Fight for a Throne: The Jacobite '45 Reconsidered

Front Cover

Dear Reader,

I know it has been some time since I published a post, and I hope to return to work on Kabinettskriege more in the summer months. My first year of doctoral work is going quite well, and I am settling in to my new home at West Virginia University. So, without further ado, let's jump into the matter at hand, the latest book from Dr. Christopher Duffy.

For many students of eighteenth century warfare, the Jacobite rising of 1745-46 (the '45) is old hat. Many books have been published on the subject, including a previous volume from the same author. Dr. Duffy's return to the '45 is a matter of some import, as he is without question the leading scholar of this rebellion, and of mid-eighteenth century warfare as a whole.

Those who have read Duffy's previous volume on the last great Jacobite rebellion, (The '45) will recall the major facets of the rebellion- the initial Jacobite rising, let by Charles Edward Stuart, the "Bonnie Prince Charlie" of 19th century romanticism, and the Scottish Jacobite victory over Hanoverian British forces at Prestonpans. This first success was followed  a Jacobite surge southward into England, eventual retreat to Scotland, and destruction by the Hanoverian forces at Culloden Moor on April 16th, 1746.

Duffy's new study offers something for everyone. Filled with an impressive amount of social and cultural information, Duffy examines the conflict in never before seen detail. Though the book will disappoint readers hoping for a comprehensive examination of Hanoverian fighting forces, Jacobite forces are discussed at extreme length. New appendices provide detailed information about sea conditions, meteorological observations, detailed geography, and a unit by unit evaluation of the highland army.

Duffy spends a great deal of time discussing the Jacobite rising as a modernizing force- as opposed to the traditional historical view of Jacobitism: a backwards movement supporting a bygone dynasty (the Stuarts) and bygone religious movement in England (Catholicism). Rather, Duffy crafts a persuasive argument that the Jacobites were a forward-looking movement, based (via necessity) on Enlightenment ideas of religious toleration, and military innovation. Duffy makes a convincing argument that the Jacobites pioneered a divisional system which gave them an extreme advantage in strategic operations.
The monograph also makes a parallel argument that the Hanoverian system of government was bogged down in pervasive corruption, and that the politicians of the 1740s Britain made poor strategic thinkers in comparison with the Stuart prince and his advisers. In this way, Fight for a Throne turns the traditional interpretation of the '45 on its head.

The book also contains a wealth of new information on the military history of the Jacobite Rising. In Duffy's description of Culloden alone, he provides persuasive evidence that the Highlanders discarded (or perhaps neglected to pick up)  their shields in the hectic assembly to confront rapidly advancing Hanoverian forces. In addition, Fight for a Throne makes it clear that Cumberland's soldiers did NOT adapt a new style of bayonet drill, in which each soldier stabbed the highlander attacking the man next to him.

Rather, according to a eyewitness, the Hanoverian infantry

"...first gave one fire, the fore rank kept [the Jacobites] off with their bayonets till the second rank charged [loaded] again and gave them so close a fire that our fore rank was bespattered with their blood and brains..." (Quoted in Duffy, Fight for a Throne, 466.)

Undeterred by this mauling, the Highlanders pushed into close combat with Barrel's regiment, but were unable to break the British line. The chapter on Culloden alone makes this volume worth the price, but be careful- Duffy will entrance you with his wider social and cultural narrative of this vital event in British history.

Thanks for Reading!

Alex Burns

Seven Years' War Convention 2016

Dear Readers,

For those interested, the Seven Years' War Convention is being held this year on April 1st and 2nd, (2016) at the Waterford Estates Lodge in South Bend, Indiana. Dr. Christopher Duffy will be presenting a lively talk on the Battle of Kolin.

The Seven Years' War convention is always a high point of the year for me, as a time to converse with other students of the period, shop for rare books, and listen to famous historians speak on this pivotal conflict.

If you have questions, please direct them to JohannvonHuelsen52@gmail.com

2015 Seven Years War Convention Report

Quite a  group of Seven Years War enthusiasts. From left, you have Dean West (standing), designer of the Final Argument of Kings wargames ruleset, Jason Doerflein , (standing, with musket) commander of the Regiment von Itzenplitz reenactors, Alex Burns, (standing) Visiting Professor of History, Indiana Wesleyan University, Jason Buckreis (standing) Epicurean philosopher, Dr. Patrick Lebeau (seated, facing away from camera) Professor of American Indian Studies, Michigan State University, Ken Bunger (standing, background) designer of the Tricorne wargames ruleset, and Dr. Christopher Duffy, (standing, with sword) well-known Seven Years War author and writer.

Dear Reader,

I apologize for my long absence! I've been rather busy with work, but I hope to fill you in on some of what I've been doing over the weekend. Last weekend there was a rather large event for those interested in the Kabinettskriege era: the Seven Years War convention in South Bend, IN. This convention saw an excellent lecture by Dr. Christopher Duffy on efforts to preserve the battlefield at Culloden in Scotland. The convention also reached 102 attendees, up from around 60 last year. Here are some of the highlights:

Professor Jim Mc Intrye , editor of the Journal of the Seven Years War Association

Some of Dr. Duffy's spectacular research

Some of the excellent gaming available at the convention

The Seven Years War in India

A beautiful Great Northern War game

Tradition and Revisionism in Historical Hobbies and Professions

The 40th of Foot Light Company at Cliveden- Photo by Suzanne Shaw

History is always changing. In many ways, the past is a moving target- and historians always write with the lens of their own time. In the last fifty years, this has led to a pushback against so-called, "revisionist" historians. The general public often fears that historians try to, "change the past," in order to fit a modern political agenda. However, on the whole, this fear grows out of a misunderstanding of the job of the historian. The task of the historian is not the simple recitation of facts about history, but advancing our knowledge of the past. Thus, to call a historian a "revisionist" is not an insult, but a great compliment. If a historian has managed to revise how the general population looks at the past, they are fulfilling their purpose. However, that revisionism often meets with pushback, and many individuals resist thinking about the past in new ways. "Established wisdom," or "tradition," often views revisionist thinking with extreme skepticism. This occurs within the debates of historians at a professional level, but is also present in historical hobbies.

The picture above depicts the 40th regiment of Foot light company, a "progressive" reenacting unit depicting British soldiers in the American War of Independence. It is rather humorous to me that the term "progressives," used so pejoratively in historiographical debates, is used to describe a particular type of, "hardcore," or "serious" reenactor. The picture shows them doing controversial things in reenacting circles: giving fire while lying down, not arrayed in closed ranks, etc.  While many individuals have known that the British army did not fight in the way it was depicted so often in Hollywood films, this knowledge has become more widespread with the publication of Matthew H. Spring's book, With Zeal and With Bayonets Only. The guys in the 40th Regiment have obviously done their reading.

This text, in every sense of the word, is a work of revisionist history. Spring, "with the deftness and surety of a bayonet stroke," in the words of a particularly effusive reviewer, has killed the notion that the British army fought in rigid lines during the American Revolution. Despite this fact, few wargamers, reenactors, or historians have updated their information to reflect this incredible work of scholarship.

Part of this failure is ignorance- not everyone has read, or been convinced, by this book. However, part of this failure is "tradition," the sort of tradition which got the Catholic Church into trouble in the 1500s. Many reenactors, wargamers and historians have simply not updated their way of thinking about the British army because they been thinking the same way for 30 years. This sort of behavior reflects a lack of respect for history, and in my opinion, is inexcusable. A third part of this failure to update comes from lack of finances- not everyone can afford to make the changes required when new research is done on uniforms in reenacting, or purchase a new rulebook in wargaming. However, those who cannot afford change, but are aware of new ideas, are in a much better position to serve history well.

To return to the beginning- ideas about the past are constantly changing. Dr. Christopher Duffy rewrote his groundbreaking work on the Prussian army in the 1990s, because new evidence had come to light, evidence which led him to different conclusions. That is one of the great things about history- it is in a constant state of motion, and it requires thorough, ongoing research and reading to have an adequate understanding of the past.

So- whether you are a reenactor or a wargamer, a historian or an undergraduate student, a "progressive" or a "mainstreamer": my admonition is the same. I echo Augustine in saying: take up and read.

And in the interest of helping you with that goal, I am going to list the books which have been most instructive for me in becoming a journeyman student of Kabinettskriege era warfare.

Military Experience in the Age of Reason by Christopher Duffy

Redcoats by Richard Holmes

With Zeal and With Bayonets Only by Matthew H. Spring

Russia's Military Way to the West by Christopher Duffy

The Battle that Shook Europe by Peter Englund

A Revolutionary People at War by Charles Royster

Fire and Stone by Christopher Duffy

War under Heaven by Gregory Evans Dowd

The Capture of Louisbourg, 1758 by Hugh Boscawen

I highly recommend them to you.

Thanks for Reading!

Alex Burns

Book Review: Frederick the Great by Gerhard Ritter

Dr. Gerhard Ritter

This weekend, I traveled to South Bend for the 31st Annual Seven Years' War Convention. While there, I picked up a number of books, including a couple of Dr. Christopher Duffy's excellent works on the Seven Years' War. Duffy was in attendance yet again this year, and on Friday night, I had a chance to stay up late and talk with him and a group of like-minded individuals about the Seven Years' War. At the end of the evening, he said, "Listen up- I am about to ask something profound. Why do you think we like the Seven Years' War?"

Although there were a number of good answers, such as the fashion of the period, the military organization and tactics involved, and many others, the answer that stuck in my head was: the personalities. Frederick II of Prussia, Maria Theresa of Austria, Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg, James Wolfe, and many many others.

As a result, I returned to my favorite biography of Frederick II of Prussia-- Frederick the Great by Dr. Gerhard Ritter. "Heresy!" you shout- surely my favorite biography should be Dr. Duffy's Military Life of Frederick the Great! If we are talking about purely military information, you are, of course right. Duffy's biography is the most useful for military information. However, for a holistic picture of Frederick as a man, Ritter's biography is, at least in my opinion, yet to be surpassed.

Ritter was a product of the German Empire. He loved the strong Germany of his youth, and though he occasionally worked with the Nazi party, did not agree with the principles it stood for. Ritter was arrested for his role in the July 20th plot to assassinate Hitler, and was one of the few conspiracy members not executed for participation.

The reason why Ritter's biography of Frederick remains captivating is Ritter's masterful understanding of the Prussian state under Frederick. After reading Ritter's work, you will have not only an understanding of Frederick the Great, or the Prussian military, but also the eighteenth century Prussian state. For that reason alone, his book is valuable.

Ritter shows a business-like Frederick, concerned for the well-being of his subjects. On the end of the Seven Years' War, Ritter shares this anecdote, to demonstrate Frederick's indomitable will to restore Prussia:

When he returned to Berlin he did not ride in the ceremonial coach which awaited him, but reached the palace through side streets. There, the following day, he received a deputation of county councillors. He roughly broke into their welcoming address: "Be silent and let me speak. Do you have a crayon? Very well, write down: the gentlemen must draw up a list of how much wheat for bread, how much seed, how many horses, oxen and cows are immediately needed in their counties. Think over it carefully, and come back the day after tomorrow." 

 Ritter's views on Prussia and German nationalism are extremely politically incorrect from today's standpoint. However, if properly accounted for, this does not damage the usefulness of the biography. Read critically, this is one of the best biographies of Frederick available.

Thanks for Reading,


Alex Burns

2014 Seven Years' War Convention

Dear Readers,


Today I am doing a promotion for the 2014 Seven Years' War convention. This year will feature a presentation from Dr. Christopher Duffy, and potentially, a presentation from Ken Bunger about Seven Years' War battlefields today.  The convention will be located at its usually place at South Bend, Indiana over the 28th and 29th of March.


If you are interested in hearing a great historian speak, looking at a number of book vendors, or playing in a wargame, this is the convention for you! The Duffy lecture and the book retailers are always my favorite part. You can often find out of print books dealing with Kabinettskriege era warfare.

If you want more information- let me know in the comments. I highly recommend the convention for anyone who enjoys this blog.  Here are some links to past events:

http://kabinettskriege.blogspot.com/2013/04/games-at-seven-years-war-convention.html

http://kabinettskriege.blogspot.com/2013/04/duffys-lecture.html

Thanks for Reading,

Alex Burns

Battle of Rossbach: 5th November, 1757

Map of Rossbach from-Rossbach and Leuthen: Prussia's Eagle Resurgent

Dear Readers,

When we last left our heroes, the Prussian army was shadowing a larger French and Reichsarmee force. (The Reichsarmee was made up of troops from a motley collection of small German states.) While the French and Reichsarmee had the advantage in terms of number of soldiers, (about 40,000 to 22,000) the Prussians indisputably outmatched the allies in terms of quality.

On the morning of November 5th,  the allies began a wide flanking move in an effort to get around the Prussian army, and potentially destroy it with a flank attack. The supposedly "Great" king, Frederick, failed to notice this movement on the part of the enemy, he was busy having lunch.  The first Prussian to notice the movements of the enemy was Frederick's young Flügeladjutant, Captain Friedrich Wilhelm Ersnt von Gaudi. According to historian Christopher Duffy, Gaudi reported to the king, "who was lunching with Prince Henry (his royal brother) Seydlitz, and a number of officers in the chamber below. If there was anything Frederick disliked more than having his monologues interrupted, it was signs of panic in a junior officer." Frederick told Gaudi that he was wrong about the flanking movement. Later, when the commander of a Frei-Battalion charged with watching the French, (the same Frei-Battalion a certain young Baron von Steuben was serving in...) reported the same, he was met with similar disdain from the great king.

Frederick dismisses Gaudi's (on right) report

However, Frederick is not, as historian Franz Szabo claims, totally at fault. After all, he had created a system in which these younger officers could report to him, and encouraged initiative among his advisers.  While I agree with Szabo that Frederick was in the wrong in this instance, I can not share his opinion on the Prussian military, which encouraged initiative, so that the army would not be destroyed if the king was at fault.

In time, when the movements of the enemy became more clear, subordinate Prussian officers made plans for movement in spite of the king's indifference, a move which undoubtedly saved the Prussian army. Frederick, finally awakening to the danger, moved prepared his infantry to move, and instructed General Seydlitz to take command of the Prussian cavalry.

The map of the Battle of Rossbach, from Christopher Duffy's: Prussia's Glory, pg 67.

Seydlitz immediately sprang into action, and his cavalry attack shattered the allies advanced guard. Young Fahnen-Cadet von Barsewisch, who we heard from in the last post, described the battle from his place with Prussian Regiment von Meyerinck (IR 26), on the map, von Meyerinck is right by the box which reads, "Final Attack."  Barsewisch describes the battle:

"To that end, His Majesty had re-positioned eight Battalions, of which our regiment was one, because of the re-positioning of the enemy.  There we stood, calmly, and went about our lunch, while awaiting further orders.  At roughly 2 O’clock in the afternoon, the enemy suddenly shifted their march left towards Rossbach, in an effort to turn our left flank, and began to march up. The speed with which we broke down the camp, formed battle array, and began to march up was indescribable. About 3 O’clock in the afternoon, a cannonade began, and the army stood in battle order. Our cavalry on the left wing, under the command of General Seydlitz crashed into the enemy cavalry, and on the second shock, the enemy cavalry took flight, and threw many of the infantry behind them wholly into ruin.
 Our infantry battalions from the left wing appeared from under our cannon, and engaged the French Swiss corps in such a way that they were still in columns. These columns were in the form of an ancient Phalanx, and through want of time and space to deploy, they were situated in rows of men a hundred deep. In this manner, they attempt to charge. This unstoppable Swiss Phalanx of left thousands of dead behind, and the whole of the French army was in such confusion, that they attempted to escape and flee, and by nightfall, they had left their cannons behind and were totally defeated by our left wing."

In essence, the Prussian cavalry attacked, defeated the enemy cavalry, and then reformed. The Prussian infantry regiments advanced on the allies, who were still in marching columns. Desperately, these marching columns attempted to charge and break the Prussian infantry through force of shock. The incredible firepower of the Prussian infantry and artillery stopped this attack, which developed into a firefight. This phase of the battle is artistically represented below:

Painting from- Rossbach and Leuthen: Prussia's Eagle Resurgent 

 However, by this point in the battle, General Seydlitz had reformed the Prussian cavalry, and they attacked the flank of the allies, throwing their army into a total rout.  The Prussian's lost 548 men, while the allies lost 5,000 dead and wounded, and 5,000 prisoners. Franz Szabo deliberately misrepresents these casualty figures, stating that the allies only lost 5,000 total men.

 While Frederick may have been slow to recognize the danger, and even slower to accept the advice of his subordinates, his handling of the main infantry line enabled the allies to be caught between the anvil of the Prussian infantry, and the hammer of Seydlitz and Prussian cavalry.

Why is Rossbach important? Why should we "remember remember," THIS 5th of November?

Remember in the last post when I was talking about how the English had been basically knocked out of the war, and the French were going to be able to send more troops to North America? Rossbach changed all that. This Prussian victory gave the British an excuse to get back into the war in Europe, where they were able to prevent French expansion into western Germany. It also tied down French forces in Europe, which allowed the British to conquer Canada, which retains ties with the British to this day. If this battle had not happened, the Seven Years' War would have been much shorter than seven years, with a different victor.

If this 5th of November had not occurred, the whole geopolitics of the Atlantic world could be radically different than it is today. That is why you should remember the 5th of November, 1757.

Thanks for reading,

Alex Burns

If you liked this post, let me know in the comments below! Feel free to follow the blog. Its free, and lets me know that you enjoy what I'm doing-basically the only reason I write this thing.

Soulful Soldiers

Dear Reader,


In the modern world, we associate soldiers and militarism with brutality, violence, and masculinity, (and by connection perhaps-stupidity.) Often, we read this stereotype into the past. As far as eighteenth century warfare is concerned reading the present into the past is a severe problem in historical thinking. Christopher Duffy addresses this issue in his excellent book, Military Experience in the Age of Reason. 

As much as modern literature and fiction might attempt to present the past accurately, this is a task for trained and professional historians. A perfect example of this is the excellent web-comic Family Man, by brilliant writer and artist Dylan Meconis. Meconis gives an excellent representation of Central Europe in the 1760s, (if you ignore the occasional vampire or werewolf) down to rabbit and wolf hunting with a Jägerbüsche. However, her detailed representation as just that, a representation. 

In order to be truly "historical," a work of non-fiction needs to draw on the writing of individuals who lived during that time, and other evidence remaining from the past. Returning to the premise of this article, some 18th century soldiers were certainly brutal, pipeclayed, villainous men, who raped, stole and murdered throughout Europe. However, many of the soldiers of the 18th century were not this type of man. Some were Seelenmensch- Soulful men. This was exceedingly evident in the Prussian army. Frederick the Great, for all his spikeness, was a man of great sensitivity and feeling. On the death of his general Hans Karl von Winterfeldt, he remarked, "He was a good man: a soulful man. He was my friend." 

How do we know that 18th century soldiers were soulful, you ask? Their writings. Many soldiers from 18th left behind a plethora of writings on military matters, but some also left poetry about their personal lives. These soldiers played music, wrote poetry, and attempted to bring culture into their world of death. Here is a selection of poetry from eighteenth century soldiers:

Miniatures of Hessian Soldiers

The first poem is by Johann Heinnrich Ludewig Grotehenen, a soldier who served in the Western German army during the Seven Years' War, under the command of Ferdinand of Brunswick. 

Ein Soldate bin Ich eben
I was only a soldier,
und steh vor meinen feind.
and stood before my enemy
In freud und lied muss leben
I must live in joy and song,
wie mirs gott Hat bereit
How God has prepared me!
und wenn ich stehe in feld
For when I stand in the field
und lieg in meinen zelt
and lie in my tent
Hab ich mich gott befohlen
Have I myself instructed God?
Er mags wie es ihm gefält
He makes things how he pleases.

The second is a selection from the 1759 Quebec campaign, by an anonymous author.  It describes the death of General Wolfe. The author here spells it Wolf.

The British at Quebec

The first part of the poem describes a young man who enlists because he is heart broken. The second part begins:

Then this brave youth took to the ocean,
to free America from those invasions;
He landed at Quebec, with his party,
to attack the city, being brave and hearty.

Wolf drew up his men in a line, so pretty,
On the plains of Abraham, before the city.
A distance from the town, the French did meet him.
With double numbers, they resolve{d} to beat him.

The French drew up their men: for death prepared.
In one another's face, they flood and flared.
Whilst Wolf and Montcalm together walked.
Betwixt their armies: they like brothers talked.

Then each took his place, 'twas of attire.
And then this numerous host began their fire.
Suddenly from his horse fell this brave hero,
You may lament his loss in fields of sorrow.

The French began to break their ranks and flying,
Wolf seemed to revive whilst he lay a dying--
He raised up his head, where the cannons rattle,
and to his army said: how goes the battle?

His aid-de-camp reply'd: 'tis in our favor.
Quebec and all her pride, nothing can save her.
She falls into our hands, with all her treasure.
O, reply'd brave Wolf: I die with pleasure.


Thanks for reading,

Alex Burns


If you enjoyed this post, or like the blog, please become a follower! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Book Review: The Best of Enemies

(cover art from the book)

Dear Reader,

(Sorry for the long absence, I've been in Washington DC doing research for my MA program!)

Book Review of:

Christopher Duffy, The Best of Enemies: Germans vs. Jacobites, 1746. Emperor's Press,
          Bitter Books, (Chicago and London) 2013.

Most Americans remember the Hessians from their time in grade school. These are the soldiers which American general George Washington crossed the the Delaware to surprise at the Battle of Trenton on the day after Christmas, 1776. In his latest book, Dr. Christopher Duffy examines these soldiers in a different context: the '45, the final major Jacobite uprising in Britain  Much like in the American War of Independence, the German state of Hesse-Kassel hired its soldiers as subsidized allies (subsidientruppen) to the British. These Hessians assisted the British (and their Hanoverian monarch, George II) in suppressing this rebellion in the eighteenth century.

In this small, though informative, book, Duffy manages to give a campaign history of the Germans in the '45 uprising, as well as examine the life of Hessian Prince Frederick II in a book which, at times, reads as a mini-biography. Duffy lends a sympathetic voice to Frederick II of Hesse-Kassel, and attempts to show that this monarch had admirable qualities. Duffy's work touches on the history of the Hessian military from the turn of the eighteenth century to the American War of Independence. However, in order to get the full story of the Hessians in the American War of Independence (which is outside the scope of Duffy's work), this book should be read in tandem with Rodney Atwood's The Hessians. 

 For readers familiar with the American War of Independence, many familiar names crop up in the text, as we see future Hessian leaders. Duffy's thesis is that the Germans were more humane than their British counterparts, and kept clear of the worst of the atrocities following the Battle of Culloden. He amply proves his thesis, and this provides an interesting counterpoint to the supposed atrocities of the German troops during the American War of Independence.

As usual, Duffy writes in an engaging and often humorous style. His prose is easy to understand, even for those who do not understand all of the technicalities of eighteenth century warfare. He provides a full bibliography, which is clearly laid out. Overall, the only major flaw in this book is it's length: it leaves the reader wishing for more! Dr. Duffy has once again proved that military history and serious scholarship go hand in hand.

 The book is being published and sold by John Brewster over at Bitter Books, with assistance by Emperor's Press. If you would like to purchase the book directly, here is a link to Bitter Books.  For British readers, the book is a fascinating examination of a pivotal event in the history of Britain. For American readers, the book gives an important comparison to the experiences of the American War of Independence. For any serious student of the Jacobite Rebellions or American War of Independence, this book is a must have.

Thanks for reading,

Alex Burns

If you enjoyed this post, or like the blog, please become a follower! Let me know what you think in the comments below. 

Duffy's Lecture

Dr. Duffy takes the podium

Dear Readers,

Every year, Dr. Christopher Duffy makes the arduous journey from England to give a lecture related to some aspect of Seven Years' War history. He was formerly a professor at De Monfort University, and for many years taught at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He is the author of over 20 books, the majority of them regarding warfare in the Kabinettskriege period. You can purchase some of his books at the Emperor's Press.

One of the best things about Duffy is his frequent use of humor. Taking the podium, this normally quiet, mild mannered Englishman looked at us with the glare of an 18th century drill sergeant,  and shouted, "Listen up, you scum!" After pausing for the laughter to subside, he began to inform us about the divisional system in the 18th century.

In his lecture, he argued that the French used the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 (the '45) as a testbed for many of their military ideas. One of these ideas was a divisional system. Whereas armies had previously consisted of a commanding general and a collection of units, the divisional system combined certain units into permanent groups. The French and Austrians attempted to perfect this system during the Seven Years' War, while the Prussians stagnated after the death of Prussian General Winterfeldt.

Duffy discussed the plight of Austrian General Lacy, who was a brave soldier, (wounded six times,) and an innovative thinker. He desperately tried to introduce a divisional system in the Austrian army during the Seven Years' War. Unfortunately for Lacy, he was sidelined by two of his fellow generals, Loudon and Daun, both of whom had more influence at court.

Duffy concluded that the divisional system developed during the Seven Years' War, but was unable stick in most armies. It was a useful tool, as it allowed armies to march rapidly and then fight together in one place.

If you like wargaming, history, or just want to spend a weekend with some great characters, you should definitely come to the Seven Years' War convention. It is truly a treat for those of us, "who are alive to a sense of the past."

Thanks for Reading,


Alex Burns 

Seven Years' War Convention Report: Fun, Family and an Overview of Events

Dinner at the Seven Years' War Convention

Dear Reader,

Every once in a while, its a great pleasure to be a historian. Amid all the papers to write, research to do, and classes to teach, you get to have some fun. (And to be honest, most of the rest of it is fun as well.)  This weekend was the 30th annual Seven Years' War Convention. While primarily a place for wargames, this convention also has a great many book sellers, knowledgeable individuals, and downright fun. For the past few years, my cousin Peter, and I (along with both of our fathers), go to South Bend for this convention.For the wargamishly inclined, fear not, there will be a lot of pictures of the event in a subsequent post.

On Thursday, I arrived in order to help Dean West set up his Sandershausen game. I have researched the battle of Sandershausen extensively, and recently published an article on the battle in the Journal of the Seven Years' War Association. Dean is a really great guy, and setting up the battle was a lot of fun. He has some beautiful wargaming terrain, which helps make the battle look realistic. From there, we all went out to dinner at the Cafe Navarre, a local restaurant in South Bend (pictured above).

On Friday, Dean put on the Sandershausen game twice, and there were many other games, which I promise to post pictures of soon. While the French defeated the Hessians in the first playthrough, the Hessians were able to hold their own in the second battle, winning the game for the first time in the history of the scenario.

On Saturday, Dad, Uncle Ray, Peter and I went over to the Fiddler's Hearth, a local Irish restaurant. Peter, as always, ordered Leg of Lamb. Here he is, trying to get through the meal!

Sorry Peter, I just couldn't resist. 

After the meal, we returned to the convention for the highlight of the trip, the meeting of the convention members, and a lecture by Dr. Christopher Duffy, the leading Seven Years' War historian. He recently published a new book, The Best of Enemies: Germans and Jacobites, where he destroys the notion that the Hessians should be villianized for their role in the '45. You can buy the book from John Brewster of Bitter Books at their website, here.

The Mitchell Cup went to Jim Purky, of Der Alte Fritz blog fame, for his excellent American War of Independence game. Also, Jim Mc Intyre, a professor at Morraine Valley in Michigan, restarted the Journal of the Seven Years' War Association

In the next couple of days, I will be posting about more details on the various games, (with photos), and a in depth discussion of Dr. Duffy's lecture.

Thanks for Reading,

Alex Burns