Armistice Day & USMC Birthday

In honor of Veterans Day (or Armistice Day) yesterday and the U.S. Marine Corps birthday day before yesterday (HOOO-RAH!!), I bring for your edification and enjoyment an original copy of the monthly report of the Regiment of U.S. Marines from September 1847. This report covers the time period in which the regiment was part of General John Quitman's division and participated in the assault on Chapultepec, from whence the Marines get the first line of their hymn:

From the halls of Montezuma . . .



This document is in the collection of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Series 1598: Reports and Returns (Mexican War). General Quitman was a Mississippian and his personal papers, which include those from his service in the Mexican War, are in our collections.

October Painting

I realize that I have been lazy in making additional posts after the two big battles we had in late September and early October. They must have taken more away from my "hobby enthusiasm" than I suspected.

After the second of the big battles, I only painted an additional 12 figures - the third infantry company for the Eisenmuhlen Regiment, using the last of the delightful RSM-95 British infantry I had. So now that regiment has a strength of 36 figures. Eventually I will get another 12 figures to increase it to 48.

I also prepared and primed a batch of 24 American Eastern Woodland Indians for my French & Indian War project and actually got their flesh and mocassins painted. But that's as far as I went. They are still sitting on my painting table. Maybe I can get more done on them this week, especially as I have Wednesday off work for Veterans Day. And I prepared and primed over two dozen rangers and light infantry and another six Indians for future painting.

More later. Jim