A Skirmish In Wallachia 1462 - A Tabletop Game In 28mm.

                      A Skirmish In Wallachia 1462

Two Ottoman artillery pieces have had some repair done and are now behind the main army, with a small band of infantry, Janissaries, and Sipahi they are hastily catching up. Wallachia is a dangerous and terrifying place, many sites, ideal for ambush, have been scouted out by the cavalry, but evidence of Prince Vlad's favourite pastime line the roads.

Up ahead just before a small village, horsemen are seen, it looks like the expected attack is coming, Sipahi gallop ahead to meet the enemy.

A whisper flies around the Ottoman ranks "Kaziklu Bey, can it really be the the Lord Impaler himself!" 

Wallachian cavalry split in two, one troop rides to meet the Sipahi while another flanks around behind.

The infantry and Janissaries brace themselves for the onslaught.

The fighting is brutal with neither side giving ground, the flanking troop now clash with the Ottoman infantry.

The Wallachian cavalry soon brake through the Ottoman infantry and the Sipahi are now getting the worst of it, so they retreated behind the Janissaries.

The Wallachian cavalry now formed up to charge the Ottomans again.

Pulling off another flanking move some Wallachians try to attack the cannons from the cover of the woods.

Meanwhile the Janissaries are giving the Wallachian cavalry a very tough time, and just as the cannons are reached the retreat is sounded, the Wallachians break off their attack.

The remaining Sipahi see their chance for glory and chase the retreating Wallachians, not deterred the Wallachians turn and fight.

Soon the remaining Wallachian cavalry join up with their comrades and the Sipahi are slaughtered.

The Sultan will keep his artillery, their target will most likely be Targoviste, but Prince Vlad has other surprises up his sleeve, this is not over yet.

Dracula's Whitby - A Journey Through Postcards.

                               Dracula's Whitby.

Bram Stoker began writing his classic gothic horror story Dracula in 1890, whilst on holiday in Whitby he was staying at number 6, Royal Crescent with his wife and son.   

The Whitby Gazette 22nd August 1890

The story begins with solicitor Jonathan Harker travelling to Transylvania, where he is to negotiate the buying of property in England with the mysterious nobleman Count Dracula. Many trials and tribulations follow, I'm sure all of my readers are acquainted with the tale and it doesn't need retelling here! This is a spoiler alert so if you haven't read the book, do so.....now!

The Count travels with ten boxes of his native earth to England aboard the Demeter, leaving Varna on the 6th July. During the voyage a strange creature starts killing the crew until during a great storm on the 8th August the ship is washed ashore on the east beach next to Tate Hill Pier in Whitby.

The dead captain is seen lashed to the ship's wheel and his log tells a terrifying tale of death and slaughter. A large black dog is also seen leaping from the stricken vessel and running up Tate Hill towards the town.

A dog belonging to a local coal merchant is found with it's throat ripped out and eviscerated, an attack that could only have been done by a large savage beast. 

"One of the greatest and suddenest storms on record" Dracula; Chapter VII  The Daily Graph, 8th August.

The boxes of earth are to be under the jurisdiction of Whitby solicitor Mr S. F Billington of 7, The Crescent, and are to be sent by rail to Carfax Abbey, Purfleet.

In the foreground is Tate Hill Pier where the Demeter ran aground. Up on the west side facing is East Terrace, to the left is East Crescent the location of Mr Billington's office is at number 7.

Jonathan Harker's fiance Mina Murray, her friend Lucy Westenra, and Lucy's mother Mrs Westenra are staying in Royal Crescent. The two ladies love to sit on a bench in the graveyard overlooking the sea. There they meet an old seafarer called Mr Swales who regales them with tales of loss and suicide! On the morning of the 10th August Mr Swales is found dead on their favourite bench, his neck broken and a look of fear and horror on his face.

St Mary's graveyard showing the benches favoured by Mina, Lucy and poor Mr Swales.

Since the great storm Lucy had been suffering from sleep walking, Mina thought wearing Lucy out may be the answer so to lighten their mood and to tire themselves out, Mina and Lucy walk along the cliff path to Robin Hood's Bay where they treated themselves to a "severe tea" at The Bay Hotel.

"A sweet old fashioned inn with a bow window right over the seaweed covered rocks." Mina Murray.

11th August 3 am. Mina Murray's Journal:

No.7 Royal Crescent (red dot) where Mina and the Westenra's stayed. No.6 (blue dot) is where 
Bram Stoker and family stayed in 1890.

"Suddenly I became broad awake, and sat up, with a horrible sense of fear upon me and some feeling of emptiness around me. The room was dark, so I could not see Lucy's bed; I stole across and felt for her. The bed was empty."

Mina guessed that Lucy was sleepwalking again so she gets up, dresses and goes in search of her friend. Standing at the top of the East Terrace above the Khyber Pass Mina had a commanding view across Whitby.

There in the graveyard as the moon came out from a passing cloud she caught sight of Lucy's white nightdress, she was half reclined with a dark figure bent over her.

Mina's view from East Terrace.

Mina ran down the steps and onto the pier, then along the fish market to the drawbridge.

"The town seemed as dead, for not a soul I did see."

Crossing the bridge Mina ran up to and along Church Street.

"The time and distance seemed endless, and my knees trembled
 and my breath came laboured."

Up Church Street - on the left - is the Market Place. Mina would have sped past the rear of this beautiful building, having stayed in Whitby she and Lucy would have walked around it many times.

Whitby Market Place, Church Street is to the rear.

Mina's Journal continues:

"I must have gone fast, and yet it seemed to me as if my feet were weighted with lead, and as though every joint in my body were rusty. When I got almost to the top I could see the seat and the white figure..."

"...as I toiled up the endless steps to the Abbey..."

"I called in fright 'Lucy! Lucy!' and something raised its head, and from where I was I could see a white face and red, gleaming eyes."

"I ran on to the entrance of the churchyard."

"As I entered, the church was between me and the seat, and for a minute or so I lost sight of her. When I came in view again the cloud had passed and the moonlight struck so brilliantly that I could see Lucy half reclining with her head lying over the back of the seat. She was quite alone and there was not a sign of any living thing about."

The Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey.

14th August, Mina Murray's Journal:

"On the east cliff reading and writing all day. The setting sun, low down in the sky, was just dropping behind Kettleness; the red light was thrown over the east cliff and the old Abbey, and it seemed to bathe everything in a beautiful rosy glow. We were silent for a while, and suddenly Lucy murmured as if to herself 'His red eyes again! They are just the same.' She appeared to be looking over to our seat, whereon was a dark figure seated alone."

"Herewith please receive invoice of goods sent by Great Northern Railway."

                         17th August. Letter, Samuel F. Billington & Son, Solicitors, Whitby.

"Same are to be delivered to Carfax, near Purfleet, immediately upon receipt at goods station King's Cross. The house is at present empty, but enclosed please find keys, all of which are labelled."

And so Dracula left Whitby.......Mina left to be with the newly found Jonathan Harker in Budapest, and Lucy left a week later to her dark destiny.

The author Sherlock's Dog, Whitby Gazette May 2011

Mad John Baines, the template for Renfield?

                                 Mad John Baines

The first time Baines comes to our attention is on the 2nd July 1887, Baines (who gives his address as 15, Francis Street, Woolwich) is found drunk and asleep on Woolwich Common by a military policeman called Richard Taylor.

Francis Street, Woolwich

  According to Gunner Taylor Baines was found lying  senseless on the Barrack Field, when he roused him Baines shouted abuse, threatened to "do for him" then punched him in the face. Baines then ran away towards the South Arch crying "murder!". This caused the guard to turn out and investigate the matter, with assistance Baines was taken to the nearest police station.

He said in his defence that he was sorry for what had happened, but being awoke from a drunken sleep and finding that he'd been robbed of 23s, he lost his temper and did not know what took place, the prisoner was discharged with a caution.

Woolwich Garrison

His next court appearance was for an horrific attack, the London Evening Standard of Monday 26th September 1887 takes up the story.

Marlborough Street.

John Baines, a rough looking fellow, was charged, on remand, with assaulting Annie Cummins, an unfortunate, by biting her on the cheek whilst in Hyde Park, on the night of the 16th inst. - Constable Sibley 351A, of the A Division, said that about a quarter to eleven he heard screams of "Murder", and a voice saying, "Don't touch me, don't touch me."

He proceeded in the direction of the Serpentine, and then saw the prisoner following a woman. Upon the man getting up to her he knocked her down and fell over her, and the woman again screamed for help, saying "He is biting me."

Witness ran to her assistance, dragged the prisoner off her and saw that she had been injured in the face. She had been bitten under one of her eyes and blood was flowing down her cheek. She said that she knew the prisoner and had been supporting him by her earnings in the streets.

Prisoner said that it served her right and that he would teach her not to insult people.

Dr Blackett said that he had examined the woman and found that she had a lacerated wound under her eye. A portion of the skin had been torn away and she would be disfigured for life, as there would always be a large scar where the wound had been.

The Prosecutrix said that she was an outpatient at one of the hospitals and attended there daily. The wound in her face was suppurating and as serious consequences might supervene the prisoner was again remanded for a week.

The outcome was taken up by the London Evening Standard Monday 3rd October 1887.

Marlborough Street.

John Baines was charged, on remand, with violently assaulting, by biting a piece of the cheek, Annie Cummins, living in Gun Street, Southwark.

Gun Street, now Boyfield Street, Southwark

The Prosecutrix, whose head was enveloped in surgical bandages, deposed that she had been an out door patient of Guy's Hospital, the wound having shown symptoms of suppuration. It was now healing however, and the doctors had pronounced her to be out of danger, though her face would be disfigured for life.

She had lived with the accused for about a fortnight before the assault and during that time he had done no work of any kind.

In defence Baines said that he had been drinking heavily on the night in question and the woman provoked him very much. He had been in the army and had only been discharged from a lunatic asylum two months ago.

Mr Mansfield said that no provocation could justify such an inhuman assault and sentenced the accused to the full term of six months imprisonment with hard labour.

As an interesting aside to this story Peter Haining in his The Dracula Centenary Book* relates a report from The Times, according to him the policeman on the scene was PC 351A John Harker and the bite was on the neck not the cheek.

 

Regardless of Haining making things up the parallels between Baines and the character Renfield are obvious, also the date the article was published in The Times was 3rd October, in Dracula that is the day Dracula is confronted in his Piccadilly home. If this article was read by Bram Stoker and it inspired the Renfield character then John Baines has become immortal despite himself!

Extraordinary Scene In Court was the headline in the South London Press on Saturday 1st December 1888.

At the Southwark police court, John Baines, aged 25, who described himself as of no home, was charged on remand, with violently assaulting Elizabeth Gunn, an unfortunate, in the London Road.

London Road, Southwark

On the prisoner being brought into court by Sergeant Duncan and his colleague, the deputy gaoler Butcher, he showed signs of impatience and when about to be placed in the dock he became suddenly fractious.

Sergeant Alexander Osbeston took his hat away as he evidently intended to throw it. The prisoner, with great agility, freed himself for the moment, struck the Sergeant a violent blow on the eye and scratched his face.

There was great consternation in court, but the officers at once surrounded the prisoner and secured him. He was removed for a time and brought back, his arms being fastened behind him. On being placed again in the dock, he used most violent language, threatening everyone with dire consequences for their conduct, adding he was a "lunatic" and had been sent to an asylum for a previous assault.

The facts connected with the specific charge against the prisoner were of a very simple character. It appeared that he had lived with the prosecutrix for nine months and took all the money she recieved, till at last, through his ill usage, she left him. Prisoner then assaulted her and she forgave him.

On the 14th inst. he met her in the London Road, asked for money, and, being refused, knocked her down and kicked her. She was rescued from further violence by a police constable, and prisoner was taken into custody and conveyed to the station, after much difficulty.

Prosecutrix was examined by Dr Farr, who found her much injured on the body, and her jaw bone seriously injured, so much so, that although there was no fracture, she was even now unable to open her mouth properly.

It was proved that the prisoner had already suffered two months hard labour in prison for an assault on the woman, and, further, that he had assaulted another woman. The prisoner, on being asked if he had anything to say, or any witnesses to call, said "No. All my witnesses are God, or the Devil. I don't know which I shall call."

He was committed for trial, and was conducted out of the court, using threats to doctors, witnesses and others, and nearing the door exclaimed, "You have heard something today, in two days time you'll hear something else".

A couple of years later Baines was north of the river, in St Georges In The East, the Eastern Post, Saturday 23rd August 1890.

THAMES - An Unprovoked Assault.

John Baines, aged 27, was charged with assaulting Mrs Ellen Evans, of Watney Street, St Georges's. 

Watney Street

On Saturday night Baines came into the shop and called for two-pennyworth of eels. He then called another man in and called for a similar quantity for his friend. He afterwards refused to pay for them, picked up a basin and threw it at her.

She put up her hand to save her face, when the basin caught her and cut her fingers. Mr Dickinson told the prisoner that he had been guilty of an absolutely unprovoked assault, and fined him 20s, or 14 days hard labour.

Baines is at it again! The London Evening Standard, Tuesday 12th July 1892.

John Gardon, John Baines and John Dulwich were charged with burglary and robbery. At 4 o'clock this morning Morgan Dear, a blacksmith, of Commercial Road, was in bed, when he heard a noise in his yard and lifted the window up.

He saw the prisoner in his yard and Baines had one of his ducks under his arm. Baines climbed over a wall to the next yard followed by the other two. They got through an empty house and came out of the front door into the street.

York Road, now Yorkshire Road

Arthur Springhall, 323H, who was on duty at the corner of York Road, saw the prisoners come out of 655, Commercial Road, the unoccupied house alluded to, and he secreted himself behind a coffee stall. They came towards him and at that time the prosecutor came out of the next house in his shirt sleeves.

The prisoners catching sight of the constable made off pursued by Springhall, and Baines drew a jemmy and threw it over the back premises adjoining York Road.

655 Commercial Road

He caught Gardon and on searching him he found a skeleton key. The other two prisoners were apprehended by constables 212H and 35H, but nothing was found on them. This morning Harry Lusk, an Inspector of Police, found that 655 had been entered by a skeleton key. A double fronted glass door leading to the shop had been forced, the back door burst open and from there they had effected an entrance into Dear's place. Mr Mead committed the prisoners for trial.

The last communication from John Baines was in a letter from Broadmoor.

Reynold's Newspaper - Sunday 8th July 1894.

I have received a letter from John Baines, an ex soldier, complaining of ill treatment whilst an inmate of the Broadmoor Lunatic Asylum. He mentions as one instance that he was in October 1892 stripped naked in a cold stone cell and banged against the wall.

Broadmoor Asylum

His throat was cut open and his ribs were black and blue. In this state he was left for twelve hours. This is by no means the first time I have received communications from persons alleging acts of brutal violence in asylums. Some member of parliament should ask that a committee be appointed to inquire into the management of these institutions.

Published in the Morning Post, Tuesday 21st May 1895 is a list of inmate deaths, among those deceased is John Baines, this was still two years before the publishing of Dracula. If we take the appalling treatment of Baines in Broadmoor and hold it up to the final fate of Renfield in his asylum there is a chilling similarity. In Dracula Renfield is beaten to death in his cell on the 3rd October, the date Baines was reported for assaulting poor Annie Cummins in Hyde Park.

* Haining, P (1987) The Dracula Centenary Book. London: Souvenir Press Ltd, pp. 30 - 31