Wednesday, October 14, 2015

New Book review: transcription of the Virginia Public Store 1775-76



I am excited to review of a transcription of the Journal of the Public Store at Williamsburg 1775-1776 by Greg Sandor.  This self published transcription contains a wealth of nuts and bolts material culture information for Virginia's army from the first year of the Revolution in Virginia, which is a welcome addition to the exciting but not complete extracts put together in the 1960s by Goodwin for Colonial Williamsburg. Sandor's work includes the 180 page transcription, as well as a handy index of people, goods, places, and individual military units.  In between the expected thousands of yards of osnabrigs, kettles and canteens are a few surprises like tea pots for the hospital, dowlas rifle patches, stamped linen and rose blankets.  The transcription is easy to read, professionally bound and well done.  My only suggestion would be that I'd love to see the actual original page image beside the translation as was done in this excellent store letter book transcription.   This work will answer many questions for anyone trying to track down the who, what and where (or ahem, pardon the pun, wear) for early War Virginia units.

Copies can be ordered here.

or here
 
It is also for sale at the Greenhow Store in Colonial Williamsburg and at Fort Pitt.