The American Civil War Diaries (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter UKReb
- Start date
Fort-Stamford
Specialist
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2009
- Messages
- 395
Bob,
These ACW diodramas are the best. The dialogue, photography and setup are superb. Can't wait for your next installment. :salute:: {bravo}}
Chuck
These ACW diodramas are the best. The dialogue, photography and setup are superb. Can't wait for your next installment. :salute:: {bravo}}
Chuck
6th Wisconsin
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2008
- Messages
- 1,644
Beautiful as usual Bob! And even a figure in a tree!! I sit here viewing your wonderful works of art while watching my recording of the recent round table on Pickett's Charge that appeared on TV here. And I even got three sets of casualties in the mail today. It's a real Civil War evening.
Rob
Four Star General
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Messages
- 26,622
Very well said Brad , we are in the same boat mate.
Bob, meant to say in last post, the Reb up the tree is just marvellous^&cool
Rob
Terp152
Major
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2009
- Messages
- 6,105
Magnificent presentation Bob! Where to begin with comments? The terrain is just beautiful to look at, with the seamless matching of the ground work and backdrops. That barn is an impressive setting for the command group. It's great to see the new figs included, such as Hooker and Sickles. The vignette of pvt Cobb climbing the tree (and rifle leaning) and conversing with Jackson is so innovative, it really adds a personal touch to the battle. I like the way you finished up the whole storyline. Sorry to see the conclusion to what is a stunning diodrama but we eagerly await the next battle! Chris
REVWARBUFF
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2006
- Messages
- 1,929
Great work as usual Bob! I, along with many others, look forward to seeing your Gettysburg installment.
Mark
Mark
UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 2,436
A belated thanks guys for all of your comments on the final Antietam chapter. I say belated because of this glorious (and most unusual) weather we are currently experiencing here in the UK has been too good to be sitting in front of a computer screen this past week :wink2:
Rob
These Britain's ACW celebrity figures continue to improve with each and every release and old Fighting Joe Hooker is a prime example. He had a reputation of being a ladies man and styled himself on any one of Napoleon Bonaparte's generals particularly with his coiffured hair and side whiskers. Ken's sculpt has captured that look perfectly for if you repainted his Federal uniform in say a French blue with gold trimming you could place the figure in a Waterloo diorama and it wouldn't look out of place.
I used a bit of artistic licence by featuring the Dan Sickles figure as one of McClellan's staff in the above scene because neither him nor his Excelsior Brigade were present at Antietam. He was in New York recruiting and his brigade was stationed on the Potomac protecting Washington. Sickles was a very close ally of Hooker as well as also being very fond of the female species. And this support was rewarded when Hooker was made commander of the Army of the Potomac he promoted Sickles to corps commander of the III Corps. Once again Ken's sculpt has captured the arrogance of a man who lacked prudence, discretion, humility as well as being a notorious liar.
What we ACW nerds definitely need though is a new figure of McClellan as the old figure of him wearing his Grogram styled cape didn't really fit into this Sharpsburg series I knocked up. I really wanted to shoot a final picture of this assembly when Lincoln visited Little Mac at Antietam two weeks after the battle but the Britain's figure of Mac just wasn't right. (That's a hint Ken if you see this as I just love those wrinkled boots in this picture)
There have been quite a few requests for ACW camp figures and I would add my vote to such a series as a few set ups along the lines of this shot would make for a great ACW dio (I've already got the dog figure that young Custer is stroking ^&grin)
Bob
Rob
These Britain's ACW celebrity figures continue to improve with each and every release and old Fighting Joe Hooker is a prime example. He had a reputation of being a ladies man and styled himself on any one of Napoleon Bonaparte's generals particularly with his coiffured hair and side whiskers. Ken's sculpt has captured that look perfectly for if you repainted his Federal uniform in say a French blue with gold trimming you could place the figure in a Waterloo diorama and it wouldn't look out of place.
I used a bit of artistic licence by featuring the Dan Sickles figure as one of McClellan's staff in the above scene because neither him nor his Excelsior Brigade were present at Antietam. He was in New York recruiting and his brigade was stationed on the Potomac protecting Washington. Sickles was a very close ally of Hooker as well as also being very fond of the female species. And this support was rewarded when Hooker was made commander of the Army of the Potomac he promoted Sickles to corps commander of the III Corps. Once again Ken's sculpt has captured the arrogance of a man who lacked prudence, discretion, humility as well as being a notorious liar.
What we ACW nerds definitely need though is a new figure of McClellan as the old figure of him wearing his Grogram styled cape didn't really fit into this Sharpsburg series I knocked up. I really wanted to shoot a final picture of this assembly when Lincoln visited Little Mac at Antietam two weeks after the battle but the Britain's figure of Mac just wasn't right. (That's a hint Ken if you see this as I just love those wrinkled boots in this picture)
There have been quite a few requests for ACW camp figures and I would add my vote to such a series as a few set ups along the lines of this shot would make for a great ACW dio (I've already got the dog figure that young Custer is stroking ^&grin)
Bob
Rob
Four Star General
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Messages
- 26,622
A belated thanks guys for all of your comments on the final Antietam chapter. I say belated because of this glorious (and most unusual) weather we are currently experiencing here in the UK has been too good to be sitting in front of a computer screen this past week :wink2:
Rob
These Britain's ACW celebrity figures continue to improve with each and every release and old Fighting Joe Hooker is a prime example. He had a reputation of being a ladies man and styled himself on any one of Napoleon Bonaparte's generals particularly with his coiffured hair and side whiskers. Ken's sculpt has captured that look perfectly for if you repainted his Federal uniform in say a French blue with gold trimming you could place the figure in a Waterloo diorama and it wouldn't look out of place.
I used a bit of artistic licence by featuring the Dan Sickles figure as one of McClellan's staff in the above scene because neither him nor his Excelsior Brigade were present at Antietam. He was in New York recruiting and his brigade was stationed on the Potomac protecting Washington. Sickles was a very close ally of Hooker as well as also being very fond of the female species. And this support was rewarded when Hooker was made commander of the Army of the Potomac he promoted Sickles to corps commander of the III Corps. Once again Ken's sculpt has captured the arrogance of a man who lacked prudence, discretion, humility as well as being a notorious liar.
What we ACW nerds definitely need though is a new figure of McClellan as the old figure of him wearing his Grogram styled cape didn't really fit into this Sharpsburg series I knocked up. I really wanted to shoot a final picture of this assembly when Lincoln visited Little Mac at Antietam two weeks after the battle but the Britain's figure of Mac just wasn't right. (That's a hint Ken if you see this as I just love those wrinkled boots in this picture)
There have been quite a few requests for ACW camp figures and I would add my vote to such a series as a few set ups along the lines of this shot would make for a great ACW dio (I've already got the dog figure that young Custer is stroking ^&grin)
Bob
Thanks Bob,
I like these personality figures very much. What do you think of the K&C versions, some of these appeal to me too. Have just been reading about how Sickles was an ally of Hooker and how Hooker was very much second best in Lincolns eyes.
Finally got those two figures I was talking to you about , really superb they are too:wink2:
Have also pre ordered two of the Gettysburg Fence sections , am wavering on the others!!
Rob
UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 2,436
I have already posted variants of these pictures up on the K&C board but without any text. When I constructed these two scenes using the new K&C ACW figures I did actually have a couple of incidents in mind.
This first picture using the new Sam Grant and Meade figures could have happened anytime during Grant's Overland Campaign in 1864. But by adding the IX Corps commander Ambrose Burnside to the scene could pin it down to Grant's camp at the beginning of the Petersburg siege and specifically June 26th 1864 when Burnside presented a plan to Grant and Meade that he said could end the war. Using the coal-miner's regiment- the 48th Pennsylvania-Burnside's plan was to tunnel a mine shaft beneath the Confederate lines at Pegram's Salient and explode 12,000 pounds of gunpowder and blow the Reb defences wide open swiftly followed by a full scale Union infantry advance.
The Grant figure's pensive pose is ideal for this scenario for Sam had grave doubts about the success of such a scheme and initially only agreed to it as a mere way to keep the men occupied during the stalemate of the siege. However, it was eventually agreed to explode the charge on July 29th 1864. Result? One of the most inventive and creative ideas became one of the most controversial debacles of the war. The Battle of The Crater was a disaster for the Union forces and Burnside was relieved of command personally by Grant.
For these next pictures I had two choices...well one really. Lee/Stuart/Jackson and Pickett were only together on two battlefields-Fredericksburg (where they would have been wearing winter clothing for an external picture) and Gaines' Mill the third of the Seven Days Battles during McClellan's Peninsular Campaign. I went with the latter and added the older figures of Longstreet, Sam Hood and the K&C Confederate officer standing in for Lee's adjutant Major Walter Taylor. This meeting occurred early in the morning of the 27th June 1862.
Lee had just taken over the army from Joe Johnston who had been severely wounded at Seven Pines. JEB Stuart had just completed his famous "Ride around McClellan" and had supplied Lee with very good intelligence of the Federal positions. Lee was so impressed that he had promoted Stuart to Major General two days previous. The day before this particular meeting and acting on Stuart's intelligence Lee had ordered Jackson and Longstreet to attack from both flanks of- McClellan's most trusted subordinate- Fitz John Porter's Corps who were advancing toward Richmond. But a lacklustre Jackson and his troops arrived late and the flank attack stalled (The Seven Days Battles was definitely not old Jack's finest campaign). At this meeting the following day Lee planned to use the same tactics and lectured Jackson and Longstreet that he did not want another failure. Bear in mind this was the emergence of Lee and he was not sure whether either of his commanders was up to the job. Likewise neither was Jackson or Longstreet who knew Lee only by his then sobriquet "Old Granny Lee"
The attentive but body language poses of the K&C figures of Jackson and Longstreet listening to Lee's orders fit perfectly for such a scenario. Whilst Stuart is more relaxed knowing he has done well for his new commander
Pickett and Hood were only Brigade commanders in 1862 and were not directly involved in this meeting hence them standing slightly to the background but listening intently to this new commander of the Confederate Army. But both of their brigades were heavily involved in the forthcoming battle and Pickett was wounded by a bullet that passed completely through his shoulder which put him out of action for nearly four months. Hood and his Texas brigade would add further to their honours they had already received and once again were in the thick of the battle.
Lee then wished them luck and shortly after the battle commenced which resulted in a tactical success for the Confederates.
His army's defeat at Gaines Mill badly unnerved McClellan and caused the Union general to abandon his campaign on Richmond and seek the safety of the James River.
Lee had arrived.
Reb
This first picture using the new Sam Grant and Meade figures could have happened anytime during Grant's Overland Campaign in 1864. But by adding the IX Corps commander Ambrose Burnside to the scene could pin it down to Grant's camp at the beginning of the Petersburg siege and specifically June 26th 1864 when Burnside presented a plan to Grant and Meade that he said could end the war. Using the coal-miner's regiment- the 48th Pennsylvania-Burnside's plan was to tunnel a mine shaft beneath the Confederate lines at Pegram's Salient and explode 12,000 pounds of gunpowder and blow the Reb defences wide open swiftly followed by a full scale Union infantry advance.
The Grant figure's pensive pose is ideal for this scenario for Sam had grave doubts about the success of such a scheme and initially only agreed to it as a mere way to keep the men occupied during the stalemate of the siege. However, it was eventually agreed to explode the charge on July 29th 1864. Result? One of the most inventive and creative ideas became one of the most controversial debacles of the war. The Battle of The Crater was a disaster for the Union forces and Burnside was relieved of command personally by Grant.
For these next pictures I had two choices...well one really. Lee/Stuart/Jackson and Pickett were only together on two battlefields-Fredericksburg (where they would have been wearing winter clothing for an external picture) and Gaines' Mill the third of the Seven Days Battles during McClellan's Peninsular Campaign. I went with the latter and added the older figures of Longstreet, Sam Hood and the K&C Confederate officer standing in for Lee's adjutant Major Walter Taylor. This meeting occurred early in the morning of the 27th June 1862.
Lee had just taken over the army from Joe Johnston who had been severely wounded at Seven Pines. JEB Stuart had just completed his famous "Ride around McClellan" and had supplied Lee with very good intelligence of the Federal positions. Lee was so impressed that he had promoted Stuart to Major General two days previous. The day before this particular meeting and acting on Stuart's intelligence Lee had ordered Jackson and Longstreet to attack from both flanks of- McClellan's most trusted subordinate- Fitz John Porter's Corps who were advancing toward Richmond. But a lacklustre Jackson and his troops arrived late and the flank attack stalled (The Seven Days Battles was definitely not old Jack's finest campaign). At this meeting the following day Lee planned to use the same tactics and lectured Jackson and Longstreet that he did not want another failure. Bear in mind this was the emergence of Lee and he was not sure whether either of his commanders was up to the job. Likewise neither was Jackson or Longstreet who knew Lee only by his then sobriquet "Old Granny Lee"
The attentive but body language poses of the K&C figures of Jackson and Longstreet listening to Lee's orders fit perfectly for such a scenario. Whilst Stuart is more relaxed knowing he has done well for his new commander
Pickett and Hood were only Brigade commanders in 1862 and were not directly involved in this meeting hence them standing slightly to the background but listening intently to this new commander of the Confederate Army. But both of their brigades were heavily involved in the forthcoming battle and Pickett was wounded by a bullet that passed completely through his shoulder which put him out of action for nearly four months. Hood and his Texas brigade would add further to their honours they had already received and once again were in the thick of the battle.
Lee then wished them luck and shortly after the battle commenced which resulted in a tactical success for the Confederates.
His army's defeat at Gaines Mill badly unnerved McClellan and caused the Union general to abandon his campaign on Richmond and seek the safety of the James River.
Lee had arrived.
Reb
Louis Badolato
Lieutenant General
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2005
- Messages
- 17,206
I wish I was half the photographer you are!
In addition to all your talents modifying and repainting figures, constructing and staging fantastic dioramas, your photos are always in perfect focus and perfectly lit!^&cool^&cool
In addition to all your talents modifying and repainting figures, constructing and staging fantastic dioramas, your photos are always in perfect focus and perfectly lit!^&cool^&cool
Warrior
Lieutenant General
- Joined
- May 12, 2005
- Messages
- 15,097
Great set of pictures Bob, the groundwork and trees are outstanding, you've even got leaves thrown in there too, they look great.
I much appreciate you sharing your collection time and time again with us; you've got close to a year to get going on the Wilderness, Cold Harbor and Petersburg Crater dioramas, so get cracking...........:wink2:
I much appreciate you sharing your collection time and time again with us; you've got close to a year to get going on the Wilderness, Cold Harbor and Petersburg Crater dioramas, so get cracking...........:wink2:
