The American Civil War Diaries (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter UKReb
- Start date
Hi Reb,
Once again, I must say, "Bravo!" What a remarkable diorama you have constructed! In my opinion, your dioramas are like a snapshot in time. They accurately depict a specific dramatic moment that exactly corresponds to your narrative. You have a wonderfully special talent!
Warmest personal regards,
Pat
Once again, I must say, "Bravo!" What a remarkable diorama you have constructed! In my opinion, your dioramas are like a snapshot in time. They accurately depict a specific dramatic moment that exactly corresponds to your narrative. You have a wonderfully special talent!
Warmest personal regards,
Pat
UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 2,436
Thanks for your comments guys am pleased you are enjoying the shots and story.
The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna and Cold Harbor described as Grant's Overland Campaign or Lee's Last Campaign is surprisingly little known in any depth apart from nerds like me.
So the story you are following plus all the characters portrayed is pretty well true to records, obviously it would be nigh impossible to depict in dio form every single faction of the battle but I have tried to cover as accurately as I can all the salient points of this first meeting of Grant and Lee.
And a censor warning as it now starts to get really bloody-better make it R-Restricted for the next few chapters
Reb
The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna and Cold Harbor described as Grant's Overland Campaign or Lee's Last Campaign is surprisingly little known in any depth apart from nerds like me.
So the story you are following plus all the characters portrayed is pretty well true to records, obviously it would be nigh impossible to depict in dio form every single faction of the battle but I have tried to cover as accurately as I can all the salient points of this first meeting of Grant and Lee.
And a censor warning as it now starts to get really bloody-better make it R-Restricted for the next few chapters
Reb
6th Wisconsin
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2008
- Messages
- 1,644
I share your interest in that campaign Reb. The regiment of my great great grandfather on my father's side participated in Longstreet's counterattack at the Orange Plank Road during the Wilderness battle, and I own a North Carolina uniform button found in that vacinity. By the way, I really like what you did with the Confederate battery. I bought the Conte one a few years ago, and you gave me good ideas of how to improve my setup. I am also close to completing my 6th Wisconsin setup due to your inspired photos!!
UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 2,436
Detonations from the opening Confederate barrage crashed amongst the Union lines with devastating effects. Some infantrymen looked above their heads as the approach of a shell was heralded by a prolonged hiss appearing to hang suspended in the air for an instant then vanish in fire, smoke and an ear-splitting roar.
Southern artillery shells were notoriously unreliable but Poague's first salvo were not. His cannons being slightly elevated to avoid Hills retreating men caused the shells to explode high in the trees. Whole broken branches and trunks crashed down upon the massed Yankees.
The exposed soldiers had not only the red hot clusters of canister balls to contend with for as these anti-personnel shells exploded amongst the trees they formed hundreds of wooden splinters that had exactly the same lethal effect. Dozens of boys in blue were scythed down screaming as they received horrendous injuries.
This rumbling-roaring tempest of sound and fury was absolutely terrifying and casualties quickly mounted taking out men and officers. The veteran NCO's felt again the tightening in the pits of their stomachs of their first time under fire but they knew there was no hiding place when receiving an artillery barrage. They had to get their men to move forward and overrun the batteries-Above the screams and noise they bawled out orders at the dazed and frightened soldiers.
"Get up"
"You stay here you are all dead men"
"At the double quick move- Now!"
"Those Reb gun-crews are in musket range-Shoot them on the move"
"Forward"
Slowly the grimy, dazed and petrified men their souls in absolute frenzy retrieved their fallen muskets and moved forward intent now on silencing those da*n Reb cannons.
Poague's men were doing the work of two or three-it was as if their guns were things of life-not just implements but more like their comrades. Hands and faces smeared with burnt powder they raced to swab the bores, load, prime, adjust elevation and fire.
But Poague knew that very soon his artillerists would start to receive Union bullets that would quickly whittle them down for as fast as his crews could load and fire a single battery of Naploeon's were never going to stop 20,000 men.
Lee astride Traveller also knew this and without Longstreets Corps- Hills battered troops, now reforming behind Poagues guns, would be unable to halt the Union advance.
Reluctantly he knew he must give up the field and save the remnants of his army, he turned to General Hill and said.................................
Southern artillery shells were notoriously unreliable but Poague's first salvo were not. His cannons being slightly elevated to avoid Hills retreating men caused the shells to explode high in the trees. Whole broken branches and trunks crashed down upon the massed Yankees.
The exposed soldiers had not only the red hot clusters of canister balls to contend with for as these anti-personnel shells exploded amongst the trees they formed hundreds of wooden splinters that had exactly the same lethal effect. Dozens of boys in blue were scythed down screaming as they received horrendous injuries.
This rumbling-roaring tempest of sound and fury was absolutely terrifying and casualties quickly mounted taking out men and officers. The veteran NCO's felt again the tightening in the pits of their stomachs of their first time under fire but they knew there was no hiding place when receiving an artillery barrage. They had to get their men to move forward and overrun the batteries-Above the screams and noise they bawled out orders at the dazed and frightened soldiers.
"Get up"
"You stay here you are all dead men"
"At the double quick move- Now!"
"Those Reb gun-crews are in musket range-Shoot them on the move"
"Forward"
Slowly the grimy, dazed and petrified men their souls in absolute frenzy retrieved their fallen muskets and moved forward intent now on silencing those da*n Reb cannons.
Poague's men were doing the work of two or three-it was as if their guns were things of life-not just implements but more like their comrades. Hands and faces smeared with burnt powder they raced to swab the bores, load, prime, adjust elevation and fire.
But Poague knew that very soon his artillerists would start to receive Union bullets that would quickly whittle them down for as fast as his crews could load and fire a single battery of Naploeon's were never going to stop 20,000 men.
Lee astride Traveller also knew this and without Longstreets Corps- Hills battered troops, now reforming behind Poagues guns, would be unable to halt the Union advance.
Reluctantly he knew he must give up the field and save the remnants of his army, he turned to General Hill and said.................................
UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 2,436
We're running out of superlatives
Thanks guys
As long as you are still enjoying the show I'll try and keep coming up with cliff-hanger endings........but it's getting tougher
Reb
Louis Badolato
Lieutenant General
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2005
- Messages
- 17,228
Reb,
I love your dioramas and your incredible and educational narrative, but frankly, I don't understand how anyone can enjoy this subject anymore than say, Pachendale or the Somme. It is mindless brutality at its worst. All those good men on both sides being massacred for what? Delaying a foregone conclusion a month or two? When I view your amazing work, all I can think is "the horror". I wish you had gotten interested in a less gory subject.
I love your dioramas and your incredible and educational narrative, but frankly, I don't understand how anyone can enjoy this subject anymore than say, Pachendale or the Somme. It is mindless brutality at its worst. All those good men on both sides being massacred for what? Delaying a foregone conclusion a month or two? When I view your amazing work, all I can think is "the horror". I wish you had gotten interested in a less gory subject.
UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 2,436
Re: Antietam: Carnage in the Corn-field
Hi Louis
Above is a reminder of your quote from some months ago following my decision not to proceed with the dio of the Wilderness after yours and George's heated discussion on whether Grant was a butcher/war of attrition etc. I thought at the time it maybe too realistic for some forum members if I kept to the true story of what happened in that Virginian undergrowth in 1864.
I know of no-one who had depicted the Overland campaign in dio form and every American that I have spoke to understands a little of the ACW but just up to Gettysburg and then to my utter astonishment an almost 2 year jump to Appomattox and Lee's surrender. Almost as if they did not want to know how a civilised nation tore themselves apart in a bloody and brutal conflict. I did say at the time I'll close it down following the opening chapter and if that is the consensus of the forum so be it. This last episode will be the final one I post.
Maybe your right Louis I should either collect massed bands or just display my troops on a shelf and pretend that soldiers never killed each other in the wars/eras each of us collect. But then I would be lying to myself.
Reb
UKReb,
Please don't abandon the planned diorama on my account. I am all for you doing it, I just thought it was an interesting subject for discussion. George and I are good friends, and we were having a respectful discussion (I absolutely respect George's opinions on military matters, even on the few occasions where we disagree). I am always pleased to learn more about periods of history, and your dioramas with commentary are a fantastic educational tool. So please, proceed with your post-Gettyburg diorama.
Hi Louis
Above is a reminder of your quote from some months ago following my decision not to proceed with the dio of the Wilderness after yours and George's heated discussion on whether Grant was a butcher/war of attrition etc. I thought at the time it maybe too realistic for some forum members if I kept to the true story of what happened in that Virginian undergrowth in 1864.
I know of no-one who had depicted the Overland campaign in dio form and every American that I have spoke to understands a little of the ACW but just up to Gettysburg and then to my utter astonishment an almost 2 year jump to Appomattox and Lee's surrender. Almost as if they did not want to know how a civilised nation tore themselves apart in a bloody and brutal conflict. I did say at the time I'll close it down following the opening chapter and if that is the consensus of the forum so be it. This last episode will be the final one I post.
Maybe your right Louis I should either collect massed bands or just display my troops on a shelf and pretend that soldiers never killed each other in the wars/eras each of us collect. But then I would be lying to myself.
Reb
Louis Badolato
Lieutenant General
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2005
- Messages
- 17,228
Reb,
Don't stop on my account . . . the educational value and incredible skill behind your dioramas certainly outweigh the horror of the history being depicted . . . I was just venting about my visceral response to your photos . . . I can't think of a better compliment to your artistry then the extreme gut response I get from it.
Don't stop on my account . . . the educational value and incredible skill behind your dioramas certainly outweigh the horror of the history being depicted . . . I was just venting about my visceral response to your photos . . . I can't think of a better compliment to your artistry then the extreme gut response I get from it.
Njja
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- May 20, 2005
- Messages
- 4,566
Re: Antietam: Carnage in the Corn-field
Reb: Your thread is extremely well done, I can't imagine the time you put into your diorama's, the photographic work, and your wonderful passages. The
subject matter is history, you didn't create it, you are simply explaining it.
Considering the number of hits you have gotten I would hope you would continue with your wonderful story telling.
If anyone is unhappy, they could simply bypass the thread.
Reb: Your thread is extremely well done, I can't imagine the time you put into your diorama's, the photographic work, and your wonderful passages. The
subject matter is history, you didn't create it, you are simply explaining it.
Considering the number of hits you have gotten I would hope you would continue with your wonderful story telling.
If anyone is unhappy, they could simply bypass the thread.
VanguardFC007
Corporal
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2008
- Messages
- 428
Reb you're the Michael Phelps of these forums. No one can beat you.
Sorry guys, had to go with the Olympic theme.
Sorry guys, had to go with the Olympic theme.