The "Marvelous" Seven

Here are the "Marvelous" Seven from Knuckleduster.

More Victorian Explorers

Some more Victorian Explorers in search of adventure.

The Edendale Contingent of the Natal Native Horse

When the Government asked the Elders of Edendale to raise a mounted troop for the the upcoming Anglo-Zulu War, there was no hesitation. "We all know the cruelty and the power of the Zulu King", they told their people, "and if he should subdue the Queen's soldiers and overrun this land he will wipe out all the native people who have dwelt so long in safety under the shadow of the Great White Queen. Shall we not gladly obey her, when she calls for the services of her dark children?"

 Volunteers were quickly forthcoming. Within a few days a fine body of some one hundred young men, mounted, accoutred and uniformed at their Elders' expense, complete with boots and spurs, gathered to receive their Missionary's blessing at a solemn service in the Edendale Church.

I have used HaT Miniatures Natal Native Horse to recreate the Edendale Contingent of the Natal Native Horse (NNH), the most effective and famous mounted unit of native troops raised.

Front and back of box including mounted and dismounted troops.

 

Three sprues come with the boxed set allowing you to make 9 mounted and 9 dismounted troops.  As I am doing my forces for The Men Who Would be Kings these will be mounted Irregular Horse and will consist of 8 mounted figures.  I used one figure from the HaT Frontier Light Horse box to be the officer.

"Apart from having become loyal and reasonably good soldiers, who proved themselves throughout the campaign and remained intact and on service when other native units disintegrated and melted away, they remained devout Christians, who rose every morning before the first bugle-call to hold their service and sing hymns .... And at night, however late they were on duty, or however tired, they met again for their evening worship."

 This colour, donated by Mr Robert Topham, was presented by Major General Sir Evelyn Wood, VC, KCB, Governor of Natal, in the name of the Queen 'to the officers and troopers of the Edendale contingent of the Natal Native Horse' at Edendale on 15 December 1881. 'The flag having been unfurled, was delivered by the General to Sergeant Major Simeon Kambula, and Sergeants Simon and Enoch, who knelt before His Excellency. The choir sang the National Anthem' (The Natal Witness, Saturday 17 December 1881).
(Photograph by courtesy of the Killie Campbell Africana Library, University of Natal, where the Colour now rests)

Sir Allan Quatermain

"If you can't do it with one bullet, don't do it at all."

Allan Quatermain is an English-born professional big game hunter and occasional trader in southern Africa, who supports colonial efforts to spread civilization in the Dark Continent, though he also favours native Africans having a say in their affairs. An outdoorsman who finds English cities and climate unbearable, he prefers to spend most of his life in Africa, where he grew up under the care of his widower father, a Christian missionary.

Physically, he is small, wiry, and unattractive, with a beard and short hair that sticks up. His one skill is his marksmanship, where he has no equal. Quatermain is aware that as a professional hunter, he has helped to destroy his beloved wild free places of Africa.

Quatermain becomes ensnared in the vengeance of of his arch-enemy Zikali, the dwarf wizard known as "The-thing-that-should-never-have-been-born" and "Opener-of-Roads." Quatermain has also encountered Ayesha, "She Who Must be Obeyed".

 Rare photograph of Quartermain and Lord Greystoke.

Rules for Quartermain for the game In Her Majesty's name can be found in Heroes, Villains and Fiends or on the site for the Ministry for Gentlemanly Warfare.

The Wild West: Marshals Bass Reeves and Grant Johnson

Born to slave parents in 1838 in Crawford County Arkansas, Bass Reeves would become the first black U.S. Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi River and one of the greatest frontier heroes in United States history. 

Though Reeves could not read or write it did not curb his effectiveness in bringing back the criminals. Before he headed out, he would have someone read him the warrants and memorize which was which. When asked to produce the warrant, he never failed to pick out the correct one.

An imposing figure, always riding on a large white stallion, Reeves began to earn a reputation for his courage and success at bringing in or killing many desperadoes of the territory. Always wearing a large hat, Reeves was usually a spiffy dresser, with his boots polished to a gleaming shine. He was known for his politeness and courteous manner. However, when the purpose served him, he was a master of disguises and often utilized aliases. Sometimes appearing as a cowboy, farmer, gunslinger, or outlaw, himself, he always wore two Colt pistols, butt forward for a fast draw. Ambidextrous, he rarely missed his mark.

Another standout was Grant Johnson, who though largely forgotten today was a respected lawman in Indian Territory for more than two decades. The police work he performed with Reeves was quoted to me as being legend. In the analogy of the Lone Ranger, Johnson could have been Tonto.

Although Johnson was noted as being African American, he was also noted for having strong American Indian features. He was what some refer to as a “black Indian” or a mixed blood. He was in fact a Creek freedman. Indian freedmen were either former black slaves of Indians or descendants of Indian slaves of the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole). Johnson and other freedmen worked as lawmen in Indian Territory, tribal policemen or deputy U.S. marshals. Johnson clearly rates among the most important black lawmen in the history of Indian Territory. Some even felt he was superior to Bass Reeves.

How's the 2017 Plan going?

Here is an update on my progress of the 2017 year plan:

1. Finish my British Field Force for the 2nd Afghan War for the rules The Men Who Would Be Kings.

Complete!  Huzzah!

 
2.  Start and finish an Afghan Regulars Field Force for the 2nd Afghan War for The Men Who Would Be Kings.

One unit complete and one tribal unit half complete.

 

3. Finally finish the last 2 cavalry units I need to for my King Arthur army for Dux Bellorum as the Saxons are starting to make inroads.

Complete!  Huzzah!

4. Some add on figures and maybe an additional company for "In Her Majesty's Name."

As I used to say in the Army, "There is no kill like an overkill."

5.  Back to my roots: 1/72 scale figures.