Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Greetings. 

I hope this finds anyone reading this getting ready for a relaxing, enjoyable Christmas and New Year's.  Thank you for your interest and support in 2012.  It was a great initial year for FCR, with a lot of "firsts."  I am looking forward to 2013.  Speaking of that...

My work on new products continues.  I am progressing on the knapsack, and writing a new edition of ITR detailing life for the 8th Air Force bomber crewmen.  The knapsack will be ready by summer, and the book will be very far along by that time.  And, I am preparing a new run of Type I forage caps for early 2013. 

Since the bulk of my most recent work has been on 8th Air Force research, I want to recommend one of my favorite WWII-era item vendors:  OTRCAT.com.

OTRCAT.com is a one-stop seller of ANYTHING old time radio.  If you like The Shadow, Superman, The Lone Ranger, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, The Whistler, Amos 'N Andy, or anything else, you can find it here.  In quantity. 

Check out his OTRCAT.com WWII collection.  His disks are loaded with mp3's which are NOT playable in standard CD players.  But they will work just fine on a computer or iPod/iPhone. 

They are great.  Since I am in a 1940's frame of mind lately, I thought I would pass that on.

Bring on 2013.

NE

My next product: U.S. Model 1855 Double-Bag Knapsack

So for the time being I will stay in the Civil War era.  The model 1855 knapsack is something that I can make entirely by hand, and according to at least one of my potential retail clients, something the hobby needs.  So let's go on it. 

The pattern I have is based on at least one knapsack in a private collection, coupled with observations and notes made on several others.  It will be very similar in appearance to the one pictured in the bottom right of the examples on pg 213 of Echoes of Glory:  Arms and Equipment of the Union.  Detailed schematics for three different ones can be found in The Columbia Rifles Research Compendium 2nd Ed. (and may also show up in "ITR 2:  U.S. Army Infantry, 1861-1865"[?]). 

Currently, there is one being auctioned off here and another being sold here.  They were both made by a contractor named "E. Robinson".    Early in the war, they were issued with wooden frames, which were usually promptly discarded by the troops.  And to my knowledge, none of the current suppliers of these packs sell them with this wooden frame.  The dork in me wants to make a frame just to see how it would change the nature of the pack and justify spontaneously taking it out, breaking it up, and burning it in a campfire to the amusement of my messmates!

Now I will make NO claim that my knapsacks will be constructed of materials replicating the originals 100%.  I use some modern components for both safety, integrity of the originals and durability.  But I also will NOT release a product for sale that will not look and presumably perform as much as possible like the originals.  That's my commitment to the folks who spend their hard-earned dollars at FCR.  I am well aware that you could easily spend your money elsewhere--that's why I appreciate your business and your support.  That's also why I want to make the best quality product I possibly can.  My Model 1855 knapsack will be no exception.  

Construction of a prototype is in the works right now.  I am constantly gathering data on my products and using it to improve the quality and the backstory on each one.  So as I learn more, I will post it in future blog entries here at Rally 'Round the Flag. 

GNMP's "Lost Avenue"

Howdy.  I just finished a talk on sutlers to the Mount Joy Historical Society.  What a great audience.  I will definitely be going back for the next book in print. 

But on Saturday, November 17th, John Tobey, David Ackerman and I had the pleasure of checking out one of last "secret" places at GNMP...Neill Avenue.   It is so unknown and abandoned, it appears on only the most detailed maps of the battle and virtually ignored on official Park Service literature.  That's probably because we had to cross private property to get there--I'm sure the last thing the NPS wants is people looking to get off the auto tour to find it.  See, Neill Avenue is a chunk of NPS property having a fully laid-out NPS road with several monuments and flank markers, but is simply "on its own " in the middle of a working farm.  The locals call it the "Lost Avenue."  I have wanted to see it since I first started seriously hitting the field in the mid-1990's. 

A mutual friend of the property owner got us access to this site--one of dozens of small sites making up the biggest and most famous battlefield in the U.S.  It was worth the trip and the 15-year wait to get there.  

What makes it significant?

In a nutshell, Neill's brigade of the Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac was moved from Powers Hill, along the Baltimore Pike, to Wolf Hill to check the advance of any Confederates trying to flank the Federal right on July 2 and 3.  Wolf Hill itself is located south of the tip of "The Fishook" ending on Culp's Hill, slightly to the northeast of the Baltimore Pike.  The property owner, who is quite knowledgeable of the role Wolf Hill played in the battle and gave us a lights-out tour of the ground.  In addition to hearing the story of the federals on Wolf Hill, we also learned why the Tablets for the Federal brigades are slanted.  They were erected with the slant because originally, visitors to the park were reading them from atop a horse.

At any rate, we heard the story about how Colonel Thomas Neill deployed his brigade on the crest of the hill, with about half his regiments along the crest, facing northeast.  Anchoring them on each flank were regiments deployed in the thick undergrowth on either side of the hill top. 

I was always under the misconception that some of the regiments on the far ends of he federal line were generally quiet.  Not on Powers Hill or Wolf Hill.  Powers Hill is actually just a few hundred yards from Wolf Hill, on the opposite side of the Baltimore Pike, and was a staging area for the quartermasters, signal corps, provost and Slocum staff.  In other words, a scene of intense activity. 

Getting back to Wolf Hill...

So, the tablet up there indicated that there were 16 total casualties.  That's obviously not a lot for a brigade at Gettysburg.  BUT...this was not Little Round Top, or McPherson's Woods, or the Codori House.  It was an apparently unimportant little hill top on the Federal right.  Not so.  In fact, it was a critical position for defending the Federal rear.  Had even a brigade of Confederates taken Wolf Hill, the only route of resupply--the Baltimore Pike--would have been in jeopardy.  We inferred that those 16 casualties were not from a stand-up fight, but from continuous skirmish duty with the Confederates of Johnson's Division across the field northeast of Neill Avenue.   

I managed to get some pics with my phone;  not the best quality, but proof that the Lost Avenue still exists!

The 7th Maine (left) and 61st Pennsylvania (right)  monuments on Neill Avenue.  The 7th ME pic was taken facing the field woods occupied by the Confederates; the 61st PA was taken facing the woods where their skirmish line met the pickets of the 16th PA Cavalry. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neill Avenue looking north.  This is how ALL the park roads looked in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  It is the last example of how they looked when the old boys came here to dedicated their monuments and reminisce.  A shout to Aaron Latschar for getting us access to this opportunity. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In The Ranks 2: U.S. Army Infantry, 1861-1865

So what is the status of the next edition of the Columbia Rifles Research Compendium?

A lot of people who buy or read our sutler book are reenactors; and many of them are asking about when the new edition of the Compendium is due.  I can't tell you exactly when it will come out.  Probably sometime in mid-2013.  Like the rest of us who don't do history full time, John is working on it when he can, between full-time work and personal commitments.  But I can tell you some things about it.

It is actually being re-written and re-organized into "Into The Ranks 2:  U.S. Army Infantry, 1861-1865", the next book in our ITR series.  So, while much of the content will be what you're familiar with in the CRRC2, there will be a LOT of new content too.

Although John and I have talked about the book numerous times, I have not yet seen much of the actual manuscript.  From what I know, there will be, among other things:

• A complete re-organization of the topics and chapters, creating a reference that is easier to use, but also more of a narrative about the Federal soldier 
• NEW sections detailing western troops.
• Content about tactics, which is also new to the manuscript.
• Some information we found in our research, that to our knowledge, is not currently widely available but will be a great resource for reenactors who are seeking ways to increase their authenticity.   

 For those who own the CRRC2, this will NOT be a rehashing of that book.  It is in essence a brand-new book.  For those who never owned the CRRC2, you will not feel like you've missed anything if you buy this book.  In any case, it will consist of the high-quality research and the credibility you've come to associate with the work John does.  Although I have helped John with some of the research, I will not have a part in writing it.  I will certainly be selling it at FCR, thought and will keep you posted.

Thanks for your business.

Nic 

Greetings.  First, I want to give a shout to the folks who are checking out the site and buying books.  Thanks for your support.  Currently I am away from my office, house-sitting in Gettysburg.  Basically I get to stay at a B&B in Gettysburg for a week for free.  Except that I am also taking care of the innkeepers' dogs. 

It's a really cool place, and very close to downtown Gettysburg.  You can be in the square within 15 minutes by shank's mare.  

Raphael Inn, Gettysburg

If you need a place to stay in town while on business, or a mid-winter visit (the best time to come to Gettysburg) check it out.  The owners, Alex and George, are first-rate folks.

The Abraham Lincoln Room, where we are staying for the week.  

This doesn't have much to do with selling reproduction items, but just this week, I've been able to move several books out to customers.  I have books at the inn, ready to ship. 

Nic




 

NEW: Appearances announced!

Upcoming appearances where I will be talking about "In The Ranks 1:  U.S. Army Sutler" (available here):



2013

 
6:30 PM
Milanof-Schock Library
1184 Anderson Ferry Road
Mount Joy, PA  17552
 
May
Appearing with my co-author, John E. Tobey
Mansfield, PA
Times TBD

July
Millersville Historical Society
Millersville, PA

New dates will be announced as they are finalized!

Federal Contract Refurbishment

Before I could sell anything online, I sold my products through The Regimental Quartermaster in Gettysburg.  In fact, I still do sell at the "Regimental QM", as I call it.  I sell my caps on consignment there.  Consignment selling has its advantages.  I still retain control of the inventory, but someone else displays, promotes and markets it.  And the Regt QM has done an outstanding, lights-out job of selling FCR's hats and books.  These guys are killing it on a daily basis in there. 

But, as I learned last week, consignment selling also has its drawbacks.  One of them is shelf wear on the product.  This is not the fault of the vendors...they're trying to sell product, and part of selling product is people handling product.  And believe me--I want people to handle my caps.  They need to feel the quality of the wool, or see the little details and imperfections resulting from hand-assembly that mimic those found on originals. 

But a fact of consignment life is the shelf wear.  So, one of my caps, that had been at the Regt QM for a while and that I recovered for my online sales, is currently being refurbished and touched up in my shop.  Because it now qualifies as a second, it will be sold from the FCR website at a discount. 

This is a great opportunity to purchase a high-quality, authentic reproduction forage cap at a rock-bottom price!  Don't miss it! 

The chin-strap and visor needed to be re-painted--but your messmates will never know. 

Having a book to promote and sell is pretty cool, let me tell you.  In the last couple of months I have gotten a book about sutlers into print (with the help of my good friend John Tobey) and have also published a few scientific papers.  But the sutler book is the BEST of all of it.  I am working on setting up some speaking dates which will be posted on facebook and at fcreproductions.com.

Thanks for checking in. FCR is finally building a product line.  For two years, I've been producing federal Type I forage caps.  Just last month, John Tobey and I published "In The Ranks 1:  U.S. Army Sutler, 1861-1865"--a book 6 years in the making.  It is filled with information about the sutlers and how they did business during the Civil War. 

As I write this, John Tobey is working on "In The Ranks 2:  U.S. Army Infantry, 1861-1865", which is going to be BETTER than the CRRC2.  He is completely re-working his vast knowledge base on the CW federal infantryman.

And, I am in the research phase of my next book detailing the experiences of the 8th Air Force heavy bomber crews.  It is slated for the "In The Ranks" series sometime in late 2013 or early 2014. 

Feel free to contact me at nhellis2008@gmail.com if you have anything in the way of narratives, personal effects or equipment of  B-17 or B-24 aircrews in the 8th Air Force.  I will certainly consider it for my book!