Well Reb, I wasn't familiar with the incident although I did know of the 5th's near destruction at the battle. It's my history so I thought I'd better look it up as you called me on it. Two modern artists of some renown, Keith Rocco and Don Troiani, have portrayed the incident as a desperate last stand rather than an attack. I have to also go on Brian Pohanka's interpretation in the Troiani book of the period incident as I had known him from reenacting (he was an "officer" in the 5th N.Y. reenactment group) and his reputation as a scholar. The Conte interpretation of the two real men is like Sergeant Rock or Nick Fury. Conte usually does movie inspired versions of history and that's great but there is no movie tie in to this series. My own reading shows that pistols as infantry weapons weren't issued but were personal weapons purchased or given to individuals and companies of men early in the US Civil War. Men posed for photos wearing these pistols but there is some interpretation the these might be photographer's "props" like the Bowie knives seen in Southern soldier photos. The standard view is that infantrymen found these pistols too burdensome to carry and care for and abandoned them. They do get in the way of rifle drill as well....something I learned "playing" Civil War for 20 years. Unless there is a period reference to one sergeant carrying a pistol or picking one up then it's wrong to show an actual person using one in print or 3 dimension. Those colors and staffs are also heavy as I remember as well.
The stuff I do with toy plastics IS fun and is usually labeled or assumed to be fun when folks see my blog. I like to look in on what the metal collectors are doing and I'm assuming that this forum is for comment and question.
