The American Civil War Diaries (3 Viewers)

Hmmm...its been quite some time since the last installment of the the ACW Diaries. I wonder what Reb is up to...
 
I talked to him last week. Sounded like he and Mrs. Reb were having a great time.
 
Ah, good to know people are keeping track of his whereabouts. I suppose Ill just have to wait for him to come out of winter quarters.
 
The temp in Miami when the Reb and I chatted was in the 80's. I'm sure we'll be in for additional chapters not long after he returns homeThe Lt.
 
jazzeum said:
I talked to him last week. Sounded like he and Mrs. Reb were having a great time.
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So did I and they are having a good time; much better than we fools up here in the ice and snow.:D They are staying until a bit before the New Year so we will all have to be a bit patient for the next installment. Perhaps he will find something down there to make it even more interesting.:cool:
 
Sunday AM May 8th 1864. The Crossroads at Spotsylvania CH

The importance of Spotsylvania-a cluster of modest buildings dominated by the courthouse existed entirely in it's location. The north-south road was intersected by the east-west road, but to military intents Spotsylvania CH was a crossroads junction and the road South led directly to Richmond the capital of the Confederate Government.

The peace of the Virginian countryside was shattered that Sunday morning by the thunder of hundreds of horses hooves.

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It was Stuart's cavalry and they had beaten the Federal army to Spotsylvania. Stuart quickly scanned the north and east roads, either road could very soon herald the arrival of the enemy. His orders from General Lee was to hold this position until the Army of Northern Virginia got there. Since leaving Lee blind at Gettysburg Stuart had executed every one of his Commanders orders to the letter. He would hold these crossroads or die in the attempt.

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He had five brigades- he immediately sent two each to the wooded areas left and right of the crossroads-it was good defensive high ground. His fifth brigade dismounted and began taking positions behind the low stone walls on either side of the cross junction. Stuart calmly rode up and down personally supervising his men's positions.

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As he crossed the road to view his brigades right flank he turned- from the North came the sound of horses at the gallop. Stuart could see nothing yet but he thought
"Sheridan's cavalry and if he has infantry support this is going to be the devil of a fight" Quickly snapping out of his thought process he called out to his men

"Boys here they come and they wont be expecting us to be here and I do believe that will make them snarling mad"

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Great dio Reb, I like how you have photographed them so the background figures are kind of blurred. The scenery in this portion is amazing and I think possibly your best to date !!!! Do I spy one of the new WB releases? What is your opinion of them. Also the K&C figure looks great and blends in nicely with the rest of your figures.

Cheers
Scott
 
Nice one Reb.
Good to see you back giving the forum it's fix. ;)
Scenery looks brilliant.

Simon
 
He's BACK!!!! And another wonderful addition to the great diodrama he has started!!!

Great Dio Reb, can't wait to see the next one!
Vick:D:D:D
 
Wraith said:
Nice one Reb.
Good to see you back giving the forum it's fix. ;)
Scenery looks brilliant.
Simon
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Bob, I agree with Simon, and also me thinks this must have taken a while to set up. The walls and archway - who makes these? As per usual this is a most entertaining thread.

Jeff
 
aujj65 said:
Bob, I agree with Simon, and also me thinks this must have taken a while to set up. The walls and archway - who makes these? As per usual this is a most entertaining thread.

Jeff
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I agree too. This had to have taken some time. Very intricately done and great to look at.:cool:
 
Wonderful to see you back at it my friend. Another thoughtful and well executed set. I agree about the scenery, what are the trees, roads and walls? Great camera work as well.
 
Alexdakar said:
I'm waiting for his Alamo diorama should be a work of art. :)
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Hi Alex

Just catching up with the posts after my Christmas bash in the US.

Yeah! the Alamo dio is still coming along albeit painfully slow- as we discussed eons ago I had already completed a small static dio-similar but nowhere near your shelf masterpiece. I wanted to take a break from the ACW to concentrate on telling the Alamo story but some of my neo civil war colleagues were clamouring for the next episode.

However, I have spent the last six months or so thoroughly researching the story-Travis had perhaps 190 men to hold the Alamo in the face of an overwhelming superior foe-and they were all killed. In telling the story accurately with figures rather than just an expanded static display that fact gave me a major problem. Neither K&C or Conte produced any Texian casualties/dead figures and very few Mexican.

What to do? Using some of my Reb and Yank figures as templates I knocked up some scale drawings and got a dozen of them cast/commissioned here in the UK which is taking forever-I also wanted them professionally painted-I'm OK with the ACW but dont have that same knowledge for clothes/equipment/weapons etc of 1836 era.

The first batch arrived just before Christmas and the attached pics may interest you- I'm quite pleased with them and deliberately sized them between Conte and K&C they fit well at about 59mm.

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This soldado was originally a conversion of an old Britains Union casualty but was a classic failure it just didn't work out-however I did like the pose of taking a hit in the leg so I got him recast using the original torso to form the mold.

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But here is a conversion that appears to be going OK although far from finished- Using a Del Prado Wild West Mexican-removing the colt/gun belt and Winchester replacing with a sabre turned him into an irregular Mexican (of which there were many in Antonio Santa Anna's army) A bit gruesome as he will be carrying a Tennessean head in his other hand that he has just cut off-bloody but authentic as Mexican officers reports state that at least four Texians were beheaded during that desperate final one and half hour fight.

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So Alex that's the story so far and still awaiting for the rest of them plus a few dead bodies to just scatter around the scenes-I'll get there but I dont know when-meanwhile on with The Battle of Spotsylvania.

Reb
 
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