| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| 2sense |
Posted - March 21 2004 : 2:10:56 PM
I am working on a period character named "Jinx" Carlson. I'm not sure what I intend to do with him once I flesh him out but as the name indicates, he is an unlucky fellow. He seeks a reputation as an Indian fighter but his bad luck gets in the way. Every endeavor he undertakes ends in failure, sometimes simple failure sometimes spectacular failure. I could use some help in finding unsuccessful campaigns against the Indians for him to join. Here is a brief timeline of his misadventures so far:
"Jinx" Carlson 1735-?
_____________________
Jun 1752 - Fort Pickawillany Massacre
Jul 1754 - Battle of Great Meadows
Jul 1755 - Braddock's Defeat
Feb-Mar 1756 - Sandy Creek Expedition
Apr 1756 - Cresap's Expedition
Sep 1756 - Battle of Blanket Hill
Jul 1757 - Battle of Sabbath Day Point
Aug 1757 - Fort William Henry Massacre
Sep 1758 - Grant's Defeat
Oct 1758 - Battle of Loyalhanna
Sep 1759 - Siege of Fort Loudon begins
Oct-Jan 1760 Lyttleton's Expedition
Feb 1760 - Fort Prince George Massacre
Jun 1760 - Montgomery's Expedition ( Battle of Echoe )
Aug 1760 - Fort Loudon Massacre
Jun-Oct 1761 Byrd's Expedition
May 1763 - Point Pelee Ambush
Jun 1763 - Fall of Fort Le Boeuf
Jun 1763 - Fall of Fort Presque Isle
Jun 1763 - Fort Venango Massacre
Sep 1763 - Battle of Muncy Hills
Oct 1763 - Great Island Expedition
Aug-Nov 1764 - Bradstreet's Expedition
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What I am looking for are unsuccessful campaigns and battles against the Native Americans. Are there any actions a young Anglo-Swede might be involved in between June 1752 and July 1754? Or any others I missed up to, say 1766 or so? There are some actions that I haven't listed either because they were successful or because my character was busy losing somewhere else: Battle of the Yough/Jumonville Glen, Battle of Bushy Run, Battle of Lake George, and so on. Also, I am mostly interested in border actions and those in Indian country. The war in Canada isn't my main interest but if there were any losses to Indian forces in the Great White North and they fit in the timeline I would add them. The best time for that would be after the Fort William Henry Massacre but in time for my character to be back in my neck of the woods to be defeated along with Major Grant.]
Also, I have some questions about the timeline of the Amerindian War ( Pontiac's War ). I have gotten some conflicting dates on the fall of Forts Le Boeuf, Presque Isle, and Venango. Can anyone give me some hard data? Did PI or LB fall first and what are the actual dates? |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Major Fitz-William |
Posted - October 30 2004 : 10:32:10 AM
Is Jinx Carlson for a book your making?
I have Invented a few Napoleonic war Characters for my own stories. If you need help with military commands I would be happy to help as I am an English Army Cadet (Maybe a Corporal soon) and have taught drill. |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - April 14 2004 : 12:46:13 AM
quote:
When I read your reference to me as "Jinx" it seemed odd. I don't see the character as me. I'm not sure I want to "put on" a character and certainly not this one.
Actually I do not find anything wrong with 'Jinx', on the contrary he is quite human. Most of the folks who were really involved in the F&IW were closer to your 'Jinx' character than a 'Hawkeye'. People are people, and they haven't changed much since the dawn of time...
quote:
I mean, if it's make believe I can make up someone more heroic.
Well, you could, but it is just not as much fun. I play in the military side of the 'house', and you would be suprised at how few want to be "field marshalls" and prefer standing in the line as a common soldier (along with all of the human frailities of character and conduct, as it was back then).
quote:
I'm not sure what I'll do with the character if anything at all. It's fun just working out the chronology. It's an intellectual exercise.
Anything is possible, just keep your mind open.
Your Most Humble Servant,
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| 2sense |
Posted - April 13 2004 : 11:57:30 PM
Not at all. When I read your reference to me as "Jinx" it seemed odd. I don't see the character as me. I'm not sure I want to "put on" a character and certainly not this one. I wouldn't want to always play the part of the loser. I mean, if it's make believe I can make up someone more heroic. I'm not sure what I'll do with the character if anything at all. It's fun just working out the chronology. It's an intellectual exercise. |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - April 12 2004 : 7:58:05 PM
Looks good so far, Jinx. How are you doing on aquiring the proper attire and props?
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| 2sense |
Posted - April 12 2004 : 5:33:29 PM
"Jinx" Carlson
____________________
Jan 1, 1733 - Born at New Castle and named Sven Carlson by the unmarried Ebba Carlson who refused to divulge the identity of the father.
Apr 15, 1735 - Ebba takes up residence in Lancaster.
Sep 14, 1743 - Begins secondary studies under Anthony Benezet at the English School in Philadelphia.
Jun ?, 1745 - Joins Gilbert Tennent's New Side Presbyterian Church.
May 12, 1748 - Invited to stand examination for the University of Upsala to study medicine and perhaps learn botany from the great Linnaeus.
Jun 10, 1748 - Death of grandfather, Carl Carlson. Uncle Jonam takes over a family now even more hostile. There will be no money for a European education.
Jun 28, 1748 - Moves back to Lancaster.
Sep 8, 1748 - Explorations of the woods lead to a meeting with a Susquahannock fishing along and then falling into the tribal river. A friendship is formed and the native takes the English name of Old Man Fish.
Aug 23, 1749 - Apprenticed to Dr Thompson of Lancaster to study medicine and surgery.
Mar 16, 1752 - Set out from Shippensburg for the Ohio country with Old Man Fish and 2 packhorses of tradegoods bought on credit. The loan quietly sold by his uncle to moneylender in Philadelphia.
Jun 21, 1752 - At Fort Pickawillany Charles Langlade with over 200 Ottawa and Ojibwa and 20 French attack and force the surrender of the fort. Many Indians slain including the Miami chief, La Demoiselle, and one white trader. Captured along with six British traders. All goods confiscated or spoiled.
May ?, 1753 - Freed from miserable captivity at La Rochelle by British ambassador and returned with 4 others to Philadelphia on the Captain Budden's "Myrtilla".
Jun 10, 1753 - Thrown into debtor's prison.
Nov 30, 1753 - Pamphlet "Report on the Massacre at Fort Pickawillany &c" published. It is well received and earns enough money to buy his way out of prison.
May 23, 1753 - Arrives at Will's Creek and accepted by Colonel Fry as volunteer medical officer.
Jun 9, 1754 - Arrives at Fort Necessity.
Jun 16, 1754 - Virginia Regiment advances to Gist's Plantation.
Jun 29, 1754 - Virginia Regiment retreats to Fort Necessity. Deeming the situation unsafe Old Man Fish decides to return to Conestoga.
Jul 3, 1754 - Fights from the trenches at the begining of the Battle of Great Meadows but soon moves casualties inside the fort. Washington surrenders with terms allowing retreat with agreement the army is not to return west for a year.
Jul 5, 1754 - Left behind as Virginia Regiment retreats to Will's Creek with those wounded unable to travel.
Jul 23, 1754 - Rejoins Regiment with last of the survivors for muster at Winchester.
Aug 16, 1754 - Pamphlet "Report on Washington's Defeat &c" published.
Sep 12, 1754 - Returns to Will's Creek and joins colonial troops building Fort comeberland. |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - March 28 2004 : 09:38:05 AM
quote:
Shippen didn't move to Lancaster until 1752 so there goes my poetic image of a "truimphant" return from cells in France to debtor's prison in Philly. I wonder if I can work around that. I did get luckier on Princeton. The college was founded the year before Carlson applied.
That's pretty good, you are checking your dates and writting within those boundaries. Here is an excerpt of my corporal's bio; which I wrote, with his help, included in my historical fiction:
Corporal Ian “Ian Mohr” MacIntyre, was truly a big man. One of the tallest in the company, he along with Ensign MacMillan and Private MacIntosh, are jokingly referred to as “Graham’s Grenadiers”. Sergeant Munro, at six feet in height, is no small man either, but even he is dwarfed when in the company of these three. Ian enlisted in the 42nd in 1747, a man of good education who was a private tutor prior to his soldiering. His reasons for ‘taking the shilling’ are manifold and somewhat complex.
It was rumored that his father forced him to enlist, as a condition of paying his somewhat immense debts to the local gaming parlors and ‘stewhouses’. Another rumor, and one not so kind, was that he was a former Jacobite who had fought at Culloden, and that his father, who is a staunch loyalist, made him enlist as a penance for his ‘sins’. His gaming, dueling and womanizing reputation, gained him great respect amongst his new peers, the Jacobite rumors did not...
Creating and researching the persona is almost as much fun as 'putting it on'. Keep up with the good work...
Your Most Humble Servant,
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| 2sense |
Posted - March 26 2004 : 5:25:56 PM
Washington County Frontier Days sounds like fun. I have a niece and nephew in Cannonsburg. If they don't have dance or sports activities already scheduled maybe a bunch of us can come.
Shippen didn't move to Lancaster until 1752 so there goes my poetic image of a "truimphant" return from cells in France to debtor's prison in Philly. I wonder if I can work around that. I did get luckier on Princeton. The college was founded the year before Carlson applied. |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - March 25 2004 : 10:10:49 AM
Hey, I started as just a 'history buff' too, and now look at the trouble I've gotten into over the years!!! I think when one makes the transition from spectator to participant, it gives you a whole new insight and appeciation of history.
Our merry little band does several local events around SW Pennsylvania. The first will be 'Washington County Frontier Days' during the first weekend of June. The location is off of I-79 south of I-70, at the Prosperity Exit. It would be about a 30-40 minute drive from the South Hills. I'll send you some more information in the next couple of days.
The event is hosted by Pat Cooper (of Trent's Company, Virginia Provincial Regiment) and the Washington County Historical Society. It is a very family-friendly event, with all kinds of good folks showing up. You could come down for an afternoon; and I could show you around and introduce you to some 'Longhunter' friends of mine, who could help you with creating your persona.
Your Most Humble Servant,
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| 2sense |
Posted - March 25 2004 : 12:23:09 AM
Cool. I'll continue to post here. It helps organize my thoughts. I'm working up more detailed chronology.
We live outside Pittsburgh, in the South Hills. I'm not a reenactor but a plain old history buff. My preference is the entire revolutionary period from 1755 to 1805 or so particularly here in Penna. I do find the idea of reenacting intriguing. I was actually asked about the upcoming F&I movie. I believe it was the same one being made by PBS that I have seen some of your members here complaining about. A coworker is an actor and asked if I was interested. I declined. I have to say I wouldn't mind coming out for a looksee at the fun yinhz are having though. Could you drop me a PM on upcoming events? I can probably talk Mrs 2sense into a trip if it is before she gets too big. She being in the family way.
-
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| SgtMunro |
Posted - March 24 2004 : 02:17:54 AM
No problem 2sense. I'm kinda enjoying watching your character 'flesh-out' in front of me. You live in Western PA? How about dropping me a PM, and see if we will be in any of the same places this campaign season.
Your Most Humble Servant,
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| 2sense |
Posted - March 24 2004 : 01:42:14 AM
Carlson's economic/social standing is complex. He comes from a family that established themselves in what they called New Sweden. They had held onto and even expanded their holdings as political power changed hands a few times and were substantial landowners in what in our period was the northernmost of the three counties in the territories of Pennsylvania. His family has money but there is family trouble of some kind. Perhaps he is illegitimate. He was well educated in Philadelphia and completed his examination for acceptance in the College of New Jersey at age 12 when his grandfather, who disliked him, dies. Now his uncle, who despises him, runs the family and Carlson and his mother are shunted off to the backcountry living on a stipend in Lancaster. There he learns something about the woods and a background in medicine. ( Perhaps from Edward Shippen if the doctor had already taken up residence in that, the colonies' most substantial inland town. So far the earliest I can place him there is 1755. )
So his family has money and his education puts him in the gentry but he doesn't start out with any wealth. He tries his hand at the fur trade hence his presence at Fort Pickawillany in 1752 where he loses most of the goods he bought on credit. His newspaper account of the attack attracts interest so he gets a more detailed ( and more fanciful ) pamphlet published that is received well enough to allow him to buy his way out of debtor's prison. This is another motivation for him to chase the action. For the money. He's making enough to get around and keep himself well equiped and supplied. He's a paid correspondant for several newspapers. Back then the term still meant someone who corresponded by letter with an editor. This also helps explain why men would be willing to set out on an expedition accompanied by someone called "Jinx". He could make you famous.
Thanks for showing the interest. |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - March 23 2004 : 12:48:38 PM
No problem 2sense, I am glad I could help. The matter of travel is a tricky one, unless Mr. Carlson is a diletante and a man of financial means, since horses were not cheap and foot travel very slow, laborious and dangerous. The lack of improved roads within the interior, the only good ones belonging to and controlled by the military, made travel of any distance difficult.
Most travel was done on existing Indian trade paths, and Seamus can vouch for the hardships of that (Check out his Kittaning Trek of 2000 link on this site). That was the only reason why I suggested limiting your regions, and heck you come from Pennsylvania and there was more than enough adventure in our state, and western New York to keep any young man busy. If you do change locales, just remember a good rule of thumb for foot movement along a trade path, unopposed, is about fifteen miles a day.
Your Most Humble Servant,
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| 2sense |
Posted - March 22 2004 : 10:41:06 PM
Thanks for the dates. And the advice. I was hoping maybe you had a timeline of all the F&I engagements. Part of the charm of my character is the earnestness with which he pursues glory. He will chase it far and wide. Geography is a limitation, of course. There are more misadventures for Jinx to fall into if I could figure ways for him to move from Penna quickly up to Lake George to join the Bloody Morning Scout or down to New Orleans to join the expedition up the Mississippi turned back by an Indian attack at La Roche a Davion. |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - March 22 2004 : 10:28:19 AM
Well 2sense, it looks like you covered all of the 'unlucky' battles, so you are off to a good start. If I might suggest, you might want to consider staying within one region (New England, Mid-Atlantic, etc.), given the state of communication and travel. Just a thought.
As to the dates of the fall of Forts Pesque Isle and LeBoeuf, well I can give you what I know from some of my sources. In Pennsylvania Colony, Fort Venango fell first on June 16th*. Further up French Creek, Fort LeBoeuf fell on the 18th of June and Presque Isle on the 21st of June.
* The 16th could be off by a day either direction, since ulike LeBoeuf or Presque Isle, no one survived the reduction of Fort Venango.
Your Most Humble Servant,
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