25 of Homer's watercolors and turned loose infrared cameras, microscopes and color analyzing thingys on them. It turns out that it takes a lot of effort to make those paintings look effortless. In the conservation section of the website you can see the results of their findings. He scraped the paper with pen knives, employed sand paper to dried color and even used chalk to mask certain areas. The infrared camera reveals details that were drawn in and later painted out to completely change the painting's meaning. They've effectively turned back clock 100+ years and given us a peak over Winslow's should while he works. I can now look at these watercolors with a brand new appreciation. The painting below is not part of the study, but I can see where he used many of the techniques uncovered.

Although the Art Institute of Chicago's show, entitled "Winslow Homer, The Color of Light" is now over, you can check out the website for more information. Even if you aren't an art history buff, the scientific analysis is very cool.

Heck, I might even try my hand at watercolors again. Thanks for the tips Mr. Homer!

Party like a.......history geek?

2008-04-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

On the weekend of April 19th, I had the honor to attend History Meets the Arts in Gettysburg, PA. It's an annual event that brings together artists whose work is inspired by historical events and places. Here's the scene "after hours" at the American Historical Art Gallery. Ok, there's no groupies or anything stronger than beer or wine, but it was a lot of fun. Many thanks for the hard work of gallery owners Les and Maggie!

There are very few chances for artists in this small genre to get together and socialize, network and market themselves. For relative newbies like me, it was also a valuable learning experience as well. Plus, for collectors or admirers of historical art it's a great chance to see the faces and characters (and there's some characters!) behind their favorite art. If you know an artist just from books and prints, seeing an original is, at least for me, a thrill! I guess I'm an art geek too.

And, in case you didn't know, historical art has been around for quite a while. Probably as long as people became aware of history and started producing art. In the more modern era, there's Meissonier, Detaille, Pyle, and Remington. You can also take a look at my earlier post referencing John Ward Dunsmore. There's many more than I could name here, but enough of historical historical artists. Let's look at some present historical artists.

Here's the gang at American Historical Art Gallery on Saturday night. Below are links to their work in order from left to right, so have a look:

So, keep an eye on the History Meets the Arts website for details about next year. It's great time to visit Gettysburg - before the big summer rush! There's B and B's galore, great shopping in a vibrant downtown and at outlets, some darn good restaurants, museums up the wazoo (including a brand new visitor's center), ghost tours, and even a picturesque battlefield. Throw in scads of history geeks and you have yourself a pretty good weekend, no?

There a so many ways to have your brush with history!

Another Battle of Monmouth

2008-04-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

Things have been a little crazy lately and I meant to get to this post sooner. Today's picture is a detail of a gouache illustration I started a while ago and never finished. The fate of this painting remains uncertain.

So too does the fate of Monmouth Battlefield State Park in New Jersey. A few weeks ago it was numbered among the 9 state parks our Governor chose to close citing budget issues. Never mind that it's like throwing nickels at a multi-million dollar problem. I'll restrain from further political commentary.

There is a greater emotional issue here, especially for a history geek. We all have our favorite historic places where we can almost feel the history. Monmouth is such a place for me. Ancient American Indians frequented the place, and during our Civil War three regiments of infantry trained for war there. On June 28, 1778, in unbearable heat, the American Colonial forces met the British army in a set-piece, European style scrap known as The Battle of Monmouth. Tactically it was a draw. But the Continental Army under Washington had undergone the crucible of Valley Forge and the new training methods of Baron Von Steuben. It had emerged as a truely professional military force. The way it performed at Monmouth gave it and its commander a new level of confidence. Then there was the famous Molly Pitcher who took her man's place at one of the American guns that thundered across the New Jersey farmland.

I've spent serious blood, sweat and tears there myself. For many years my reenactment unit staged a Civil War event there to raise awareness of Camp Vredenberg. We had endless work party weekends at the park for preparation. We cut down trees and split the logs for firewood (one poor fellow nearly lost the use of his leg in a chainsaw accident). We rarely slept during the weekend of the event. It seemed like planning for the next years event started just days after the present years event was over. We cleared brush at the Civil War training camp site. Even our monthly meetings were held in the vistors center there. That kind of dedication extented to the under staffed park Rangers too. I can't say enough about them.

It was all worth it too. We pulled in anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 each year. Although it is a state park, that land belongs to all Americans as part of their history. We were proud of the work we did there. So many others have pitched in as well. Year after year there's the Revolutionary War reenactment, and the work of BRAVO, the Battlefield Restoration and Archaeological Volunteer Organization. People care about that place.

With the stroke of a pen, it can all be undone. Not without a fight though. A protest is planned at the state capitol this month and already the Governor is backing off. If you have any other information on how to keep up the pressure, I would invite you to post them here as comments.

New Jersey has already paved over too much of its history. History geek, yes. History meek, no. Keep up the fight.

New BEERs Eve, 1933

2008-04-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

I'll be making a more serious entry in the next couple of days regarding the possible closing of an important historic site here in New Jersey. But for now, happy New Beers Eve!

On April 7th, 1933 it became legal once again, to quaff a frosty one. 75 years ago today. I plan on celebrating, and you should too. There's a lot of history behind beer. If you can find it, there's a wonderful article in the latest issue of the Mid-Atlantic Brewing News covering that momentous occasion. If you like beer like I do (I'm talking about craft beer here, not mass market yellow water), then you'll love the publication.

Before someone jumps on me, yes I know prohibition was repealed on December 5th, 1933 but the Volstead Act was modified to make beer and wine legal on April 7th (The Cullen-Harrison Act). The country went nuts. Abner Drury's Brewery sent a truck load of beer to the White House at 12:05. Try doing that today! As a matter of fact, the White House received beer from all over the country. Most of it would have been green - no, not like beer tinted with food coloring on St. Pat's - but rather, not quite finished lagering yet. But hey, it tasted better than that nasty near beer and had 3.2% alcohol in it. In New York, Anheuser-Busch sent a 5 ton truck pulled by 6 Clydesdales to the Empire State building. What a party it must have been.

It's hard to imagine a country without the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world. Chemical traces of it show that beer has been around since around 3300 BC. Popular drink, huh? But, for 14 years, you couldn't drink it legally here in the United States. Barbaric. People got so thirsty for a brewski, that the Democratic Platform of 1932, which got FDR elected, included the repeal of Prohibition! The Beer candidate. Brilliant! I'd have voted for him.

So, do yourself a favor and go get a six pack of real craft beer - I know it's almost 10 bucks a six pack, but today is special - and drink a toast to the fact that Prohibition is, well, history!

Beer geek, meet history geek. Cheers!

A Year of History

2008-03-27T11:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a detail from a commissioned oil painting I just finished. It's titled, "Common Sense" as a reference to what the Continental Soldier is studying so intently (yeah, I know, very creative title). To understand the world that soldier lived in, we are still studying that document today.

For me, the study of a particular historical period has always had a spreading, or creeping, effect. To understand a moment in time, you must have an understanding of what happened before it and eventually you will get curious about what happened after it. For instance, in the past I have given some friends and family a brief tour of the Gettysburg battlefield and I always start the talk with the Battle of Chancellorsville. It's the set-up event. That Northern loss gets Hooker fired and gives Lee the confidence to invade the northern states. See what I mean? Then, when I'm done with the tour, folks will always ask, "Well, what happened after the battle?". Has anyone else noticed this besides me? If you're not careful, the creep effect will get you going around in circles.

Well, there's one person who isn't going to get dizzy studying American history. Susan. She's decided to spend a year studying American history from beginning to end. Her blog is appropriately called "American History in One Year." It seems rare that a person would suddenly realise that they know little about the history of their own country and then decide to do something about it. But that's just what she's doing. She's also smart enough to know that American history starts well before 1776. I mean, how can you get a grip on what led the colonists to revolt if you don't understand that they had already lived in America for generations and were starting to feel less and less like Britton's each year? See that? There I go again, creeping back.

Ok, so creep back to Susan's blog every once in a while and be sure and leave a comment. History geeks love to share their knowledge, so help out a budding geekette! Plus, it's well written and informative so you might learn something yourself. I know I have. For easy reference, I've added her blog to my links section. Enjoy!

HBO's John Adams

2008-03-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

Like many history geeks, I was glued to the TV last night for the beginning of the new HBO series, John Adams. It inspired me to do another mini gouache painting this afternoon. I think it came out somewhere between Paul Giamatti and the real John Adams, but it did get me contemplating the role he played in American history. First, a little commentary about the show.

Who would have thought that the goofy, sadsack from Sideways would make a credible John Adams? Not me. So far, he's making it work though. The subtle jokes and sly smiles he shares with Laura Linney (as Abigail) are a tribute to the Adams' famous love affair. History hardly knows such a devoted couple and that element is vital to the story. From a visual standpoint, Mr. Giamatti is doing the best with what he has. There is little real resemblance facially, but he seems to be bringing out the man's character in a believable fashion.

There is an overall gritty realism to this series - from the sets to the clothing - that is the mark of a Tom Hanks directed historical piece. You can almost smell the people and places. The details are all there to delight even the most discerning history geek! I was particularly interested in how they would portray the Boston Massacre. So much conjecture surrounds that incident it seems almost impossible to get it correctly on the screen. Seeing only the aftermath, as Adams did, gives more drama to the trial scenes where Adams defends the British soldiers. The audience isn't tainted by seeing the event so they have to listen to the arguments. Brilliant. It was a defining moment of the man's life so it had be done right....and it was.

I can't wait to watch the rest of this series, I must admit. From the looks of things, they will show that it is possible to portray history accurately and dramatically too. As for John Adams' life, why don't you check out the show, or better yet, read the book that inspired it. John McCullough's biography reads like a novel.

History as entertainment, what a revolutionary concept.

Art and History....or History Meets the Arts

2008-03-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

We often think of history in terms of books. The written word. After all, that's how man records his history right? True, but there is also a genre of historians that use a brush, a pencil or chisel to record past events on a more emotional level. They call themselves Historical Artists.

By the way, to the left is my mini-illustration (4"x4", gouache) of Alfred Waud at Gettysburg. He was a war correspondent who used a sketch pad instead of a notepad. He's a whole blog entry by himself, but I thought it was a relevant image. Ok, maybe it's not, but let's not over think it.

Keith Rocco, a modern practitioner of historical art, gave a nice presentation at a recent show about the historic historical artists (that wasn't a typo). Folks like Howard Pyle, Fredrick Remington, Edouard Detaille, and Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier to name a few. There are many, many more. In future posts, I'll pick a few out for a closer look but they all had the ability to bring history to life and produce a direct emotional response without text. Historical art is of necessity, also realist art. Some are more painterly in their approach while others are more photographic. All forms require accomplished draftsmanship, composition and color sense. Those are hard enough to master. They must also be historians. They must know period dress and customs. They must also have thick skins because there is always one smart-ass in the crowd that will spot the one minor inaccuracy! (we all know these types, don't we? damn stitch-counters!).

History is my muse too. Recently I've become involved in one of the few events that brings together many of the modern historical artists to one place. History Meets the Arts (the website will be up by the end of the week) will take place April 18-20 this year in Gettysburg, PA. If you've never been, this is sensory overload for a history geek! Whatever your period of interest is, there's someone there who paints or sculpts it. Each participating gallery will sponsor a number of artists who will be on hand to meet and greet the public. Take advantage of it. It's one rare occasion where you can yak all you want about history and no one will roll their eyes and sigh. That is, until you point out that the Umpteenth Umptyfratz Regiment never actually wore the green plaid trousers and the artist should have made them blue. Nobody wants to hear that.

So, when art and history cross paths in April, be there. Can you hear the muse? I know you can.

Follow her to Gettysburg. See you there.

Here's the gallery line-up:

American Historical Art (where some of my work will be...I know, big deal)

The Brafferton Inn

Dale Gallon Art

Gettysburg Frame Shop

Gettysburg Gift Center

Lord Nelson's Gallery

Just Jennifer's

Historical Fiction

2008-02-19T06:39:00.000-08:00

It almost sounds like an oxi-moron doesn't it? Historical Fiction. History is all about facts, right? So what's with the fiction part?

When they're done well, historical novels can be an entertaining way to get introduced to a time or event of the past. One writer who gets it right is Will Hutchinson. I was out in Gettysburg this past weekend (where else would a historical fiction writer live?) to talk to him about doing some illustration work for his next book and had some time to reflect on why I loved his first book, Follow Me to Glory.

The book is set in the height of the Victorian era, during the Crimean War. The setting is not merely a backdrop or window dressing. Will has done his homework in learning about the social practices and moral issues of the time and worked them right into the plot line. That's an important point. I think it's the main reason why historical fiction can be so appealing to history geeks. You can get a feel for the time period and actually learn something while enjoying a rattling good yarn to boot.

If you want to find out more about Will Hutchinson's Follow Me to Glory and it's hero, Captain Ian Carlyle, check out his website. While you're there, don't forget to read Will's bio. One hopes that someday he will add autobiography to his list of writing accomplishments!

So, who's your favorite historical fiction author? Michael Shaara and his son Jeff are among my favorites. Patrick O'Brian's seafaring adventures are filled with so much detail that you have to wonder if he was there himself. Tough to beat. If you are looking for a little escape reading, but still want to feed your history bug, the Historical Fiction Network might be a good place to start. In the mean time, why not leave me a comment with your favorite author? I'm always on the lookout for a good read.

Oh, and I guess you're wondering what Will's next book is about? The book isn't history yet, so I'll have to leave you guessing....sorry! I'll review it here when it's done though. Coming up in the next few weeks; more on my eventful trip to Gettysburg and some more info on what may become my stab at historical fiction!

James P. Allaire, Industrialist with a conscience

2008-01-28T07:18:00.000-08:00

This weekend I was noodling around with this unfinished painting of one of the buildings at Historic Allaire Village and it caused me to reminisce a bit. As a kid, I spent a lot of time there. It was on the way to my aunt and uncle's house and my mom would always take my sister and I there when we were going to their house. We loved going to that old seemingly forgotten historic village. My mom and I were history geeks, but my sister; not so much. This was payback for all those boring shopping trips I was forced to go on!

As I painted, I remembered the smell of the blacksmith's shop, the creak of the worn floorboards in the general store and a bunch of other details to numerous to mention. It was candy to a history geek. Yet, I didn't know a whole lot about what really happened there. I had to look it up, of course.

Like most historic places, there was a great story living there. The Allaire family, who were loyalists during the American Revolution and were evacuated to Nova Scotia eventually found their way back to there native country when the dust settled. James P. Allaire, living in New York at the time, bought the property known as the Howell Iron Works in what was then a remote part of central New Jersey on the edge of the Pine Barrens in 1822. His intent was to have a source of raw material for his growing business of building steamship engines.

Allaire got into the business before the War of 1812 by casting parts for none other than Robert Fulton. Fulton not only invented the steam ship, he also put it into practice. Eventually Allaire would produce not just engines, but entire ships. He and Fulton also got into transportation and founded regular service routes for passengers.

At the peak of it's production, Allaire's iron works employed between a 400 to 600 people and expanded into a self contained corporate village. The works diversified into making "hollow ware" which was, essentially, enameled pots and pans. James P. Allaire was one of the best known industrialists in the country. Part of his fame was due to his philanthropic nature. He founded the first free public fire company in the country and was an ardent proponent of education of the masses. But, in 1836 the wheels started to come off.

In that year, his wife of 30 years passed away. The heart broken Allaire had to also endure the sinking of two of his ships shortly afterward. One resulted in the loss of 90 people and called his good name into question. Then there was the economic Panic of 1837 which hit the cash poor ship industry like a ton of bricks....or iron perhaps. By 1850 production ceased at the works.

The story ends with a happier twist. One of Allaire's former employees when on to become a successful ship builder and bought Allaire's New York operation and gave his former boss a job. James P. Allaire was able to live the rest of his life in relative comfort.

Since I was a kid, a lot of restoration work has been done at Allaire Village. The place is a gem now. There are all kinds of living history events, a train station with operating steam engines and beautiful walking trails through the woods. If you're on vacation at the Jersey Shore this summer and need a break from the beaches, this would be the perfect history geek getaway. They have a great website too.

Allaire State Park is a big part of my personal history. Who knew it also played big in New Jersey's and America's history too?

A Fresh Way to Experience History

2008-01-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

This was one of those ideas that makes you feel like an idiot because you didn't think of it first. A fellow by the name of Bill Lamin found his grandfather's World War I correspondence and came up with a brilliant idea to share it. Mr. Lamin started a blog. Or, rather his grandfather did.

According to his blogspot profile, William Henry Bonser Lamin was born in 1887 and is a member of the Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment. "Harry" Lamin's letters are published on his blog 90 years, to the day, after they were written. Much like his anxious family at home, we don't know when the next letter will be published or if most recent one is his last. Will he make it through "the war to end all wars" or will he add to the awful statistics of that brutal conflict? We'll just have to wait.

Diaries and letters are my favorite way to experience history, but this format adds another element. The wait. Time has a way of magnifying tension that cannot be felt in any other way. There's no skipping ahead in real life! So, we must wait and hope for the next letter.

There is also another aspect: context. You can experience the seasons and holidays right along with Harry. Reading about the cold and snow means a little more in January than it would in June. But even if you're half way around the world you still experience Christmas and New Years at the same time he is.

So, go get to know Harry Lamin at http://www.wwar1.blogspot.com/ before it's too late!