"The Troubles of Command" Topic

I research the officers of the Continental Army, and today the human side became prominent.

At one point in the American Revolution, the colonel of the 4th (Pennsylvania) Continental Artillery was Col. Thomas Proctor, an Irish immigrant and Mason about 40 years old. He'd go on to do all the usual distinguished veteran stuff--Sheriff of Philadelphia County, Major General of militia, peace commissions to the Indians, and burial in St Paul's in Philadelphia. As far as I'm concerned, he more than earned all of them. At one point--right around Brandywine, Germantown and Valley Forge--one of his battery commanders was Captain Francis Proctor Jr, his younger brother. Another was Captain Francis Proctor Sr, their father, who made lieutenant at the start of the Revolution at about age 70, was a POW probably in 1776 and finally made captain at age 72. I don't think you could pay me for Col Proctor's position, and certainly not in Continental Dollars.

Dad seems to have been the real problem. The court martial at Valley Forge got the old boy off on the charge of looting, but they finally canned him in the second court-martial (May of 1778) for repeatedly and publically "threatening the life of Captain Rice in an ungentlemanlike manner." I can only imagine the scene in regimental headquarters when they had to break the news, and I can't wait to see what I turn up when I research Captain Joseph Rice, also of the 4th Continental Artillery.

That said, you know, I rather like the implicit assumption that there is a gentlemanlike manner of threatening to kill someone. We've lost so many of the fine arts in recent years.

No, I can't see how to make a miniatures game out of it either. But this, gentlemen, is "period flavor."

A 'gentlemanlike manner of threatening to kill someone' was to challenge them to a duel.

"You have insulted me, Sir. I demand satisfaction. My friend will call upon you."

True, arthur1815, but lacks subtlety. I'm partial to the duel in Mistress Wilding over the color of a hat--or in Sir Nigel, in which a single drop of wine goes on the forehead of the challenged party, because splashing him with the goblet would have stained his good clothes.

There's a comment in Designated Hitter about how politely the British are booting our hero out of their country--as opposed to the "ticket on the next flight out and shackles optional" routine so common these days.