The American Civil War Diaries (2 Viewers)

[desk11desk12]

The Battle Of Sharpsburg Chapter V.

The Union Napoleons continued to pour canister into the Texan lines. The canister exploded 10 yards beyond their muzzles and 215 half-pound balls spread across the Rebel attackers, taking arms, legs and lives.
But still Hood's Texans refused to give way, they regrouped and fired into the Union gunners. Muskets against Artillery.



The men of the 4th US Regular Artillery now also began to fall under the expert marksmanship of the Texans. Sergeant West went down with a slug in the thigh and Private Ripley took one to the gut.
His anguished screams cut above the sound of the battle.



The Texans rallied around their colours and thirteen more died. Colonel William Wofford knew they had to retreat for without reinforcements to charge those guns they would all die in this dam cornfield



On the far side of the cornfield Sam Hood threw in Colonel McIvor Law's 4th Alabama and 2nd Mississippi regiments. He shouted to his courier.
"Ride to General Jackson-unless I get reinforcements I will be forced back, but I am going on while I still can. And for God's tell him to get Stuart's artillery to lay down fire on that Yankee gun-line"



Twenty minutes later the remnants of Hood's Texas Brigade hauled themselves out of the cornfield. They made a pitiful sight as they made their way to the Confederate field hospital.



Hood was watching his brave Texan survivors through tear stained eyes when Lee and his entourage rode towards him and said
"General Hood where are your Texan regiments?". Hood did not look at Lee as he said
"There General Lee and the rest are lying dead in the field"



As Lee made his way to the Confederate centre he happened upon a group of Southern soldiers who all turned and cheered their leader. He addressed the officer leading the men
"What regiment is this captain?"
"Parts of the 4th Georgia and 1st North Carolina from Ripley's Brigade sir! with orders to advance to that orchard up yonder"
Lee acknowledged the men and turned to the sound of artillery fire coming from the orchard.



BATTERY LONGSTREET.

The Federal II Corps had flanked the Confederates out of Bloody Lane and had begun their advance. Near the Piper orchard Longstreet and his staff came across the battered 3rd Company of Washington Artillery who were trying to hold back the Yankees. The incoming fire from the enemy had felled a number of Reb gunners that had left one cannon unmanned. Longstreet immediately ordered his staff officers to man the silent gun.



Perhaps no more distinguished gun crew ever assembled on a Civil War battlefield for it included Maj John Fairfax; Maj. Moxley Sorrel; Major Thomas Walton and Lt Thomas Goree. Beside them spotting the effect of the fire sat Longstreet.



Longstreet's Battery had bolstered one portion of the sagging Confederate line by blunting the Union advance. But it was a serious looking Longstreet who rode to greet Lee.
"Sir the situation is extremely grave and if Burnside crosses that bridge General Toombs and his men could be cut off" Lee nodded but said nothing, Longstreet continued
"We need a diversion on the left sir to relieve our fractured centre. Perhaps General Jackson could......."
But Lee was hardly listening to his old war horse, he saw the danger and knew precious little infantry was available, and two-hundred-men charges, no matter how gallant, were doomed to fail. No- artillery and only artillery would save this immediate situation.



To Be Concluded

Reb

Outstanding and very entertaining as always Reb

Carlos

 

[mestell]

Another magnificently done chapters in your continum of the ACW Diaries Bob . . . . . Just great stuff . . . .
:smile2: Mike

 

[whdamon]

I am amazed as much with the photography as I am with the extremely well detailed set up and positioning of the figures. Question: Do i see a Pegaso figure set in here (the wounded rebel being helped by another)?? If so, fine add....

Walt DAmon

 

[Rob]

Bob, apart from your sublime skills as a diorama producer and the drama involved in said dioramas there is another aspect of your work I enjoy very much. As we discussed many times I've been a WW1 and WW2 nut since I was a small boy, but its really nice to have another interest in military history that is of an entirely different era and for me its the ACW. It was Ken Burns classic series and your work that made me want to learn more about it and when you start reading about it it is so easy to become hooked. Epic, sweeping, wide ranging and of course tragic it is a subject of endless appeal. I look forward to your next mate!

Rob

 

[jazzeum]

Although I enjoy the stories, what never fails to impress me is the thought and production values that goes into these productions: the preparation, the scripts and the direction. I believe that Bob's love of movies and his reporting of them has influenced and made for a better story. Moreover, because of all these things, his productions are never cluttered but contain the right amount of action, no more, no less. Unlike others, he does not throw in the kitchen sink.

In another life, he would have made an excellent movie director.

 

[Rob]

Although I enjoy the stories, what never fails to impress me is the thought and production values that goes into these productions: the preparation, the scripts and the direction. I believe that Bob's love of movies and his reporting of them has influenced and made for a better story. Moreover, because of all these things, his productions are never cluttered but contain the right amount of action, no more, no less. Unlike others, he does not throw in the kitchen sink.

In another life, he would have made an excellent movie director.

Very very well put that man!:smile2:

Rob

 

[Dragoon]

Bob, Your Civil War epics are just fantastic. The scenes play out like a movie.

How do you display or store your huge cast of characters when they are not on the set?

 

[UKReb]

Thanks for your comments guys

Rob you asked me on another thread what I picked up at this month's London show-what with all that very enjoyable socialising with our American/Australian colleagues I plumb forgot to show you.

I always look on the table next to John Gittings (JG Miniatures) which is run by a gentleman and his wife whose names I still do not know. They always carry a huge selection of single figures laid out in various trays-often amongst them are a few rows of Britain's Zulu War, Napoleonic, ACW etc, they have a very good glossy selection too. The figures are always unboxed or minus their clamshells but are usually all in pristine condition and at ridiculously low prices between £4.00-£10.00 per figure (compare that with the UK MRP of £25.99). True they are never the latest releases as most of them on sale have long been retired, consequently, I invariably already have them in my stash.

However, these were my pick ups this month and as you will see they are still very much a work in progress by having repaints and hirsute implants to differentiate them from their compatriots already ensconced in this Reb's army.





The odd-man out is the duo set from Conte's First at Manassas which I found on another dealer's table for a fiver (unfortunately he had none of the other figures from the Troiani set). Now that's quite an iconic figure to me and I considered it well worth purchasing at that price. Although they depict two 11th NY Fire Zouaves thought it might be interesting to see how they come out as a pair of Confederates instead of Yankee Firemen. Or alternatively even a Reb helping a wounded Yank or vice versa.... Afterall that happened on many an occasion. Watch this space ^&grin

Bob

 

[Rob]

Splendid figures Bob, very nice pick ups my friend! I look forward to seeing these guys in action in the near future.

Rob

 

[Firebat]

Like a movie studio make up and wardrobe changes ^&grin.....But that is all necessary to stage a large production like this. Alex

 

[The Lt.]

With this July 1st the Anniversary of The Batle of Gettyburg I thought The American Civil War Diaries would be appropriate to send along two calendars commenorating the event. Once again I've taken the liberty of using the photos for them by the UKReb. and hope I don't get scolded for featuring Custer instead of Grant for the Union Calendar.............The Lt.

 

[UKReb]

The Battle of Sharpsburg: The Concluding Chapter

Lee had joined Longstreet at what remained of the Confederate centre
"We've held so far General Lee, but our centre no longer exists. A single enemy division can walk through that gap and flank us on both sides. Those guns cannot hold forever"
A concerned Lee nodded in agreement with Longstreet and said "I have sent a message to General Jackson to see if he can scrape together an adequate force to move behind them on the left" Lee paused as if thinking then said "We are fortunate General, that our adversary is too cautious to move on all of our fronts at the same time"



At that precise moment a furious Joe Hooker had gone in search of McClellan. He found the general and his staff behind a barn attached to the Pry house.
"General McClellan we must coordinate our attacks sir, we are going in piecemeal and being chewed up for it. We need to commit all of our reserve Corps and not just probe to the left as we are doing as I speak"
McClellan calmly replied "General Hooker and what of the Rebel counterattack if we commit all of our divisions?"
Hooker exploded "A counterattack? With what will Mr Lee attack?. He has nothing left to attack with. If he were going to counterattack General he would have done it by now. We are inches away from splitting his whole dammed army in half and pushing every dang blasted Reb into the waters of the Potomac"
McClellan silently fumed and then said "My intelligence informs me that Lee has 50,000 men in reserve. But rest assured General Hooker your concerns will be noted in my battle report"
That dismissive ended Hooker's meeting with the Little Napoleon.



Stonewall Jackson rode to the extreme left of his line and beckoned over one of the infantrymen
"What is your name Private?"
"Private Cobb, sir, 5th Virginia"
"Do you know your numbers?"
"Good as many an' better 'n most, sir"
"Very good, I want you to climb that tree all the way to the top. I then want you to count the Yankee flags that you'll see over on the other side of that hill. There might be a mess of 'em. Can you do that?"
"You betcha, General, sir"



Jackson dismounted and watched Private Cobb, with help from a colleague, shimmy up the tree like a squirrel.



"What do you see Private?"
"Hell General, there's oceans of 'em"
"Count the flags Private. I need to know the number"
A Union bullet clipped the tree and Cobb tasted bark he quickly counted shouting the numbers down to Jackson "...eighteen, nineteen, twenty". More Federal sharpshooters joined in the sport of trying to knock the Reb out of the tree ".......twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty"
Jackson called up "That will do, come down now Private"



Cobb touched only three limbs on his way down
"Well done Private......?"
"Cobb, sir, Private Cobb"
"Well done Private Cobb, stay with me now I may require your services again-.......Courier!"
"Sir"
"Find General Lee and tell him General Jackson said that a flanking movement against the enemy on this side of the field would result only in disaster. Ride...Now!"



After Lee received Jackson's message he made himself visible to the men in the hope that he might be able to rally them. But he knew that so few could never hold for long against so many. As two more of Burnside's blue divisions began their advance toward the Reb lines one of Lee's aides called out
"General Lee, sir Look there on the road Virginia and Confederate flags sir"
A visibly relieved Lee replied "It's A.P.Hill from Harper's Ferry"



Ambrose Powell Hill had marched his "Light Division" seventeen miles in seven hours. They broke onto the field without breaking stride and sent five times their number running for cover, those Yankees hightailed it all the way back to Antietam Creek and the protection of massed artillery.

Little Powell Hill had saved Lee's Army of Northern Virginia from complete annihilation.



The following morning 6.00 am 18th September 1862. Lee held a council of war at his camp site at the north end of Sharpsburg.
"General Longstreet, he asked gently "How is it on your part of the line?"
"It is as bad as it can be sir. There is little better than a skirmish line left on my front"
"General Jackson"
Jackson drew his lines on the ground with a stick and said "These are the greatest odds, General Lee, we have ever faced. I have but two generals remaining to me sir. I have captains, men whose names I don't even know, commanding brigades".
Lee waited and then said "I will not be driven from the field by George McClellan- we cannot allow him to claim total victory over us. If he attacks us today we will fight him. We will return to Virginia, but it will be a voluntary withdrawal and at a time of our own choosing"



Although Lee offered McClellan battle all day of the 18th September, McClellan declined and kept his troops back on the line that they had occupied at the start of the battle. In the early hours of the 19th September the Confederate army began an orderly withdrawal back along the road leading to Boteler's Ford and by 8.30 am the whole army had crossed the Potomac back into Virginia.



End Notes To This Saga

September 22nd 1862 Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation of emancipation of all slaves in any state that did not end their rebellion against the Union by January 1st 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation significantly shifted the focus of the Civil War beyond just preserving the Union. This shift ended any hope for the Confederacy of gaining international recognition from Britain or France.

In October 1862 McClellan demanded his army be brought back to full strength before he moved again against Lee. On November 5th an exasperated Lincoln finally sacked McClellan for failing to obtain a complete victory at Sharpsburg on Antietam Creek. Lincoln would state to Halleck "Sending reinforcements to McClellan is like shovelling flies across a barn"

Nine months after Sharpsburg Lee would again invade the North for the last time. This invasion would result in the greatest and most violent clash of arms the North American continent had ever seen.

FIN

Reb

 

[Rob]

Brilliant Bob, just great. When can we expect to arrive at Gettysburg?!:wink2:

Rob

 

[Partner]

Great work as always Bob. Love Cobb in the tree.
Regards
Kirk

 

[OldDragon]

Bob

Your post # 1552 is just beautiful ... absolutely beautiful :salute::.

Bests
OD

 

[GICOP]

Love it Bob, just love it {bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}

Cheers

Martyn

 

[jazzeum]

Brilliant Bob, just great. When can we expect to arrive at Gettysburg?!:wink2:

Rob

I second that as I think you have two more people who have become more interested in the Battle of Gettysburg. Until recently (other than the broad strokes) you could stick what I know about Gettysburg into the head of a pin and have some room left over. However, I can now report that there's probably not room left in the head as I've been progressing with the Last Invasion and other map books :wink2:

Brad

 

[lancer]

Fantastic work, Bob. I really like this wrap-up to your Sharpsburg saga. Particularly like the McClellan-Hooker meeting and I love the scene with Hill's Light Division coming up the road. The sequence with Cobb going up the tree I remember from my reading as a youngster. Loved the image of that man counting regiments by the flag while bullets whipped around him. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

As usual, Bob, the staging, as well as the lighting is very well done. The background, vegetation and trees mesh very well. Particularly effective was the following photo, particularly panoramic.




The below photo, however, was my favorite. Beautifully staged, almost like a painting.



Brad

 

[OzDigger]

Bob, congrats on another excellent diodrama, I hope you got what you wanted for your birthday.