The Continental Line, Inc.
By John P. DiCarlo, Jr. – Maryland Company, Wayne’s Light Infantry Corps. THIS is an often asked question from new people in the ranks. I’d like to take the opportunity to examine this question. There are several reasons why your musket didn’t fire. To look at the reasons, we first have to ascertain what is…
By Karen L. Hayden Settling into winter quarters doesn’t mean you have to give up this crazy hobby. In fact, many people see it as an excuse for some extra fun. If you can gather a few of them together, you’ve got a jolly revel. For the few deprived souls who may not have actually…
By Sue Huesken Members of the living history community are always searching for modern equivalents of period fabrics. Corduroy is one fabric often overlooked for use in Revolutionary War portrayals. Florence M. Montgomery in her excellent book, Textiles in America 1650-1870, defines corduroy as: “A kind of coarse durable cotton fabric, having a piled surface,…
By Don Hagist This article is reprinted, with permission, from “The Brigade Dispatch” Ever wish you could be out enjoying your hobby of playing soldier during those long winter months, instead of shoveling snow? Probably not, but don’t start now without researching some of the realities of the situation. If you established a credible impression…
By Karen L. Hayden The arduous life of a midwife in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries is portrayed in the Pulitzer Prize winning book, A Midwife’s Tale. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich hits a home run with her work based upon the diary of Martha Ballard: 1785-1812. Though her diary starts after the Revolution, there is still much…
By Sue Huesken Diaries are a wonderful source of primary information on all aspects of 18th century life. They are also great fun to read. Job Whitall’s diary written during the American Revolutionary War gives a unique picture of life by the writer. Job Whitall was a Quaker living in Gloucester County, New Jersey. He…
By James E. Newell One aspect of life has changed little between the 18th and 20th centuries, and that is the need for organized bodies to create paperwork to assist in the process of managing official and private affairs. As reenactors, the question arises of which types of writing instruments are accurate for our period.…
Contributed by Jack Gardner Philip Morin Freneau was a patriot as well as one of America’s first romantic poets. Here are two pieces of his work: “To the Memory of the brave Americans, under General Greene, in South Carolina, who fell in the action of September 8, 1781”Inspired by the Maryland Line At Eutaw springs…
By Jim Hayden We all know the story, for better or worse. During the long winter at Valley Forge, Baron Von Steuben created what many call a miracle. Out of several drill manuals, and regiments working in some cases on their own, he created an army with one drill manual. “The Blue Book,” as many…
By Bob Sullivan Most of us decide to make or buy something in this hobby at some point. And when we are finished and proudly displaying our new creation or purpose, we often get the question that is the title of this article. As a sutler, and a member of some discussion groups, I keep…