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Featured battle : Moores Creek Bridge
Part of American War of Independence
Date : 27 February 1776
A force of mainly highlanders raised from the interior of North Carolina with some loyalists sent from New York, under Donald MacDonald, and Donald McLeod attempted to move on Wilmington by out-manouvering a force of rebels/patriots under James Moore. Moores' forces were split while trying to chase the highlanders, who then marched around the main body to attack a smaller party holding a bridge over Moore's Creek. Notified of their approach, the force under Caswell partially dismantled the bridge and greased the rest. When the Loyalists arrived and sent a party across the bridge they were cut down by musketry and canister. The Loyalists withdrew.
Featured image :
Cliffords Tower, York
A intersting example of a motte and bailey castle, the mound being the remains of a wooden castle built by William I around 1068 with the four-lobed stone keep replacing the wooden structure in the 13th Century. It has a commanding view of the Vale of York and guarded the approaches to the city from the River Ouse - a major artery in medieval times. It was also the site, on 16th March 1190 of a massacre of the Jewish comunity in York at that time. The antisemitism stirred up by the crusades caused the Jewish people of York to take refuge in the castle in March which was then besieged by a mob led by the Sherrif Richard Malebys (or Malebisse), who was in debt to the Jewish money lenders. When supplies ran short they Jews decided that to surrender meant death so chose to take their own lives and those who did not die, were killed by the mob when it stormed the burning ramparts. A plaque at the foot of the present steps commemorates 150 men and women who died that night.
Gallery updated : 2022-04-04 08:33:43
Featured review :
Peninsular and Waterloo General
Marcus de la Poer Beresford
Here we have a life story which would stretch credulity as a novel but this is no imaginary creation. Denis Pack not only attended many battles but got into the thick of most of them. Multiple times he left the battlefield wounded and as many times he stayed on the battlefield wounded. He lead men in battles in South Africa, South America, the Peninsular and at Waterloo. He knew both defeat and victory and as well as wounds he also suffered imprisonment. He died in London of a ruptured blood vessel aged only 46 years old. His character both as a man and as a commander of men is beautifully drawn out in this book.
This is a large well-researched book which contains material not previously published presented in an easy readable style. Also there are a number of sketch maps and a good set of relevant photographs.
A jolly good read which we highly recommend.
Pen & Sword Military, 2022
Reviewed : 2022-05-16 11:14:25
