The American Civil War Diaries (4 Viewers)

[Dickbuttons]

Excellent as always. THanks very much.

Dick

 

[lancer]

Now that's what I call a battle. Very well done.-- lancer

 

[Lewey Gun Vick]

Reb great pics you have such a giant collection, you might be able to start another war!

Vick

 

[6th Wisconsin]

I always look forward to seeing more of your dioramas, and they never disappoint. I especially like your smoke and flame effects, along with the accompanying wounded soldiers. Great stuff!

 

[sv288]

Very nice I really mean it.

 

[debrito]

Excellent, an extraordinary Mise en scène

 

[Njja]

UKReb:

You have created one of the most interesting threads on the Forum! I

hope you have as much fun setting up, photographing, and composing the

story lines as we have viewing it!

You should consider putting it on disc!

It would be a wonderful addition as an interactive program for a High School

American History Class!

Really great job!

 

[UKReb]

With the already shaken Federal lines in danger of ceasing to be an effective force Grant and his staff rode to the front. With Reb bullets flying all around him he barked at Hancock
"General, get your men out of this mess before we lose the whole darn Corps"
Grant continued
"Pull them back to the Plank Road where General Meade has set up a defensive line"

Hancock quickly obeyed his Commander's orders and threw up defensive skirmish lines to cover the army's withdrawal.
The men on the firing line heads now started to throb with the deafening ring of constant gunfire. The 10 pound weight of their rifled muskets began to feel more like 40 pounds as they continually loaded and fired

Civil War Infantry soldiers under fire needed considerable presence of mind when loading their .58 caliber Springfield muzzle loaders. The step by step action of biting the paper cartridge, seperating the round from the powder charge, dropping and pouring it down the barrel, ramrodding it into a compact mass and priming the cap to fire the weapon could take 30 seconds or 3 rounds a minute for a practiced and experienced firer. Facing a yelling mass of gray and butternut charging toward you it took a man of extraordinary courage to hold his ground.

But hold their ground they did to allow the rest of their Corps colleagues to make an orderly withdrawal back to their defense line across the Plank Road

Longstreet knew that the accomplishment of his seven Confederate brigades turning back the attack of 22000 men of the Federal II Corps was largely attributable to the terrain of the Wilderness.
His aide Moxley Sorrel rode up
"General Longstreet sir! The Yankees are falling back"
Longstreet nodded then added
"This terrain was Grant's undoing and unfortunately it is now ours as it will not support a flanking movement"
The General continued
"Godammit! gentlemen, if we could flank them now we could destroy their whole army"

But unbeknown to Longstreet just a 1/4 mile away Brig General Martin Smith chief engineer for the Army of Northern Virginia whilst scouting the Confederate right had with one of his staff made an unbelievable discovery.
An unfinished railway cut originally intended as a spur line to Fredericksburg but long abandoned since the start of the war and therefore not shown on any of the Virginian maps.
They had both followed the cut and found it led around the left flank of the Federal forward line and that Union line was in the air (not anchored). An attack now could roll up the whole Yankee army.

They raced back to give Generals Lee and Longstreet this vital information.

 

[Spitfrnd]

With the already shaken Federal lines in danger of ceasing to be an effective force Grant and his staff rode to the front. With Reb bullets flying all around him he barked at Hancock
"General, get your men out of this mess before we lose the whole darn Corps"
Grant continued
"Pull them back to the Plank Road where General Meade has set up a defensive line"

Another brilliant and fascinating glimpse of the history and vagaries of this war mate.

I truly look forward to each of your posts in this thread with the greatest of anticipation and admiration. Your attention to detail, artful arrangements and compelling dialogs make it a continuing treat. As usual, your posts have encouraged me to learn more and I have discovered that the Wilderness was indeed a fascinating example of the serendipity of war. I eagerly await the next installment.

 

[mestell]

An absolutely oustanding story line with great pictures to support it. Reading this diodrama and seeing the pictures reminds me of when I was a very serious Civil War re-enactor, Co E 52nd Va Inf (eastern impression) and Co D 10th Tenn Inf (western impression). Really a very nice read - Good show.

Mike

 

[Dickbuttons]

Thanks for another outstanding episode. Can't wait until you post the next part.

Dick

 

[debrito]

What else we can add Reb,

Superb as always, what fascinated me the most, is your ability to display so many figurines, each one fits perfectly on the diorama.

Cheers

Rod.

 

[UKReb]

An absolutely oustanding story line with great pictures to support it. Reading this diodrama and seeing the pictures reminds me of when I was a very serious Civil War re-enactor, Co E 52nd Va Inf (eastern impression) and Co D 10th Tenn Inf (western impression). Really a very nice read - Good show.

Mike

Thanks for the feedback Mike/Dick/Rod

Mike as you were an ex-re-enactor there are a hundred things I sure would like to ask you.

Bob

 

[UKReb]

Another brilliant and fascinating glimpse of the history and vagaries of this war mate.

I truly look forward to each of your posts in this thread with the greatest of anticipation and admiration. Your attention to detail, artful arrangements and compelling dialogs make it a continuing treat. As usual, your posts have encouraged me to learn more and I have discovered that the Wilderness was indeed a fascinating example of the serendipity of war. I eagerly await the next installment.

Bill thanks for your comments but if you're now reading/researching the Wilderness I had better ensure I'm on the right side of history with any of my future postings

Bob

 

[Lewey Gun Vick]

Wow Reb you really hit the ball out of the park again!

Vick

 

[mestell]

Thanks for the feedback Mike/Dick/Rod

Mike as you were an ex-re-enactor there are a hundred things I sure would like to ask you.

Bob

Any time my friend. I was fairly hard core - that is I did everything as close as I possibly could to the "real deal" sans the lice - lol. My eastern impression was all based on the experiences of my wife's great great uncle (her great great grandfather's younger brother) John Aryes Entsminger who was a private in Co E 52nd VA Inf. We have a very nice collection of copied correspondence he wrote during the war -wish we had the originals but another family member has those. We also have a copy of his CSA army records. The 10th Tenn was an all Irish imigrant regiment from Nashville also known as The Sons of Erin - historically a very interesting and colorful group of lads.

Mike

 

[6th Wisconsin]

Great work as usual. Your stuff has inspired me to buy more and more CW soldiers. Finally picked up the Lone Star Set today. I am sure my wife thanks you too.

 

[Njja]

Bill thanks for your comments but if you're now reading/researching the Wilderness I had better ensure I'm on the right side of history with any of my future postings

Bob

Reb:

I just dug out "1400 Days The Civil War Day by Day", not to check up on you, instead to follow along on the terrific path you are leading us down.

When I see you have added to the story, it brings a smile to my face!

I hope you are having as much fun posting, as we are having reading!

 

[Lewey Gun Vick]

Hey Reb you need to gather all your photos and publish a book with them.

Vick

 

[Spitfrnd]

Bill thanks for your comments but if you're now reading/researching the Wilderness I had better ensure I'm on the right side of history with any of my future postings

Bob

No worry Bob, it would take me another life time to match your research of this period.