Colonel Laidley’s Reply to the Charge of Infringement of Colonel Wingate’s Copyright
This nonfiction work presents Col. Laidley’s detailed response to claims that his rifle-practice manual copied from Wingate’s work. It outlines the author’s side of the dispute, his use of sources, and the steps he took to verify and justify his methods. The text also places the dispute in a broader context of 19th‑century military publishing and rifle training.
In clear, first-person narration, the pamphlet explains how the book was prepared, the sources consulted, and the author’s intent to share useful knowledge while acknowledging ties to earlier writings. It discusses the relationship between manuals for target practice and army training, and it contrasts the works involved in the controversy. The material includes excerpts of referenced sections and a discussion of how similarities among manuals arise from common goals and shared sources.
What you’ll experience
- A firsthand account of the copyright dispute and the author’s reasoning.
- A look at how historical military manuals were compiled and how authors cited or drew from earlier works.
- A frame for understanding 19th‑century rifle practice, sources, and technical discussion.
- Acknowledgment of sources, method, and the author’s commitment to justice and equity in the dispute.
- A sense of the period’s publishing culture and the standards used when evaluating claims of infringement.
Ideal for readers of military history, copyright debates in print, and readers curious about how technical manuals were created in the 1800s.