thebritfarmer
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Reb
Another great chapter Reb. I enjoy all of your dio sets up, but this particular photo gave me the chills. I have borrowed it for my desktop pic
The American Civil War Diaries (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter UKReb
- Start date
Another great chapter Reb. I enjoy all of your dio sets up, but this particular photo gave me the chills. I have borrowed it for my desktop pic
These are simply amazing! As someone that paints and converts military figures I realize the amount of work that goes into something like this especially since you have to create an entire scene and "link" them together in a story format. Fantastic.
Walt
Walt
eborris
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The Big Swede conversions lays dead just behing the horses _ss.Another great chapter Reb. I enjoy all of your dio sets up, but this particular photo gave me the chills. I have borrowed it for my desktop pic
Spitfrnd
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Having experimented a bit with this, I certainly do.
playsetaddict
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You just keep on moving into new territory in terms of story telling and scene setting. I really do think the History channel should be knocking on your door.
mestell
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Having experimented a bit with this, I certainly do.
I second that - a big "ditto". Setting up scenes to photograph well is not an easy task at all. Bob is truly a master of his art.
Mike
kilted vampire
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My dear Reb,
Once more your scenes take us to the horror and the hope of the past. The story continues to reach out and touch us. I know you touched me but good. A lot has already been said about your skill all true and much deserved. This segment brings tears to my eyes.
Once more your scenes take us to the horror and the hope of the past. The story continues to reach out and touch us. I know you touched me but good. A lot has already been said about your skill all true and much deserved. This segment brings tears to my eyes.
UKReb
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"THE BLOODY FIFTH"
On the third day of the Battle of Second Bull Run (Second Manassas) Longstreet's Confederate wing of 25000 men counterattacked Pope's Union Army of Virginia. Out front of Longstreet's Corps was Hood's Texas Brigade who quickly drove off the 10th New York deployed as skirmishers. The 5th Texas regiment advanced ahead of the brigade.
As the Texans emerged from from the woods they found themselves facing their old adversaries the 5th New York (Duryee's Zouaves). Without any hesitation or waiting for the rest of the brigade they charged those "waxed moustached Yankees in their fancy pants" and destroyed the 5th NY as a unit-there being not 50 unwounded men left in the NY Regiment.
The 5th Texas continued to advance, tearing through a quickly disintegrating Federal left flank, outdistancing not only the rest of the Texas brigade but the rest of the Confederate army.
Shortly after this resounding Confederate victory Longstreet asked John Bell Hood
"Sam, what in the name of hell got into those 5th Texas boys of yours. Aint the army quick enough for 'em?"
"Yeah! Sorry about that Pete" replied Hood "The boys...er.. the boys kinda slipped the bridle"
The 5th Texas regiment's action at Second Manassas earned themselves the name "The Bloody Fifth"
On the third day of the Battle of Second Bull Run (Second Manassas) Longstreet's Confederate wing of 25000 men counterattacked Pope's Union Army of Virginia. Out front of Longstreet's Corps was Hood's Texas Brigade who quickly drove off the 10th New York deployed as skirmishers. The 5th Texas regiment advanced ahead of the brigade.
As the Texans emerged from from the woods they found themselves facing their old adversaries the 5th New York (Duryee's Zouaves). Without any hesitation or waiting for the rest of the brigade they charged those "waxed moustached Yankees in their fancy pants" and destroyed the 5th NY as a unit-there being not 50 unwounded men left in the NY Regiment.
The 5th Texas continued to advance, tearing through a quickly disintegrating Federal left flank, outdistancing not only the rest of the Texas brigade but the rest of the Confederate army.
Shortly after this resounding Confederate victory Longstreet asked John Bell Hood
"Sam, what in the name of hell got into those 5th Texas boys of yours. Aint the army quick enough for 'em?"
"Yeah! Sorry about that Pete" replied Hood "The boys...er.. the boys kinda slipped the bridle"
The 5th Texas regiment's action at Second Manassas earned themselves the name "The Bloody Fifth"
aujj65
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Nice shots Reb, and great narrative.
You should look at getting in to ACW a bit more mate, you're quite good at this stuff.
Bob,
I agree with Simon;
Jeff
Btw, I was wondering where you had got to; I had thought you had sloped off for another holiday!
The Lt.
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Bob,
I agree with Simon;
Jeff
Btw, I was wondering where you had got to; I had thought you had sloped off for another holiday!
Got a hunch he an Trudi may have been taking in a little Country Wetern Line Dancing Jeff for a little R&R. Once again Reb another outstanding tale and photographics from your Civial War Diaries
UKReb
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Cold Harbor-Virginia was neither cold in June 1864 nor was it anywhere near the sea as it was in fact a white framed tavern and it's peculiar name was most probably derived from the British usage which originally meant "shelter without food".
The Battle of Cold Harbor was a complete disaster for Grant and his army. It is usually conceived as a daylight charge in much the same way that Gettysburg is regarded as Pickett's Charge. But June 3rd 1864 was only the climax of the fighting which began on May 31st and the decisive action was over in little more than an hour.
The Federal charge across a wide open rough pasture sustained the heaviest losses of any army in any battle of the war in a comparitive period of time. Nobody knows the exact figures of the casualties but in less than one half hour more than seven thousand men fell, killed or wounded against a fire power of rifles and artillery so uniform in it's destructiveness that no living thing could advance in the face of it.
Only one break was made in the Confederate line on the Union left flank when Hancock's Corps suffering huge losses were able to breakthrough the rifle pits in front of Breckinridge's front line and actually reached the Confederate entrenchments.
The hand to hand fighting was the most bloodiest Hancocks men had ever had to face and their bodies started to pile up like some blanket of blue strewn across the field to such an extent that it impeded their colleagues at the rear from reaching the Reb entrenchments.
One of Brig Gen Gibbon's colonels would later state "They cut us down like ripe corn, this was not war this was sheer murder, or at best that a very serious mistake had been made ordering an advance against such formidable earthworks.
Grant would not give up and ordered Meade to send in more brigades. As they began their advance across this killing field the air became alive with minies ripping through flesh and bone. The advance immediately faltered and the officers ordered the men to fall to the ground in an attempt to avoid the harbingers of pain and death.
Finally Grant ordered Meade to get the men out of there. He realised he had made a dreadful misjudgement of the enemy strength. But also the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac knew their commander had blundered. Grant had never asked for or encouraged their cheers, but they had cheered him anyway. They had cheered him after the terrible combat in the Wilderness had ended. They cheered him at Spotsylvania all through the dangerous days of attacking the Reb trenches. They cheered him after North Anna when he led them away from Lee's entrenchments without attacking but continuing South. But their cheers ended at Cold Harbor, they never cheered Grant again.
This sputtering out of the climax of Grant's sustained one month offensive brought no particular elation or solace to Lee. Cold Harbor had been a brutally decisive repulse and his army had fought valiantly and driven the enemy off. Lee was not to know that this would be his very last victory but he did know that unlike all the Union generals they had sent against him before-Grant would not turn back.
Grant's purpose throughout his whole Overland campaign was to draw out Lee and his army from their entrenchments and defeat him in a stand-up, open field fight. This had not happened and Grant decided after Cold Harbor to end this slow dance of death with Lee and strike at the Confederate rail terminus at Petersburg.
He crossed the James River and established his Head Quarters at City Point, thus began the siege of Petersburg which would last nine long and arduous months.
In March 1865 Grant invited Lincoln to visit him at his HQ at City Point as he wanted to discuss his final plans for bringing the war to an end. The President accompanied by Mrs Lincoln sailed down the James on the steamer River Queen and arrived at City Point on the 23rd of March. The president spent almost two weeks with Grant and during that time regularly visited the Federal line at Petersburg and even talked to Confederate PoW's. Whilst Mrs Lincoln enjoyed catching up with all the news with her eldest son Robert who was serving as a captain on Grant's staff.
On the 28th March quite unexpectedly General Sherman who was campaigning in North Carolina paid a visit to Grant to discuss his plans for advancing against Joe Johnston. This was the first and would be the last time these three men would meet and both of the generals ensured the president that the war would conclude very soon. After the meeting the three went their seperate ways and in less than four weeks Grant and Sherman had indeed secured the surrender of the Confederacy and Lincoln was dead.
Final Sidebar
The meeting between Lincoln, Grant and Sherman which actually took place on the steamer River Queen was never captured on camera-it was however, committed to canvas some three years later in a painting by G.P.A. Healey which also included the Union Admiral David Porter. Ironically Healey entitled it "The Peacemakers"
Reb
The Battle of Cold Harbor was a complete disaster for Grant and his army. It is usually conceived as a daylight charge in much the same way that Gettysburg is regarded as Pickett's Charge. But June 3rd 1864 was only the climax of the fighting which began on May 31st and the decisive action was over in little more than an hour.
The Federal charge across a wide open rough pasture sustained the heaviest losses of any army in any battle of the war in a comparitive period of time. Nobody knows the exact figures of the casualties but in less than one half hour more than seven thousand men fell, killed or wounded against a fire power of rifles and artillery so uniform in it's destructiveness that no living thing could advance in the face of it.
Only one break was made in the Confederate line on the Union left flank when Hancock's Corps suffering huge losses were able to breakthrough the rifle pits in front of Breckinridge's front line and actually reached the Confederate entrenchments.
The hand to hand fighting was the most bloodiest Hancocks men had ever had to face and their bodies started to pile up like some blanket of blue strewn across the field to such an extent that it impeded their colleagues at the rear from reaching the Reb entrenchments.
One of Brig Gen Gibbon's colonels would later state "They cut us down like ripe corn, this was not war this was sheer murder, or at best that a very serious mistake had been made ordering an advance against such formidable earthworks.
Grant would not give up and ordered Meade to send in more brigades. As they began their advance across this killing field the air became alive with minies ripping through flesh and bone. The advance immediately faltered and the officers ordered the men to fall to the ground in an attempt to avoid the harbingers of pain and death.
Finally Grant ordered Meade to get the men out of there. He realised he had made a dreadful misjudgement of the enemy strength. But also the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac knew their commander had blundered. Grant had never asked for or encouraged their cheers, but they had cheered him anyway. They had cheered him after the terrible combat in the Wilderness had ended. They cheered him at Spotsylvania all through the dangerous days of attacking the Reb trenches. They cheered him after North Anna when he led them away from Lee's entrenchments without attacking but continuing South. But their cheers ended at Cold Harbor, they never cheered Grant again.
This sputtering out of the climax of Grant's sustained one month offensive brought no particular elation or solace to Lee. Cold Harbor had been a brutally decisive repulse and his army had fought valiantly and driven the enemy off. Lee was not to know that this would be his very last victory but he did know that unlike all the Union generals they had sent against him before-Grant would not turn back.
Grant's purpose throughout his whole Overland campaign was to draw out Lee and his army from their entrenchments and defeat him in a stand-up, open field fight. This had not happened and Grant decided after Cold Harbor to end this slow dance of death with Lee and strike at the Confederate rail terminus at Petersburg.
He crossed the James River and established his Head Quarters at City Point, thus began the siege of Petersburg which would last nine long and arduous months.
In March 1865 Grant invited Lincoln to visit him at his HQ at City Point as he wanted to discuss his final plans for bringing the war to an end. The President accompanied by Mrs Lincoln sailed down the James on the steamer River Queen and arrived at City Point on the 23rd of March. The president spent almost two weeks with Grant and during that time regularly visited the Federal line at Petersburg and even talked to Confederate PoW's. Whilst Mrs Lincoln enjoyed catching up with all the news with her eldest son Robert who was serving as a captain on Grant's staff.
On the 28th March quite unexpectedly General Sherman who was campaigning in North Carolina paid a visit to Grant to discuss his plans for advancing against Joe Johnston. This was the first and would be the last time these three men would meet and both of the generals ensured the president that the war would conclude very soon. After the meeting the three went their seperate ways and in less than four weeks Grant and Sherman had indeed secured the surrender of the Confederacy and Lincoln was dead.
Final Sidebar
The meeting between Lincoln, Grant and Sherman which actually took place on the steamer River Queen was never captured on camera-it was however, committed to canvas some three years later in a painting by G.P.A. Healey which also included the Union Admiral David Porter. Ironically Healey entitled it "The Peacemakers"
Reb
mestell
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Kudos sir. Once again Bob you delivered a winning photographic story that is outstanding. I am surprised that you did not mention that after Cold Harbor General U.S. Grant was known as Butcher Grant due to the tremendous losses the Federal army suffered in such a short time period. I think Cold Harbor also made General R. E. Lee realize that he was up against a Federal general the likes of which he had never seen before, and one in which he (Lee) could not figure out how to fight. As always - very impressive . . .
Mike
Mike
UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
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Kudos sir. Once again Bob you delivered a winning photographic story that is outstanding. I am surprised that you did not mention that after Cold Harbor General U.S. Grant was known as Butcher Grant due to the tremendous losses the Federal army suffered in such a short time period. I think Cold Harbor also made General R. E. Lee realize that he was up against a Federal general the likes of which he had never seen before, and one in which he (Lee) could not figure out how to fight. As always - very impressive . . .
Tut Tut Mike you just aint paying attention
this was the last text and picture of the previous chapterBut thanks for your comments
Bob
As the Army of the Potomac wearily continued their march South they were unaware that there would be one final battle of Grant's Overland Campaign. A battle that would deliver such horrendous and catastrophic numbers of Union casualties that Lincoln refused to release the casualty lists to the Washington press.
And a battle that would forever link the descriptive "Butcher" to Grant's name
The battle location would be a quiet country crossroads in central Virginia with the rather odd name of.......
