Lord Rawdon's Volunteers of Ireland

The Volunteers of Ireland were a Loyalist unit raised during the American Revolution by Lord Francis Rawdon.  They fought at the Battles of Camden and Hobkirk's Hill.  The Volunteers of Ireland were one of only two Loyalist units to be granted the status of a British regular regiment (the other unit was the Royal Highland Emigrants).  When they became a British regiment, they were numbered the 105th Foot.

Their uniform consisted of a light-infantry cap with an Irish Harp on the front, a red coat with an unusual style of lapels and lace, white breeches and brown marching gaiters.  While not recorded, I painted shamrock turnbacks on one soldier.

The soldier loading is a conversion from BMC's British grenadier fixing bayonet.

Figures by BMC, painted by me.

Song of the Volunteers of Ireland

Yesterday, (in Honour of the Anniversary of ST. PATRICK, tutelar Saint of that Kingdom) the regiment of Volunteers of Ireland, quartered on Jamaica, (Long–Island) were munificently entertained by their Colonel, the Right Honourable Lord RAWDON.

A SONG,
Sung Yesterday at Jamaica before the Volunteers of
Ireland, it being St. Patrick’s Day.
By BARNY THOMSON,
Piper to that Regiment.

SUCCESS to the shamrogue, and all those who wear it,
Be honour their portion wherever they go,
May riches attend them, and store of good claret,
For how to employ them sure none better know;
Every foe surveys them with terror,
But every silk petticoat wishes them nearer,
So Yankee keep off, or you’ll soon learn your error,
For Paddy shall prostrate lay ev’ry foe.

This day, (but the year I can’t rightly determine)
St. Patrick the vipers did chase from this land,
Let’s see if like him we can’t sweep off the vermin
Who dare ‘gainst the sons of the shamrogue to stand;
Hand in hand! let’s carrol this chorus,
   “As long as the blessings of Ireland hang o’er us,
   “The crest of rebellion shall tremble before us,
   “Like brothers while thus we march hand in hand!”

St. George & St. Patrick, St. Andrew, St. David,
Together may laugh at all Europe in arms,
Fair conquest her standard has o’er their heads waved
And glory has on them conferr’d all her charms!
War’s alarms! to us are a pleasure,
Since honour our danger repays in full measure,
And all those who join us shall find we have leisure,
To think of our sport ev’n in war’s alarms!  

Text from http://royalprovincial.com/history/music/voisong.shtml.  The Volunteers of Ireland were a Loyalist unit in the American Revolution.

Green Spring--Lafayette's Order of Battle

One of my heroes is the Marquis de Lafayette, and one of Lafayette's most important contributions was keeping British General Cornwallis penned up in Yorktown.  While maneuvering in Virginia, Lafayette and Cornwallis battled only once, at Green Spring.  This order of battle was found at http://web.archive.org/web/20060709171639/http://www.battleofgreenspring.org/participants/participanthistory/orderofbattle.html


Lafayette's Forces


Advanced Guard under Lieutenant-Colonel Galvan.  Armand's Legion was commanded by another foreign volunteer, Colonel Charles Armand Tuffin, Marquis de la Rouerie.
Galvan's Battalion of Light Infantry
Virginia Rifle Companies (Smith's and Willis's)
Armand's Legion
1st Continental Light Dragoons


Wayne's Brigade under General Anthony Wayne.  Wayne's Pennsylvanians arrived with Lafayette to bolster his fledgling army as it faced off against Cornwallis.
1st Pennsylvania Battalion
2nd Pennsylvania Battalion
3rd Pennsylvania Battalion
Continental Artillery
(Pennsylvania Battalions composed of detachments of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Pennsylvania Regiments)

Massachusetts Light Infantry.  Figures by BMC, painted by the author

Reserve under Lieutenant-Colonel Gimat.  Gimat's force had originally accompanied Lafayette to Virginia to confront Benedict Arnold.
Gimat's Light Battalion (1 Rhode Island, 2 Massachusetts and 5 Connecticut companies)
Vose's Light Battalion (8 Massachusetts companies)
Barber's Light Battalion (5 New Jersey and 3 New Hampshire companies)


Rear Guard under Baron von Steuben.  Von Steuben was sent to Virginia to train the militia, just as he had trained the Continental Army at Valley Forge.
Virginia Continental Battalion
Stevens' Virginia Militia Brigade
Larson's Virginia Militia Brigade
Campbell's Virginia Rifle Brigade

A Quote from Sherlock Holmes

"Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers.  All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are really necessary for our existence in the first instance.  But this rose is an extra.  Its smell and its color are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it.  It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers."--"The Naval Treaty" in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Providence and a Book

A few years ago, our family went to a large used book sale held in a mall.  While there, I acquired one book: American Historical Documents.  This was a compilation of treaties and other important documents of our nation's history.  I also debated about picking up a copy of Augustine's Confessions, but ultimately decided against it.


Not long after, I read Augustine's classic The City of God and enjoyed his writing style and excellent points (if you have not read The City of God, I would highly recommend it).  Only then did I realize that I should have acquired Augustine's Confessions when I saw it at the book sale.


Two or three years passed, and our family went to our local library's book sale.  On one of the tables was a copy of the same book I had passed up--Augustine's Confessions.


God had indeed blessed me with a copy of a book written by one of the finest Christian authors of his time, perhaps of all time--as well as a story of his providence and goodness even in little things.

Strategic Lessons from Bunker Hill

The battle of Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775) was the first full-scale battle between British troops and rebel colonists.  The rebels had fortified Breed's Hill, which overlooked Boston.  If cannons could be placed on the hill, they could shell Boston and drive the British out.  General Howe formulated a plan to drive the colonists from their fortifications.


Some of the British were to feint (that is, to pretend to attack) the redoubts, while the elite grenadiers and light infantry were to push through a rail fence and outflank the redoubts.  Unfortunately, Howe's plan bogged down when the grenadiers and light infantry attacked the fence.  Colonel John Stark's militia fired on them, and instead of pushing on, the British stopped to open fire.  When this happened, Stark's men inflicted heavy casualties on the British.


With the grenadiers and light infantry decimated, and the outflanking maneuver a failure, Howe had to force the redoubts front-on.  He succeeded, but at an immense cost to the British army.


From this battle, the rebels believed that the British would attack earthworks head-on.  This cost them dearly at Long Island, where the same General Howe outflanked them and drove them away from New York.


As for the British, they used outflanking maneuvers in many battles, and generally won.  At Long Island, Brandywine, and Camden, the British successfully outflanked their enemy.

Through All Ages's Facebook Page

I have started a business selling historical posters, postcards, and paper soldiers.  You can see it at www.ThroughAllAges.com.  As part of promoting my business, I also created a Facebook page for my business.  There, I cover many of the same things that I do here, like historical paintings and quotes.  I also spotlight a different product every week, with behind-the-scenes tidbits or historical background on it.  And sometimes, I even post a sneak preview of an upcoming product!  Check it out at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Through-All-Ages-LLC/922590424422622