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James N.
Colonial Militia
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
October 24 2007
Status: offline
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 Posted - November 21 2009 : 3:51:38 PM
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Hands down, my two favorite Colonial/Revolutionary sites have to be Fort Ticonderoga and Saratoga. On my most recent visit in October, unfortunately Ticonderoga had already closed for the season, but since Saratoga is a National Historical Park run by the U.S. Park Service, it's open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. The day I visited was a glorious day in late Fall. The museum exhibits have been redone since my last visit - NOT a good thing, since the otherwise excellent fiber-optic electric map was malfunctioning, causing confusion with troop movements. ( Especially not good when you have a battle as complex and potentially confusing as Saratoga/Freeman's Farm/Bemis Heights! )
But as usual the beautiful outdoor setting made up for any shortcoming in the Visitor Center. Here's a sampling of the photos I took - note in pictures of artillery positions that American gun carriages are painted the madder red used by the F&I period French, probably to reflect their probable place of origin; and the British guns are grey. ( And if you look closely at the upper left of the photo of the Burgoyne's Headquarters area above the LARGE British flag, you should probably be able to see the MOON, as it was getting late in the afternoon! )
Though I'd been here two or three times previously, I'd always managed to miss the site of the Taylor House where British General Simon Fraser died the evening of the Battle of Bemis Heights. It's not on the bluff where the British final position was; but rather on a sort of "terrace" near the river below. I wanted to see it since it figures large in Baroness von Riedesel's account of her experiences there.
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Fitzhugh Williams
Mohicanland Statesman
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
July 17 2005
Status: offline
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Posted - November 21 2009 : 7:18:12 PM
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| Just a note on the color of the red gun carriages. I think it was called Spanish brown in the 18th century, and was a very common paint. Today it is approximated by Valspar Barn Red, which is not that easy to find. Only certain Valspar dealers carry it. It contains linseed oil. |
"Les deux pieds contre la muraille et la tete sous le robinet" |
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James N.
Colonial Militia
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
October 24 2007
Status: offline
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Posted - November 21 2009 : 8:37:12 PM
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| By whatever name, it was the color used on the Systeme Valliere artillery pieces. The post-1763 Systeme Gribeauval gun carriages, limbers, caissons, and other artillery vehicles were the color WE commonly know as olive drab ( I don't remember the French name for it ) throughout the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods and were copied by the U.S. for its own artillery. ( Union gun carriages and limbers in the Civil War were painted this color. ) |
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Fitzhugh Williams
Mohicanland Statesman
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
July 17 2005
Status: offline
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Posted - November 21 2009 : 11:55:20 PM
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I like that red. You see a lot if it at Louisbourg. It was used for chests, furniture and other things as well as for the military items. I keep a can of it in the garage for various projects. And the linseed oil in the Valspar gives it some historical correctness as well.
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"Les deux pieds contre la muraille et la tete sous le robinet" |
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