"Final Sikh War Book Update" Topic

From me at least…

I just wanted everyone to know that I finished draft 1.5 of the 2nd Sikh War chapter, some 30 pages, earlier this week. I should have the 2nd draft completed by next week and then off it goes to Mike Embree for proofreading and translation from gibberish to coherent narrative.

What this means is that sometime within the next few weeks, I will be sending a thumb drive to Patrick with all the RAW data for him to keep, just in case something happens to me. If something does, I will have placed plenty of markers within various folders, along with the projected ToC, for him to hack through on his own and complete the work.

During the next thirty days I will do everything in my power to do the following:

1)Make sure the Ranjit Singh timeline article is complete

2) Write a very brief 2-3 page article, bridging the end of the 1st SW to the start of the Mooltan revolt (The Interim Period)

3)Go over my OBs and articles for one final check.

After that, I will start formally and methodically loading each pertinent section/chapter onto the returned, empty thumb drive in chronological order and do everything I can to have that to Patrick no later than June 15th, but I'm actually going to bust my butt to get it to him by the end of May.

After that it's in his hands and between periods when he's not cursing me out and sticking pins in his patented Preziosi Vou Dou doll, I'll let him do the updates. I know he's shooting for Historicon…we shall see.

But, if that falls through, the book will be well in time for the Fall Convention season; so Fall In and others look highly feasible. (Allowing me time to get in touch with Frank P and others so I can start scheduling appearances and lectures).

For those of you who have been paying rapt attention since the very beginning, here is the BIG REVEAL:

On top of everything else the book will contain, it will contain a booklet (they called them pamphlets back then) written by Sir Colin Campbell in defense of his actions at Chillianwalla.

"A Memorandum on the part taken by the Third Division of the Army of the Punjab, at the Battle of Chillianwalla"

Campbell, C.; Ridgeway, London, 1851

This booklet has been highly sought after for years and Dr. Robert Pye was generous enough to provide me a copy from the British Library a few years ago. We were going to OCR the booklet, but noting the layout, I decided it best to convert it by hand into a Word.doc and correct a few typographical errors and other textual boo-boos. The book HAD four maps, but only the cover map is provided; the rest are rather large, in color and very expensive to buy, so…Patrick and I had to draw the line somewhere and we feel we're doing the best we can by presenting this booklet which has not seen air for over 160 years.

So, there you have it. On top of all the narrative, side bar articles, orders of battle, along with the articles by Neil Carleton, Dennis McKinney and Major Agha Khan, and extensive commentary; we're giving you something that by itself is worth its weight in gold.

I'm taking a well deserved break this weekend, but will be back at the grindstone next Monday.

The next voice you hear on this subject will belong to Patrick Wilson of TVAG infamy!

Kudos! It sounds great! This is a newly discovered period for me that I would love to game with BP some day.

I'll be keeping an eye out for this.

So Patrick,

What will this thing cost me? I like to pay for things well ahead of time when I know I have the money

1. so I don't have to worry about it.

and

2. because at the time I pay for it I know I have the money but maybe when you're finally ready to mail it, I won't.

In today's world one never knows if one has enough one week or even one day to another.

IF I can pay ahead of time, where do I send a check or money order and how much?

Thanks,
Tom Cundiff
Director Ernie Pyle WWII Museum
erniepyle.org

By the way, The Ernie Pyle WWII Museum is a 501(c)(3) Not for profit, paypal donations can be made via the website..

We are trying to repair three roofs, repaint the birthplace home, pay for a new heating system (it failed this past winter), and pay for an aging and failing Audio Visual system (estimated at $52 USDK). Needless to say we need something in the neighborhood of $100 USDK just to cover the repairs.

So far wargamers have donated nearly $500 USD (475). Every little bit helps.

Thanks Much,
Tom

Tom,

A minor point, and nothing relevant to this thread, but no-one outside the US has ever heard of Ernie Pyle.

Mike

Mike,

You'd be surprised. We've had visitors from as far away as South Africa, France, Romania, Australia, Guam, and Japan. It is probably more correct to say that no one outside of Indiana who is less than 60 years old knows of him. You might be more correct with that assessment.

BUT Ernie was critically important to Roosevelt's being able to thumb his nose at the neutrality act and get aid to England. Ernie's reports to America about the Bombing of London and England in general were what moved American Public opinion (not Edward R Murrow). Remember America at the time was just emerging from the Great Depression. People still didn't have 2 kopecs to rub together. They couldn't afford radios. They couldn't afford batteries, in the countryside around here electricity wasn't common until well after WWII, and I live not 5 miles from where Ernie grew up. My father, a veteran of the war, related to me that NO one in the country had electricity (with which to power a radio) not because rural electrification didn't exist, BUT because NO one could afford to pay the utility bill for it.

So, how did the vast majority of America get its news? Not from the radio. Not from Edward R Murrow (and you'd get that impression from watching "The Waltons"), but from their local newspapers, which cost a nickle and got passed around from house to house.

Ernie was significant and it wasn't for nothing that Truman himself announced Ernie's death to the world. He was as important to the war effort as Roosevelt had been, but today we forget that. But people like Eisenhower and Truman didn't forget it. The people who ran the war KNEW how important Ernie's columns had been.

And there are pictures of crowds of people gathered around news stands reading the headlines, "Ernie Pyle Killed".

YOU may not know who Ernie was, but there are millions dead who DID know and revered him.

He was known world wide. Still is to more people than you can imagine.

Back to topic, I am eagerly anticipating this tome. Also plan to order some 15mm armies up from Black Hat as well. I am thinking Mudki is a good battle to base my little lead armies around…

Hi Andrew,Glad to hear all of the progress. I normally wouldn't go to Historicon(too far)but I will be in Virginia at the time so I will stop by. Hope the book is out by then so I can pick it up. Glad to hear about the booklet and that you closing in on the end game…

Dear All,

Andrew's "Final Communique" is encouraging indeed, and he is quite right that the ideal conclusion will be release of the book at HistoriCon. However, there's plenty to do in the meantime, meaning plenty of potential delays and "burps" before the work actually goes to the Printers.

That said, Andrew is certainly right again when pointing to late Summer Conventions or Fall In for official release.

While there will be plenty of notification here at TMP and elsewhere, the fact is that the "Sikh Wars Rexource Book" will be available along the Convention Circuit through our friends Bob and Ann Bowling of RLBPS. When you've read the book is out, and you go to a Convention, look for RLBPS to get your copy--and hopefully still more of your custom! These are great folks who will give you great service--as they have TVAG!

Regarding the Subscription, it is far too soon to know what the printing costs will be (we don't even have a final page count yet), so I cannot simply set a price now, as much as I sympathize with the argument for spending money while one has it! Nor can I set an opening date, but if we are on schedule to release at HistoriCon, the Subscription would likely open about a month before.

Frankly, that seems awfully close, so I just can't make any promises for now, but I will let everyone know ASAP.

In the meantime, "Watch the skies! Keep watching the skies!"

TVAG

TOM,

London? I think you mean Ed Murrow – "This is London…".

However, it was I who introduced the irrelevant subject. I look forward to seeing your museum at some time. In the meanwhile, on with Andrew's book!

Mike

You're welcome to visit. If we're not open, there's a phone number on the front door. Call and ask for me. I'll give you a personal tour. The president of the Scripps Howard Foundation visited not a month ago. His comment was this, "I was expecting the typical small town museum. This is worthy of the Smithsonian. It is easily the finest small museum I've ever seen."

Yes, I was referring to the radio news man Edward R Murrow, This is LOndon was his tag line. Everyone who watched the Waltons came to think his radio stories were what illuminated the war in Europe to the American masses. He didn't. The American masses couldn't afford electricity or radios. They got their news from Ernie Pyle's over 200 syndicated newspaper columns. And Ernie? He was just a humble shy small town country boy. There was a columnist by the name of Russel who was at the British Consul's home in Morocco when Ernie and Steinbeck rolled up in a jeep. After spending the evening at the Consul's, Russel mentioned to the British Consul that Ernie was obviously ill. The Consul didn't go through channels. He called Eisenhower directly. Less than 12 hours later Ernie was bundled into a plane bound for the states. That was how important this unassuming Indiana country boy was to the war.

Now back to our regularly scheduled updates on the Sikhs. Last we heard they were about to assail the walls of Multan.

A few Extra Nuggets…

One of the ILN pages I'm sending Patrick shows an illustration of a section of Sikh Camel Artillery (Jingalls), on the march. A nicely detailed drawing, complete with accompanying guards and an officer or courier alongside them.

Also, I'm sending a beautiful 11 x 17 English A paper size equiv of the Army of the Punjab in march formation, but this particular scene seems to detail the ubiquitous Indian baggage train and the complete circus it entailed.

Similar drawings, like the death of Broadfoot and others accompanying.

Will you be selling the book direct?

Me, as in I…no.

Patrick Wilson (TVAG) will be producing, printing and selling the book via subscriptions and then once printed, both direct and through his network of dealers.

Ok,good! so I can buy direct from Patrick.

Any news on this?

Patience will be rewarded…

Gentlefolk,

Expect an update, nothing super-major yet, but still good news plus a hint/sneak peek at what the book cover might be w/in the next week or so.

Stay Tooned!

Andrew, you're such a tease. ;-)

All…

On or around August 1st, an announcement will be made on TMP, probably not by me, regarding a FREE Ezine publication, which will include:

A nice detailed article, by yours truly, dealing with the 2nd Mahratta War and the Siege of Bhurtpore, including one of my famed detailed orders of battle

AND

An announcement regarding the Sikh War Source Book AND the first (mock up) cover!

Stay tuned!

Can't wait for the announcments. This is an especially opportune time for the book, in view of the new Studio Sikh Wars range.

and Empress hinting strongly that their range will start later this year as well.

Come on Patrick (sorry, someone who is not Andrew!), get that announcement made!

I'm still staying tuned……..

me too!

News?

Almost one month gone by from last update and still staying tuned….

Sorry Gents,

We had a rush order to get an advert in, but now the editor of the magazine is swamped with family health issues, work and having to edit an article…hence the delay.

Stay tuned…please!

the suspense is killing me…this is worse than waiting for the bl*&dy panda to give birth at Edinburgh Zoo – and a longer gestation period as well!

How about a September update. Any chance the book will appear by Fall-In? Or maybe Cold Wars is more realistic?

Gents,

I hear you, expect an Update by early next week.

Andrew

Okay,

First draft of the latest Update completed and sent off to Patrick for review.

Also, there is a good chance we will be providing you a link to preview one of the small, but pivotal chapters.

Stay Tooned!

Hang in there, we haven't forgotten you.

Patrick and I should have an update and a preview of the book to you sometime today or tomorrow.

Yay!

Has been posted, both here and on CSW:

link