ConfederateSwede | 20 Jun 2016 12:35 p.m. PST |
If I want to build stone walls for 1/72 scale miniatures using Woodland Scenics Talus model stone, which size is the best, coarse or medium? I want to create the stone wall at "the angle" at Gettysburg. Also, are there any ready made ryder fence sold in the EU or elsewhere? |
jowady | 20 Jun 2016 12:50 p.m. PST |
Bear in mind that stone wall was never very high (all that stuff about Fredericksburg is generally talked about by people who had never been to Gettysburg), I would say small (for 1/72). Going by Historic photos taken around the time of the battle (and that can be seen in Frassanito's "Early Photography at Gettysburg"),it was a low stone wall, maybe knee height, topped with a couple of wood rails. The wood rails may very well have been removed by troops at the time for cooking fires. It would give some cover to prone or kneeling troops who were keeping their heads down, very little to standing soldiers. It probably wasn't much taller than it is today. |
Rich Bliss | 20 Jun 2016 12:59 p.m. PST |
Definitely use medium. The coarse will be quite substantial boulders for 1/72. |
Hafen von Schlockenberg | 20 Jun 2016 1:09 p.m. PST |
For 1/72, I'd even suggest looking at aquarium gravel. It cones in various colors, including gray. |
ConfederateSwede | 20 Jun 2016 1:17 p.m. PST |
thanks for all the quick answers, I went for medium, but small/fine might work too, I just have to wait and see when it arrives. Interesting info about the rails on top of it, I assume artillery units placed behind the wall would remove the rails too leaving very few rails left. I read somewhere that troops placed behind sections without the ryder rails did not dare to raise their heads above the wall, and therefore many rebels reached those positions, not sure how accurate it is though. |
Cold Steel | 20 Jun 2016 1:33 p.m. PST |
The stone "walls" at Gettysburg a more accurately long, low piles. Farmers would pick up stones from the field and drop them around the edges. The rails were to keep livestock in/out of the field, which should give you an idea of how low they were. Most are no more than knee high, low enough for even a lazy cow to cross. |
robert piepenbrink | 20 Jun 2016 2:35 p.m. PST |
The old description was "pig tight and cow high." Piled stones--maybe knee to hip level--to keep the pigs in, and a wooden framework above, just enough to discourage cows. The wood might have gone for firewood or been stacked above the stones to buy a precious few extra inches of protection on July 3rd. Might depend on how good the NCOs were. (I'm sure it ALL went for firewood once they were sure the Rebs weren't coming back--unless they were on the move again.) |
jowady | 20 Jun 2016 6:59 p.m. PST |
Wherever the armies went fence rails disappeared quickly, generally used for firewood. John Gordon, part of Early's foraging expedition, supposedly tried to stop this by ordering his men to only take the top rail. Well, as soon as one top rail was taken there was another top rail that was available. Gordon had to admit that his men had outsmarted him. My guess is that by sometime on 2 July there wouldn't have been any fence rails left on Cemetery Ridge. |
jowady | 20 Jun 2016 7:44 p.m. PST |
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ConfederateSwede | 21 Jun 2016 1:50 a.m. PST |
So there was also a five rail verticle fence in the vicinity of the angle? Is there a good overview map showing all fances, walls and terrain at the angle? I thought the only five rail verticle ran along the Emmitsburg road. |
Extra Crispy | 21 Jun 2016 7:04 a.m. PST |
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jowady | 21 Jun 2016 7:47 a.m. PST |
The Codori Farm was fenced in. If you can get your hands on the Map set put out by "The Friends of Gettysburg " (a four map set), they show all the fence lines and delineate what type of fence it was. The Warren and Bachehelder Maps also show fence lines. There were quite a few fences as of course this was a region of small family farms. |
jowady | 21 Jun 2016 8:00 a.m. PST |
I took this photo from Cemetery Ridge, the barn in the distance is the Codori Barn (it's different from the one there at the time of the battle). However you can see numerous fences, of both rail and post and worm construction. On the extreme right of the shot is the Emmitsburg Road and you can see the fences on both sides of it. theminiaturespage.com
"TMP link Another image, taken from the eastern side of the Copse of Trees. theminiaturespage.com
"TMP link The cars in the distance are on the Emmitsburg Road |
jowady | 21 Jun 2016 8:13 a.m. PST |
And a photo from the Confederate lines, near where the left flank of Pettigrew and Trimble woule have been. The two white buildings in the opposite ridge are the Bryant Farm. Again the cars in the middle distance will show where the Emmitsburg Road is. theminiaturespage.com
"TMP link The trees on the ridge indicate Ziegler's Grove. I hope that these photos are of some help. |
ConfederateSwede | 15 Aug 2016 7:21 a.m. PST |
I'll probably use pre-made stonewalls instead of the talus. But now another problem has arisen, I painted my fences for the Emmitsburg road and nearby fences in a light brown, using Vallejo Iraqi sand. But as I assume, the fences were more faded, greyish tone like most fences? Or are my fences still acceptable? |
John the Greater | 16 Aug 2016 8:16 a.m. PST |
Your fences should be fine. I generally assume that fences were built and replaced at different times, so different shades of wood work. Of course I may be rationalizing because I built my fences at different times and have tried out different paints (or even the goo at the bottom of my brush cleaning pot.) |
uglyfatbloke | 16 Aug 2016 8:21 a.m. PST |
They're your fences and who's to say that any stretch of fence might not have been replaced(and therefore unbleached or faded) shortly before the battle? Our's are all a pale grey with a dark wash and they look OK, despite the fact that they have been made by me. |
uglyfatbloke | 16 Aug 2016 8:22 a.m. PST |
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ConfederateSwede | 10 Oct 2016 11:24 a.m. PST |
Well I think I've done with my troops for Pickett's Charge, some here:
So once they're placed on the field, would each regiment have drummers, buglers, file closers etc? And would each of the VA regiments have Virginia State flags? |