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Get ready for an epic clash in this exciting episode as we unveil our Top Commanders Bracket! We've handpicked 32 of the most iconic, powerful, and beloved commanders from the 18th Century, and now it's up to YOU, our listeners, to decide who reigns supreme. Join us as we introduce our top commanders and explain the rule of the competition. From legendary powerhouses to underdog favorites, we’ll dive into what makes these commanders stand out. Tune in, check out the bracket, and cast your votes to crown the ultimate commander! 

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The Battle of Minden stands as one of the defining clashes of the Seven Years’ War—a stunning infantry victory that saw British and German troops repel repeated French cavalry charges and expose the failure of the key British commanders.

In this episode of Prime & Load!, we’re joined by Maj. Gen. Ewan Carmichael, author of Like a Brazen Wall: The Battle of Minden, 1759, and its Place in the Seven Years War. Together, we break down the armies, commanders, and tactics that shaped this pivotal 18th-century battle. From Sackville’s disgrace to the disciplined stand of the allied infantry, we explore how leadership, training, and circumstance converged on that August day in 1759.

Referenced Materials

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In this exciting listener Q&A episode of the Prime & Load! Podcast, hosts Dr. Alex Burns and Dr. Andrew Bamford tackle a selection of your burning questions! From Jacobites to logistics, they dive into the topics you care about most. This is just the first installment, with more listener questions to be answered in future episodes. Tune in for expert answers, engaging discussions, and a closer connection with the Prime & Load community!

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Historian, author, and award winning history blogger Josh Provan joins us on this episode to talk about 18th century warfare in the less talked about parts of the world. Together we explore the military tactics of India and China, the isolation policies of Japan, the conquest of the Hawaiian Islands and much more!

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The United States Army is celebrating its 250th birthday this year. But what did it look like when it was first created? In this episode we are joined by our friend, author and historian, John Rees. Together we explore the birth of the Continental Army and men who served in it. 

Referenced Materials 

They Were Good Soldiers, By John U. Rees

The Continental Army, By Robert Wright

Private Yankee Doodle, By Joseph Plum Martin

A Revolutionary People at War, By Charles Royster

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Episode Resources & Quick Links

Recommended Reading:

Military Life of Frederick the Great by Christopher Duffy 

Infantry in Battle by Dr. Alexander Burns

Episode Summary

Was Frederick the Great's most iconic victory actually a failure of his original plan? On June 4, 1745, the Prussian army executed a daring night march to surprise a coalition of Austrians and Saxons in the foothills of Silesia. What followed was a complex, five-phase "meeting engagement" that would immortalize the Prussian military machine. Join hosts Dr. Alex Burns and Dr. Andrew Bamford as they deconstruct the Battle of Hohenfriedberg.

In this deep dive, we explore how Frederick attempted to "cross the T" on the enemy, only to find them already occupying key terrain. Discover the reality of 18th-century combined arms, where infantry fought through fish ponds and gullies, hussars discovered secret fords under fire, and the legendary Bayreuth Dragoons delivered a shattering blow that took 67 standards and thousands of prisoners. This isn't just about a "genius" commander; it’s about a "laboratory" of military reform and the emergence of "mission command" on the 18th-century battlefield.

Meet the Expert

Dr. Alex Burns: Your resident expert on Frederickian warfare and 18th-century military culture. His research focuses on the tactical and social structures of the Prussian army, viewing their success as a collaborative "laboratory of genius" rather than the work of a single man.

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

• [00:00] Orientation: Key terrain, the Spitzberg, and the "Second Silesian War".
• [12:15] The Political Stakes: Why Maria Theresa was determined to reclaim her lost patrimony.
• [25:30] The Night Melee: When a Prussian Hussar tipped his cap to the Saxons and started a battle.
• [40:00] The Gully & Fish Ponds: Why micro-terrain and "fish pond warfare" defined the infantry struggle.
• [55:45] The River Crossing: How Hans Joachim von Zieten saved a potential disaster at the Striegauwasser.
• [1:10:00] The Bayreuth Charge: The double-strength dragoon regiment that shattered the Austrian line.
• [1:25:00] The Hohenfriedberg March: The legacy of the battle in modern historical memory and song.

Deep Dive: The "Laboratory of Genius"

Hohenfriedberg is often remembered for the singular charge of the Bayreuth Dragoons, but the sources reveal a much more sophisticated victory rooted in collaborative reform. Prussian success was the result of a "laboratory" where generals worked together as "scientists towards the production of genius". From the artillery providing fire support from seized high ground to the infantry's ability to maintain cohesion while attacking through marshy "fish ponds," the battle showcased a professionalized military infrastructure that outclassed its opponents.

Related Episodes

Ep 17: The Battle of Soor (1745): How Frederick the Great Escaped a Massacre

Ep 23: The Battle of Kesselsdorf: The Old Dessauer’s Last Victory

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Referenced Materials

A Very Fine Regiment, The 47th Foot during the American War of Independance, 1773-1783, Paul Knight

With Zeal and Bayonets Only, The British Army on Campaign in North America, 1775-1783, Matthew H. Spring 

Joseph Wright if Derby: Life on Paper, Museum and Art Gallery 

In August 1756, the frontier outpost of Fort Oswego stood as a pivotal British foothold on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. When the Marquis de Montcalm launched his swift strike against the fort, brutal wilderness logistics, complex Native American diplomacy, and precise French siege tactics combined to hand New France a major early victory in the Seven Years' War. 

In Episode 8, Lee, Alex, and Andrew welcome historian Will Raffel for Prime & Load’s first dedicated deep dive into the French and Indian War to break down Montcalm’s first victory and the fall of the Oswego garrison. 

Key Topics Covered:

• The Strategic Frontier: How Fort Oswego functioned as a British trading hub and counterweight to French Niagara, and why its position on Lake Ontario was both vital and defensively flawed. 
• Wilderness Logistics: The immense physical challenge of transporting cannon, bread ovens, gunpowder, and troops through places like the Oneida Carry and North America's unpredictable waterways. 
• Diplomacy & Factional Friction: Iroquois diplomacy, the role of northern Indigenous allies, and internal tensions between French regular officers and Canadian militia. 
• The Siege & Surrender: How French battery construction neutralized Fort Ontario, the lethal barrage on the old trading house, the death of Colonel Mercer, and the chaotic aftermath of the British capitulation.

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In this episode of Prime & Load, hosts Dr. Alex Burns, Dr. Andrew Bamford, and Lee Gugino conduct a deep-dive study into the Battle of Fontenoy (May 11, 1745), fought near Tournai in the Austrian Netherlands during the War of the Austrian Succession. The episode breaks down how French Marshal Maurice de Saxe orchestrated a masterclass in defensive warfare, using the siege of Tournai as bait to draw the Allied "Pragmatic Army" into a pre-prepared killing ground.

Key Discussion Highlights

The Strategic Context & The Trap: The battle took place on the eastern bank of the River Scheldt near Tournai. Marshal Maurice de Saxe engineered an L-shaped defensive line anchored by the fortified village of Fontenoy at the corner, redoubts stretching south to Antoing, and field fortifications running north toward the Bois de Barry. King Louis XV and the Dauphin were present on the field to observe the battle.

Coalition Command & Objectives: The Allied Pragmatic Army was commanded by the 24-year-old Duke of Cumberland, supported by veteran officers including Sir John Ligonier (infantry) and General James Campbell (cavalry). Cumberland’s objective was straightforward: punch directly through the French position to relieve the besieged garrison at Tournai.

Initial Allied Setbacks: The battle opened with immediate friction. Brigadier Ingoldsby’s detachment was severely checked in the Bois de Barry by the French light troops of the Légion de Grasins. Meanwhile, cavalry commander General Campbell was killed by a cannonball early in the action, and repeated Dutch attacks against Fontenoy and Antoing were repulsed by heavy French artillery fire.

The 17-Battalion Hollow Column: With the flanks blocked, Cumberland ordered a direct frontal assault up the narrow gap between Fontenoy and the woods. Seventeen British and Hanoverian infantry battalions deployed into a massive, unprecedented hollow square/column formation. After delivering a devastating point-blank volley that shattered the elite Gardes Françaises, the column pressed deep into the heart of the French position.

The French Counterattack: To check the advancing column, Saxe threw in wave after wave of cavalry charges, followed by infantry counterattacks from the Normandy Brigade and the six battalions of the Irish Brigade. Under relentless combined pressure, the battered British column maintained strict discipline, fixed bayonets, and conducted an orderly retreat covered by a cavalry screen under General Hawley.

Aftermath & Strategic Fallout: Although Fontenoy was a tactical French triumph that enabled Saxe to sweep through the Austrian Netherlands, the territorial gains were ultimately surrendered at the 1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle—coining the French phrase "bête comme la paix" ("stupid like the peace"). Furthermore, the French victory provided a massive morale boost that helped pave the way for French financial and material support for the 1745 Jacobite Rising in Scotland.

Referenced Works

Marshal of France, Jon Manchip White

Fontenoy 1745, Cumberland's Blood Defeat, Michael McNally

Fontenoy: France Dominating Europe, Denis Gandilhon

Great Britain and the Defense of the Low Countries 1744-1748, Alastair Massie

The War of the Austrian Succession, M.S. Anderson

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Join us as we welcome our good friend Mark Canady for a discussion of the hobby of reenacting. Together, we talk about our impressions, why we do them, and how we approach this weird and wonderful hobby. 

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Episode Resources & Quick Links

Recommended Reading: Fit for Service by J. Holden and A People's Army by Fred Anderson 

Episode Summary

In this episode, hosts Dr. Alexander Burns and Dr. Andrew Bamford deconstruct the "fifth-grade narrative" of April 19, 1775. They are joined by Jim Hollister and Jared Foss, expert rangers from Minuteman National Historic Park, to reveal the professional military infrastructure of the Massachusetts militia and the tactical innovations of the British Light Infantry.

Listeners will learn about the political powderkeg created by the Intolerable Acts, the surprising truth behind British "bush fighting" in North America, and the brutal reality of the 18-mile Battle Road retreat. Whether you are a history buff or a re-enactor preparing for the 250th anniversary, this episode provides essential context for understanding the tactical reality of the start of the American Revolution.

Meet the Experts

Jim Hollister: A 23-year NPS veteran specializing in 18th-century political background and material culture.

Jared Foss: Historic weapons supervisor with a background in archaeology and anthropology; previously served at Gettysburg.

Episode Timestamps

[00:00] – Vetting Authenticity: Preparing 750 re-enactors for the 250th Anniversary.

[12:15] – The Arms Race: General Gage’s hunt for hidden artillery and provincial magazines.

[20:45] – Tactical Myths: The 1764 Manual Exercise vs. British "irregular fire".

[30:00] – Lexington Green: The chaos of the first clash and the "flash in the pan".

[40:15] – North Bridge: The first ordered fire against government troops.

[55:00] – The Battle Road: A rolling gauntlet of fire through the Bloody Angle.

[1:10:00] – Urban Combat: The brutal house-to-house reality in Monotony.

Key Takeaway: The "Military Infrastructure" Myth

Contrary to the image of "farmers with pitchforks," the Massachusetts militia was a seasoned military infrastructure. Sources show they were veterans of the French and Indian War, operating as a "home guard, draft board, and rear echelon supply network". Conversely, British regulars were not rigid targets; light infantry practiced loading while lying on their bellies and used "bush fighting" tactics to navigate the North American landscape.

Related Episodes

Ep 8: Training the British Army with Dr. Paul Knight

Ep 10: The Birth of the Continental Army with John U. Rees

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