Gettysburg; Houck's Ridge and Devils Den... (1 Viewer)

[Warrior]

On July 2nd, 1863, General Lee ordered an early morning scout of the area south of Gettysburg to find General Meade's flank. When the Scouting party reported no troops in the area, Lee and his staff formulated plans for a general assault "en echelon" up the Emmitsburg Road from the southwest, to be spearheaded by Longstreet's Corps.

After a series of countermarches that consumed much of the midday, Longstreet finally was in position at 4:20PM to attack. By this time, the Union III Corps had advanced from their position on Cemetery Ridge and the farmlands south of the ridge to a new advanced position running from Houck's Ridge to the Wheatfield Road, then up to the Emmitsburg Road, and finally fronting this road.

Defending Houck's Ridge and the rock formations called Devils Den was Ward's Brigade of Birney's Division, along with Smith's Battery.

 

[Warrior]

Fierce Rebel attacks by Hood's Division were launched against Ward's line. To the Union left, Laws 44th Alabama and 48 Alabama, attacked towards Devils Den, defended by the 4th Maine......

 

[Warrior]

The boys from Maine braced for the assault........

 

[Warrior]

To the left of Laws men were the Bennings Georgians; the 2nd, 15th, 17th and 20th and they attacked towards the GW Weikert field to the right of Devils Den...........

 

[Warrior]

Opposing them were the 124th NY (the orange blossoms) and Smiths 4th NY battery, four guns in total as one was disabled and the other was on the other side of Houck's Ridge...........

 

[Warrior]

To the left of Bennings Georgians were the Robertsons 1st Texas and 3rd Arkansas, who attacked towards and through the Rose Woods and were met by the 99th PA, 20th Indiana and the 86th NY ..................

 

[Warrior]

As the Confederate brigades attacked the Houck's Ridge line, they were pushed back by a counterattack by Col. Ellis' regiment, the Orange Blossoms through the triangular field. Ellis said to Capt. Silliman, "the men must see us today" and gave the order to attack. Major Cromwell led the assault and they swept the Confederates from the field; he was killed in the process and when Ellis saw this, he exclaimed "Your Majors down; save him! save him!", which would be his last words as he too was shot and killed................

 

[Warrior]

The Confederates launched continued attacks in the Rose Woods and towards Devils Den; Ward's position on the ridge became untenable, and the ordered a withdrawal. Smith's battery was overrun and his guns were captured. The Confederates streamed into the rocks around Devil's Den and gathered themselves to assault Little Round Top..........................

 

[mestell]

And now for the rest of the story . . . . Another great story in miniature detail George.

Mike

 

[Warrior]

Thanks Mike, I'm really happy with the way this one came out, close to 1,500 figures in this diorama...............

 

[thebritfarmer]

Very nice George, it must have taken you hours to set all those up. Thanks for the pictures and for sharing with us.

 

[Warrior]

Thanks for the feeback, I appreciate it. Took me awhile this one; I actually should have added more groundwork, ie, scattergrass, rocks, underbrush, etc, etc as this area of the battlefield was pretty rough. Maybe when I continue with the assault on Little Round Top............

 

[kilted vampire]

Thanks Mike, I'm really happy with the way this one came out, close to 1,500 figures in this diorama...............

Thanks for the feeback, I appreciate it. Took me awhile this one; I actually should have added more groundwork, ie, scattergrass, rocks, underbrush, etc, etc as this area of the battlefield was pretty rough. Maybe when I continue with the assault on Little Round Top............

What scale are these in? Did you paint them all? I am sure your base will improve as the story progresses. Looking forward to Little Round Top. Keep up the good work.

 

[fishead19690]

Nice job George!Looks like that must have taken awhile to set up.

 

[Warrior]

Thanks KV; the scale on the figures is 1/72nd scale, which are 20mm tall. I painted about 75% of the figures, the rest I bought from a gentleman who sadly is no longer alive, he produced an incredible movie called "Gettysburg in Miniature", which told the story of The Battle of Gettysburg using mostly 15mm, 20mm and 25mm figures. I managed to buy about 500 figures from him, should have bought the rest when I had the chance, how many folks can say they own toy soldiers used in a movie............

The terrain he made was incredible and a gentleman bought the terrain, added a raftload of figures he painted and built a massive Gettysburg diorama that is available to see in Gettysburg in a campground if i am not mistaken.......................Combat would know for sure, he's a resident of Gettysburg, the lucky man that he is.

For Little Round Top and other dioramas I've got planned, I want to lose the "pool table look" of this one to some extend if that makes sense.

 

[kilted vampire]

At some point I have a series of modules for Waterloo that I have been commissioned. So I was interested in your work. Where can one see this movie? I am sorry to hear about the passing of the previous owner. Was he a friend? All the dios I have built have been temporary. I have a move ahead of me in about 12 days. But sometime after that Back to the toy grindstone.

 

[Warrior]

"Nice job George!Looks like that must have taken awhile to set up."

Thanks Fish; this one took about 5 hours or so, I real treat to set up as that area of the battle has always fascinated me and everytime I travel to Gettysburg, I spend the majority of my time in that area..........

 

[Warrior]

"Where can one see this movie?" It is out of print and was available in the mid 90's, they actually sold it at the gift shop in the old Gettysburg visitors center. It was only out on VHS I am pretty sure and it has an anticopying agent that if you try to burn a copy, it comes out fuzzy and blurry.

"I am sorry to hear about the passing of the previous owner. Was he a friend?" No, not a friend, just a great guy who I got to know when I found out he was selling the figures.

 

[kilted vampire]

"Where can one see this movie?" It is out of print and was available in the mid 90's, they actually sold it at the gift shop in the old Gettysburg visitors center. It was only out on VHS I am pretty sure and it has an anticopying agent that if you try to burn a copy, it comes out fuzzy and blurry.

"I am sorry to hear about the passing of the previous owner. Was he a friend?" No, not a friend, just a great guy who I got to know when I found out he was selling the figures.

Too bad about the movie. Still you have the figures that is something at least. The older I get the more great people Ifind I missed out on. Thank goodness we remember....

 

[Ragnar]

Great stuff looking forward to the next batch