Some new reading material - The Canadian Rebellions

 I've been reading up on the 1st Afghan War recently and like any other wargamer wondered where else I could use figures in those in those uniforms. I stumbled across the Rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada as being suitable for bell shako wearing Brits and decided to find out more. 

Wikipedia has a few articles about the rebellion and the battles which ensured, but working out who, when and where with what wasn't always easy so a little more digging threw these two books up. So I ordered them thinking it would be January before I saw either of them.

But this week the both popped thru the letter box and so I have some 

Rebellion - The  Rising in French Canada by Joseph Schull cover the lower Canada rebellion. It's an older book, written 1971 but it has an easy style to it which is making it a good read. There is plenty background  on the history, politics and personalities and some excellent illustrations and maps. It will probably provide the deeper background and context that I'm looking for and hopefully won't skimp on some military info that isn't in the Wikipedia pages. 

Guns along the River - the Battle of the Windmill 1838 by Donald Graves is a very detailed and very well illustrated book about an attack lunched across the St Lawrence river from the US to Canada by a clandestine militia seeking to establish a republic. The occupied a stone windmill and fortified the position and were attacked by British regulars and Canadian Militia over 5 days. This has just arrive but it is packed with info and maps of what is in effect a mini campaign.

Sooo....what figures and how?

For the British - easy. I have a couple of units of Foundry Afghan war troops in bell shakos. Iron Duke do excellent figures in greatcoats or there is the taller Studio range also in greatcoats. Several actions were fought late in the year in very low temperatures amongst the snow and ice, so greatcoats are important. Perry also have their Carlist War British who may have some useful bits. 

For the Patriot Hunters and other "rebel" groups there are two possibilities. War of 1812 frontier militia seem to be a good match, especially Knuckleduster. Since these skirmishes took place a couple of years before the Alamo, figures for that campaign will be useful too - Old Glory and Artizan spring to mind. Possibly some blanketcoat clad FIW French Coureur de bois might suit for skirmishers too.

Rules? Rebels and Patriots obviously! 

Terrain and scenery? A white cloth and snowy trees seem essential and I have some plundered from Xmas villages which look nice. AWI buildings seem to fit the illustrations I've seen well too and I have a few of those around as well as split rail fences. I also have plenty redoubt sand fieldworks. Might have to think about a large stone windmill though! There are also some boats and paddle steamers featured in the latter book which might give an interesting dimension. I have the rowing boats but a steamer sounds good! 

Flutter fluttter.....uhoh!😂 Let's see where this leads!