fishead19690
Command Sergeant Major
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Bob as always Incredible dio and pics!!!!!!!
Keep them coming!!!
Keep them coming!!!
The American Civil War Diaries (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter UKReb
- Start date
kilted vampire
Lieutenant Colonel
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One of the sad parts is reading the diaries of the men who did not survive the end of the war. You read for awhile and then it just stops........
One of the ironies of the War of Northern Aggression is that there were so many friends and even relatives on both sides of the conflict. This is one of the biggest tragedies of a not so "civil war".
Bob the emplacements of your guns look terrific. Also, the last shot of the counter attack is wonderful! Look out Billy Yank!
One of the ironies of the War of Northern Aggression is that there were so many friends and even relatives on both sides of the conflict. This is one of the biggest tragedies of a not so "civil war".
Bob the emplacements of your guns look terrific. Also, the last shot of the counter attack is wonderful! Look out Billy Yank!
UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
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Stephen Ramseur's North Carolinians charged across the open ground with a grim determination to reclaim in blood their fellow Georgians entrenchments now occupied by Union troops
Upton's regiments had suffered over a thousand casualties breaking through the Rebel lines. Without any prospect of support and now seriously outnumbered-they were spent-unable to hold their line they began to fall back
As their fellow colleagues charged ahead Hardaway's Virginia Battalion of Artillery wheeled their guns forward. With no intention of destroying the Confederate forward entrenchments the artillery commanders awaited an opportunity to overshoot the earthworks and blast the Union regiments as and when they retreated
Once more Upton's men found themselves in the middle of a fierce hand to hand firefight only this time they were being pressed back against the earthworks that many of their friends had died for taking. They quickly became so intertwined that they were under no one's control with each man fighting for himself. It became so intense that they only heard snatches of orders being barked out by some unknown officers
"move back"......"new position"....."rally"........"me"....."extricate"....."Retreat!"
RETREAT!
Exactly what the Reb gunnery officers were watching and waiting for, as the wave of blue uniforms scaled over the forward ramparts orders rang out
"FIRE!" "FIRE!" "FIRE!" "FIRE!"
As the remains of Upton's regiments fell back bullets snicked the air, whizzing by like angry hornets. Some of the troops looked up and saw the artillery shells lazily fluttering overhead, fuses visible, sputtering and trailing sparks. Then suddenly engulfed in an earsplitting roar as the shells exploded amongst the men in blue as they raced for the comparitive safety of the tree line.
With Upton now wounded and being carried over the earthworks Colonel Eli Latham took command and rallied the remnants of the Pennsylvania and Vermont regiments. Quickly he formed them into a rear guard-last stand-double rank formation in an attempt to allow the rest of the regiments time to extricate themselves.
The Vermonters being the last to go in on the original assault were determined to be the last to leave
But the Rebel onslaught was now so intense that dozens of Union casualties were falling with every enemy salvo. With great reluctance Latham gave the final order to his men
"Back boys!" For God's Sake! We can't hold them! Fall Back...Now"
And so ended Upton's assault on the Mule Shoe salient but his inability to hold the position did not detract from the tactical success of the attack and Grant immediately promoted him to Brigadier General. For years historians and militarists would debate whether Upton's method of attack was a bad idea in search of a good one or simply a tactic way ahead of its time, one that required more advanced communications- that did not exist during the civil war- that would ensure more accurate coordination between attacking and supporting forces. Nevertheless it became the staple of US Military textbooks on how to break an enemy trenchline and was taught at West Point for the next 50 years
(A sidebar for anyone interested but a number of European military commanders also studied Upton's actions at Spotsylvania including Ludendorff who used similar tactics in Operation Michael when Germany launched their successful offensive on the Allied lines during March 1918)
Grant's HQ May 10th 2330hrs
Grant was furious and Meade with his three Corps commanders knew it. Angrily grabbing the centre tent support Grant spat out
"Young Upton was the only one of.....us..... who did his job today. Gentlemen, what do we have to do? Is it that we simply have too many men to coordinate an attack on the enemy?"
Warren dared to speak
"General Grant sir, perhaps we should have ....discussed todays plan in more detail.....a council of war...perhaps?"
"General Warren, councils of war do not fight. They allow disagreements of opinion to affect judgement. My decisions do not seem to be reaching you with enough authority. Did we not have a plan today to support Upton's brigade and hit Lee's flanks hard? Am I correct gentlemen that Upton was successful?"
All four generals now spoke at once
"Yes sir he held the position for more than an hour.....there was poor communication.....Mott attacked at the wrong position where he faced heavy artillery emplacements.......we failed to exploit Colo.....Brigadier General.... Upton's success
Grant moved to the large map hanging in his tent-all of Lee's defenses had been boldly delineated in red ink-turning to face them he said
"The job of War is to achieve victory and in doing so end the slaughter as quickly as possible. How it is achieved, still within the parameters of some basic humanity, is secondary to the final act. Which is the creation of that victory no matter what the cost or how long it takes. I propose to fight it out if it if takes all summer and I shall take no backward steps"
Grant paused and then concluded
"Today we assailed Lee's line with a brigade and broke his line. Tomorrow a Corps and this time gentlemen.......We do it right!"
TO BE CONTINUED-SOMETIME
Reb
Upton's regiments had suffered over a thousand casualties breaking through the Rebel lines. Without any prospect of support and now seriously outnumbered-they were spent-unable to hold their line they began to fall back
As their fellow colleagues charged ahead Hardaway's Virginia Battalion of Artillery wheeled their guns forward. With no intention of destroying the Confederate forward entrenchments the artillery commanders awaited an opportunity to overshoot the earthworks and blast the Union regiments as and when they retreated
Once more Upton's men found themselves in the middle of a fierce hand to hand firefight only this time they were being pressed back against the earthworks that many of their friends had died for taking. They quickly became so intertwined that they were under no one's control with each man fighting for himself. It became so intense that they only heard snatches of orders being barked out by some unknown officers
"move back"......"new position"....."rally"........"me"....."extricate"....."Retreat!"
RETREAT!
Exactly what the Reb gunnery officers were watching and waiting for, as the wave of blue uniforms scaled over the forward ramparts orders rang out
"FIRE!" "FIRE!" "FIRE!" "FIRE!"
As the remains of Upton's regiments fell back bullets snicked the air, whizzing by like angry hornets. Some of the troops looked up and saw the artillery shells lazily fluttering overhead, fuses visible, sputtering and trailing sparks. Then suddenly engulfed in an earsplitting roar as the shells exploded amongst the men in blue as they raced for the comparitive safety of the tree line.
With Upton now wounded and being carried over the earthworks Colonel Eli Latham took command and rallied the remnants of the Pennsylvania and Vermont regiments. Quickly he formed them into a rear guard-last stand-double rank formation in an attempt to allow the rest of the regiments time to extricate themselves.
The Vermonters being the last to go in on the original assault were determined to be the last to leave
But the Rebel onslaught was now so intense that dozens of Union casualties were falling with every enemy salvo. With great reluctance Latham gave the final order to his men
"Back boys!" For God's Sake! We can't hold them! Fall Back...Now"
And so ended Upton's assault on the Mule Shoe salient but his inability to hold the position did not detract from the tactical success of the attack and Grant immediately promoted him to Brigadier General. For years historians and militarists would debate whether Upton's method of attack was a bad idea in search of a good one or simply a tactic way ahead of its time, one that required more advanced communications- that did not exist during the civil war- that would ensure more accurate coordination between attacking and supporting forces. Nevertheless it became the staple of US Military textbooks on how to break an enemy trenchline and was taught at West Point for the next 50 years
(A sidebar for anyone interested but a number of European military commanders also studied Upton's actions at Spotsylvania including Ludendorff who used similar tactics in Operation Michael when Germany launched their successful offensive on the Allied lines during March 1918)
Grant's HQ May 10th 2330hrs
Grant was furious and Meade with his three Corps commanders knew it. Angrily grabbing the centre tent support Grant spat out
"Young Upton was the only one of.....us..... who did his job today. Gentlemen, what do we have to do? Is it that we simply have too many men to coordinate an attack on the enemy?"
Warren dared to speak
"General Grant sir, perhaps we should have ....discussed todays plan in more detail.....a council of war...perhaps?"
"General Warren, councils of war do not fight. They allow disagreements of opinion to affect judgement. My decisions do not seem to be reaching you with enough authority. Did we not have a plan today to support Upton's brigade and hit Lee's flanks hard? Am I correct gentlemen that Upton was successful?"
All four generals now spoke at once
"Yes sir he held the position for more than an hour.....there was poor communication.....Mott attacked at the wrong position where he faced heavy artillery emplacements.......we failed to exploit Colo.....Brigadier General.... Upton's success
Grant moved to the large map hanging in his tent-all of Lee's defenses had been boldly delineated in red ink-turning to face them he said
"The job of War is to achieve victory and in doing so end the slaughter as quickly as possible. How it is achieved, still within the parameters of some basic humanity, is secondary to the final act. Which is the creation of that victory no matter what the cost or how long it takes. I propose to fight it out if it if takes all summer and I shall take no backward steps"
Grant paused and then concluded
"Today we assailed Lee's line with a brigade and broke his line. Tomorrow a Corps and this time gentlemen.......We do it right!"
TO BE CONTINUED-SOMETIME
Reb
Spitfrnd
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Capitolron
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Bob
WONDERFUL ! WONDERFUL !
Oh my ! - how great was this Chapter !
And the picture of those Confederate Guns firing - sniff, sniff - brought a tear to my Confederate Eyes
Thank you for these beautiful scenes !
Ron
WONDERFUL ! WONDERFUL !
Oh my ! - how great was this Chapter !
And the picture of those Confederate Guns firing - sniff, sniff - brought a tear to my Confederate Eyes
Thank you for these beautiful scenes !
Ron
kilted vampire
Lieutenant Colonel
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Suffice to say my Friend in Gray, there are no words to describe the scenes before us because there is nothing to compare them to. Your work is without peer or superior. Nothing has been seen like it. I remain your humble admirer.
eborris
First Sergeant
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You know as I was reviewing the whole chapter I thought that the one dead confederate looked a lot like the TSSD figure the Big Swede. Now if that is indeed him, however did you fashion an open shirt and that muscular chest on him? Heck of a job you did too!!!!!
6th Wisconsin
Sergeant Major
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I am standing and applauding at my desk. You have outdone even yourself with these latest dioramas and accompanying photos. What a great story! As a photographer, I admire your use of depth of field in the closeup shot of Rebel gunners and Union riflemen. And I always love your tent interior shots. Truly great stuff. Your stories are an incredible advertisement for Britains, Conte, and every other maker of Civil War figures because they really make you want to buy this range. I must say it takes a lot to stop a a bunch of charging Tarheels too!
