Battle of Bloody Run

About two o'clock on the morning of the thirty-first of July, the gates were thrown open in silence, and the detachment, two hundred and fifty in number, passed noiselessly out. They filed two deep along the road, while two large bateaux, each bearing a swivel on the bow, rowed up the river abreast of them. Lieutenant Brown led the advance guard of twenty-five men; the center was commanded by Captain Gray, and the rear by Captain Grant. The night was still, close, and sultry, and the men marched in light undress. On their right was the dark and gleaming surface of the river, with a margin of sand intervening, and on their left a succession of Canadian houses, with barns, orchards, and cornfields, from whence the clamorous barking of watch-dogs saluted them as they passed. The inhabitants, roused from sleep, looked from the windows in astonishment and alarm. An old man has told the writer how, when a child, he climbed on the roof of his father's house, to look down on the glimmering bayonets, and how, long after the troops had passed, their heavy and measured tramp sounded from afar, through the still night. Thus the English moved forward to the attack, little thinking that, behind houses and enclosures,

Indian scouts watched every yard of their progress — little suspecting that Pontiac, apprised by the Canadians of their plan, had broken up his camp, and was coming against them with all his warriors, armed and painted for battle.

A mile and a half from the fort, Parent's Creek, ever since that night called Bloody Run, descended through a wild and rough hollow, and entered the Detroit amid a growth of rank grass and sedge. Only a few rods from its mouth, the road crossed it by a narrow wooden bridge, not existing at the present day. Just beyond this bridge, the land rose in abrupt ridges, parallel to the stream. Along their summits were rude entrenchments made by Pontiac to protect his camp, which had formerly occupied the ground immediately beyond. Here, too, were many piles of firewood belonging to the Canadians, besides strong picket fences, enclosing orchards and gardens connected with the neighboring houses. Behind fences, wood-piles, and entrenchments, crouched an unknown number of Indian warriors with leveled guns.

They lay silent as snakes, for now they could hear the distant tramp of the approaching column.

The sky was overcast, and the night exceedingly dark. As the English drew near the dangerous pass, they could discern the oft-mentioned house of Meloche upon a rising ground to the left, while in front the bridge was dimly visible, and the ridges beyond it seemed like a wall of undistinguished blackness. They pushed rapidly forward, not wholly unsuspicious of danger.

A New Addition

I received my new powder measure made by CLA member David Rase from Bremerton, Washington. David is making these by hand, by drawing sheet metal through a draw plate to swag it into a round tube suitable for powder measures.  In the past he has been turning the whole measure from a piece of round stock.  The tube is pulled through the draw plate and then soldered to a turned and broached collar.  The thumb screws are all hand filed from 1/8" mild steel flat stock. David makes them in copper, brass, and mild steel also in any measurement you want up to 120gr.   

 

I had mine made from the mild steel and it measures from 10 gr. to 60gr.   I wanted to keep it small in size, (3 1/4" closed, 5 1/4" opened) so that I can hang it from my rifle bag. If I need a larger charge I can just dump it twice up to 120gr. His work is outstanding and had it in two weeks after ordering. This would be a great addition to anyone's shot bag. David's e-mail is davidrase@q.com

Better Late Then Never #18

 This bag was to be done in June but, one thing or another kept it from being finish. Now it's July and I am still waiting on a iron buckle to finish the bag, no buckle, so I took one of my bags and removed the buckle and finished the bag.

The bag is a simple bag no inside pocket no tooling on the flap, just a plain simple functional bag.
The bag is all hand sewn using waxed linen thread, made from 3oz.veg-tanned leather, dyed a dark brown and treated with 100% neets-foot oil and bee's wax. Bag size is 7" wide by 8" deep with a 1 1/2" gusset, all seams are welted.

Happy 4th of July

Another one Done

Another project completed, on to the next!

Good News, Today

Today,  My son Eric and I both received our permits to try and hunt Michigan black bear. This will be Eric's first time and my fourth, I have been lucky enough to have taken two bears from the three previous hunts. Eric is not sure as of yet, if he will use a flintlock or a modern firearm. I on the other hand will again hunt in period clothing and use my fowler.

The first was taken with a 58 cal. English fowler.











  The second was taken with a 75 cal Brown Bess.
We will be hunting in Michigan's upper peninsula in Iron co. Our family's will be heading up the first week of October, our bow season for deer is also open, Eric will try his luck in  taking a deer also.   

Another season comes to an end

Yesterday was the last day of our spring turkey season. I had only been out one other time this season and came close but, was out smarted and went home empty handed. The weather for Friday didn't look good we have had some heavy down pours along with thunder storms the past few days and Friday wasn't looking much better. So with it being the last day I took a chance, I was up early and in the woods, I picked a spot in hoping to ambush them as they made there way to the upper fields. The weather was beautiful low 70's with a light breeze, it couldn't be any better. Then the wood ticks showed up. I must have killed two dozen of them. After two hours of sitting and not seeing or hearing any birds I decided to move. The next spot wasn't any better, more ticks and now mosquitoes so I decided to just walk the woods calling every now and then and just enjoy my time out.

I had a good time, even though I never saw a turkey. The deer where out and about crossing the meadow. I watched a doe feeding along the edge of the pond and then she found
a spot to lie down for the afternoon. Then there where the deer I didn't see but they let me know they were there, by blowing at me. I then ran into a mother Raccoon laying out on a branch relaxing in the shade. When asked if she had seen any Tom turkeys, she just looked at me and got up and went in side the hole on the other side of the tree. She wasn't very sociable. The sky was starting to show signs of rain so I headed back to the car.

For me it's not being successful at the hunt but the time spent out in the woods and trying to experience what it might have been like hunting in the 18th century.