The American Civil War Diaries (2 Viewers)

[thebritfarmer]

Have to agree with you there Michael. He always knows which figures to choose to get the maximum impact in his photos. Simply brilliant !!

 

[UKReb]

Bob,

One question, the figure of Mr Ewell, do my old eyes deceive me or is that a conversion from Britains Joe Johnston figure??? .

Rob

Rob; Joseph; Mike; Michael; Scott- Many thanks for your kind comments on the last batch of pictures.

I'm very impressed with these marching/cheering figures from CS-very well sculpted/painted....However, if it was my call I would have had them looking a wee bit more emaciated but then maybe their bellies were full of Pennsylvania cherries

Rob you are getting very good at this ACW stuff-you're right the Ewell figure is indeed a Britain's Joe Johnson figure now minus his hat.

Did not have much use for a figure of Old Retreatin' Joe but have always thought him and Dick Ewell could have been brothers-So a hat removal to bald pate with redesigned facial hair and one just about gets away with it if you squint your eyes a bit???????

 

[kilted vampire]

I think it is a great conversion. I may have to look around my pile and see if I can not make one of those myself. Looking forward to the next installment. No doubt this is already in the process.

 

[Firebat]

Hey UK

Let me just give you a blanket "Very Well Done" on all aspects of your work, so I don't have to keep coming here and saying " Very Well Done"

:wink2:^&grin


Alex

 

[notascoldasbastogne]

AWSOME AWSOME AWSOME, I have been wondering how CS marchers work well with KC. Looks
great very well done dio looks ALIVE!!!! :wink2:

 

[Rob]

I wonder when we may see something new from Mr Bob of UKRebshire, surely must be soon????

Rob

 

[Buster]

[/B]

I wonder when we may see something new from Mr Bob of UKRebshire, surely must be soon????

Rob

I think you may be onto something Rob, or is it I think you may be ON something,. Well, either way I think you may be right! ^&grin

B.

 

[UKReb]

Battle of Fredericksburg Saturday, December 13th 1862.

Major John Pelham the 24 year old Alabamian in command of the Stuart Horse Artillery was noted for his modesty, charm, daring and courage. He also had an uncanny ability to select the most appropriate ground for the placement of his guns. On the morning of the 13th December his artillery scouts drew his attention to a developing situation on the far right of the Confederate line.

He swiftly rode to General Stuart's position at Guiney Station

"Should you not be at your post Major Pelham?"
"General Stuart, If I may sir, it would appear the Yankees are massing along the Bowling Green Road and will shortly threaten General Jackson's flank. Well sir, if I could place a pair of guns down the Mine Road, I would be able to enfilade their lines as they advance, Sir"
Stuart smiled
"Major Pelham, that is well forward of our lines. You do realise they will turn on you-every man and every gun on the field will immediately engage you"
Pelham gave his commander a wry grin
"Yes sir I do, in fact that's the general idea sir"

With Stuart's permission now granted and accompanied by his trusted subordinate and West Point classmate Captain Mathias W Henry, Pelham organised a battery of two guns-a Blakely and a Napoleon- into position well forward of the Confederate line of battle.

As his men prepared the guns he calmly watched where only five hundreds yards directly to his front, General Meade's Pennsylvanians grandly moved forward to attack Jackson's line

With both cannon loaded awaiting the command to fire Pelham heard his Louisiana Cajun Napoleon Detachment begin to hum the Marseillaise then break into song

"Allons enfants de la Patrie
Le jours de glorie.........
...est arrive
Pelham yelled "FIRE!"

Throughout the next hour Pelham harassed Meade's attempt to advance by firing, limbering and moving when Union artillery got his range and then unlimbering and firing again.

With his shells plowing through the blue lines the Union guns sought to destroy these daring Rebel cannon and one of their shells found its target

Even with one of his guns now disabled he continued to fight on with just a single cannon. Completely ignoring the now intense incoming fire Pelham remained on his horse shouting out orders to his artillerists. Finally with his ammunition entirely spent he withdrew his gun in obedience to a peremptory order from General Stuart.

Jackson joined Stuart and Jubal Early and together marveled at the sight of one lone gun bringing a whole Yankee Division to an absolute standstill. Jackson gave a rare wide grin and spoke

"General Stuart, if you have another young Pelham, I wish you would give him to me"
"I'm sorry General Jackson, but there is only one Pelham"
Jackson nodded his gratitude and replied
"With a Pelham on either flank, we could completely lick this whole Yankee army"

Stuart's boy artillerist wrote his own glory that day at Fredericksburg but he would survive his day of glory by only a few months. On March 17th 1863 with his typical daring he requested to join a Reb cavalry charge at Kelly's Ford on the Rappahannock. A piece of artillery shrapnel hit the young Pelham squarely on the forehead. When he died that evening the South lost a young boy soldier whose name has ever after remained a byword for all that was gallant and courageous during that dreadful conflict.
Reb

 

[Rob]

Wonderful work Bob, just terrific. So good to see winter ACW scenes on the forum, these are rare as hens teeth and with the quality you bring to the scene are very welcome indeed. Great narrative as well my friend, stunning work overall.

Rob

 

[aujj65]

Hi Bob,

This makes for a very pleasant change on the forum – Winter ACW ^&cool What do you use for snow?

{bravo}}{bravo}}

Jeff

 

[mestell]

Wonderfully done Bob . . . . What a great afternoon treat for me and other forum members . . . . .{bravo}}
:smile2: Mike

 

[debrito]

Superb BOB as always, also new figures, can you please tell us what they came from.

WONDERFULLY DONE...

 

[Ghostrider]

Bob - absolutely brilliant - terrain, figure placement, story line. You make it look easy, but we all know the work you put into it. Brovo!!!{sm4}

 

[kogu]

Thank you very much for this new chapter in your Civil War diaries, Bob.
Superb setup and a great story.
Konrad{bravo}}

 

[The Lt.]

Glad to see you brought our UKReb out to play Rob an once again he's provided us with another outstanding photographic an historical tale from his Civil War Diaries. Thannks Bob for sharing it with us..........Joe

 

[Warrior]

Thanks for posting the pictures Bob, love the groundwork, the trees and specifically the conversions you did on the CS artillerymen and you are right; we do need winter troops.

I hope you continue along with the action on the far right of the Confederate lines at Fredericksburg, this is much less famous area than the stone wall, but the action was pretty fierce there, Meade almost broke the entire Confederate line on that end.........................

 

[Rob]

Bob, can I ask if that is a JG mat or your own grass work? Whichever it is it's very effective indeed . I also wanted to thank you again for the heads up about international models backdrops, just got my second one for the dio I'm working on now.

Cheers

Rob

 

[UKReb]

Thanks for all your comments and George is right I have been bleating for winter troops for almost two years now. I am always grateful when any company releases any ACW figures but Oh! Dear it is becoming very much deja vu with the same continual marching/advancing/firing figures and all dressed in either Spring/Summer rig and of course all wearing the ubiquitous blanket rolls. When I purchased the CS mounted Pelham figure he was obviously posed at Fredericksburg December 1862 in bitterly cold weather. I wanted to construct a scene depicting his two gun action on the Confederate right flank.

When I roughly assembled the troops on my workbench the artillerists in shirts or bum jackets just didn't seem to fit the scene as per picture

Union light blue greatcoats were highly prized by Reb soldiers who if they captured any were either dyed grey or butternut (in case their own comrades shot them by mistake). History also records that Reb artillerists would cut the calf length coats off just above the knee to reduce restriction when maneuvering their guns. If they didn't have greatcoats they wrapped their blankets over their shoulders and to protect their ears they wrapped colored scarves over their kepis tied under their chin. With all that in mind and no winter troops on the market I marched the whole bunch of them down to the sutler's store and kitted them out with winter duds.

All the figures are CS artillerists and the flagman is from a Conte artillery set. Snow is from Woodland scenics and Rob the grass mat is one of John's but butchered by me to give it a dead winter looki.

Thanks again guys and pleased you liked the story of brave young Pelham.

Bob

 

[aujj65]

Thank you Bob! There was a lot of time and effort that had been put into this scene - converting and painting the figures as well as the scenics themselves.

Might even buy you a G&T next month..:wink2:

Jeff

 

[Warrior]

Might even buy you a G&T next month..:wink2:

Jeff

For all of the work done on those conversions, how about two..............or three.............or..........a few......:wink2:



Again, great stuff Bob and keep working on that Confederate right flank........