"Antietam 17th September 1862" Topic

Reinforcements

I have been busy conversing and adapting Union and Confederate forces.

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The Zevada Russian Guard artillery men worked out reasonably well and has given some nice poses.

Stretlets, chopped and with new heads also worked out well.

The Revell No.4 gunners have benefitted by removing the original lanyard and replacing it with it with a horsehair one.

I quite like my Confederate Revell chap with a coiled prologue rope.

I have a few Kennington figures involved here which are very nice. Unfortunately however, the company through SHQ miniatures has been sold and this source, at least for the moment has closed.

I found that Newline troops mounted on Itallieri and aimed horses compensate for the smaller size of their figure quite well.

I also had the opportunity of tickling up some very old Airfix chaps from my youth.

It was especially pleasing to re activate my ADC conversion holding his map from some forty five years plus ago. However a new Itallieri head and horse have helped the update.

Lots to do.

Sharpshooters part 2

I have completed my sharpshooters in a variety of green and also blue uniforms.

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I particularly like the Stretlets crawling and cocking lying down figures even though they are not so ‘clean' as some of their other sets.

Stretlets seem to have gone for a Vuvuzelas ‘look' for their buglers as of late.

I chopped the bugle and hand off an Italieri Confederate bugler and replaced it.

Lots to do.

Chris

1841 Model 6Pdr cannon

Designed by the USA Department of ordinance and used successfully during the Mexican war this cannon was effectively obsolete by the time of the Civil War.

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Whilst capable of firing solid, Spherical case, common shell and cannister it was super ceded by the more powerful Napoleon 12Pdr ( licensed in the US in 1857) and as a result, was being phased out.

However, research shows that 56 of these cannons were in service with the Army of Northern Virginia. Reference to ‘Antietam the soldiers battle' and this fascinating link,
has allowed me to place the various cannons used to the unit that used them, fantastic news!

link

Pro rata I will need seven of these cannons for the refight. Two will be with AP Hills Division which did not arrive until late in the day.

I have therefore decided to build five and then ‘pinch' them if necessary.

I have used the Italieri Napoleon carriage with my rope coil attached. A piece of copper with twisted picture wire makes up the elevating screw.

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The barrel is constructed from the Revell British Artillery set. I have carved the barrel rings off as per the US barrel and with a soldering iron made a muzzle hole.

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Tissue paper is used for the trunnions.

A piece of chain makes up the braking chain.

I am quite pleased by the way my cannons have turned out.

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Incidentally, with my new reference source, I have discovered that not all US batteries had six guns.

Many had only four, although of the same type, unlike some of the Confederate mixed batteries.

Fascinating stuff.

The Iron Brigade

This brigade formed from Wisconsin and an Indiana regiment was commanded by Brigadier General John Gibbon.

It served at Antietam in the first Division, First Army Corps.

The brigade was drilled and disciplined, forming a formidable fighting unit.

Gibbons saw to it that the Brigade wore the ‘Old army ‘ uniform of frock coats and distinctive black hats.

White canvas leggings were also issued but were at least initially, not popular.

Apparently Gibbon's horse was attired as a prank with the said leggings, but he seems to have been universally respected as a commander.

I was initially going to use the Kennington troops and indeed purchased a sample to begin building the unit.

Then the business was sold and they are currently unavailable. However, the Call to Arms set has Iron Brigade figures but unfortunately only four of them.

I therefore decided to swap heads onto Stretlets figures to get a more interesting unit.

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The Kennington figures are a little larger but perspective will help them mingle I am sure.

Lots to do.

Chris

Antietam casualties

The 17th of September 1862 was to be America's bloodiest day with a total of 22,717 men killed, mutilated or ‘missing' between the combatants.

Source..Ezra A. Carman.

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No doubt my re fight will be no less bloody and casualties in their hundreds will be required.

The Stretlets figures have some very useful poses.

Massimo's beautiful figures are excellent and Newline, whilst a bit small are also of value.

The Speria range is fantastic, although expensive when requiring large amounts of troops.

I also have some bits from the Dioramica sale box which are useful.

I bought the Ykerol Bull Run collection which is the usual jumble of dead. However, carefully separating them from the bases provides some good casualty poses.

I have commenced a lot of chopping to keep the costs down and the Frankenstein collection is gathering pace.

My very good friend Thomas Mischak has very kindly painted up some of the Speria troops for which I am very grateful.

His skill far exceeds mine.

Lots to do

Chris

Confederate cavalry and artillery drivers

I have been very privileged to receive some rare Gulliver figures from Egbert and Wolfgang Meyer.

I have painted some of these up as cavalry and also artillery drivers.

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Personally, I think the horses, which are of the galloping variety are not as good as the Italieri ones and have reserved them for casualties.

Horse hair makes good reins.

The chap at the end was a Revell saluting figure before his new life.

The other drivers are a mixture of Hat Austrians and a Zvevda fellow.

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Sharp eyes may spot the two Airfix WW1 RHA artillery chaps from my youth with new heads and greenstuff.

Thank you once again to Egbert and Wolfgang for their kindness.

Lots to do.

Chris

Model 1841 12Pdr Howitzer

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According to Ezra Carmen the Confederates deployed fifty six of these pieces at Antietam.

Designed as a howitzer it was superseded by the Napoleon which could fire all types of ammunition thus making it obsolete.

I was not going to use this piece but after seeing an interesting article on the Stretlets forum I purchased some Jacklex cannon which are great value.

The Jacklex gun is a nice scale model but the trail is very thin.

The barrel and wheels are great so I thought 12Pdr howitzer!

I want my cannon to look the part so I carved up the axle assembly on the Italieri gun to reduce its width.

The Jacklex wheels with the correct fourteen spokes were then fitted along with the Jacklex barrel.

It is a source of bewilderment why producers create products that are inaccurate, such as the wrong amount of spokes on a wheel.

My rope trick, chain and an elevating screw from the Stretlets Whitworth set completed the gun.

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I am pleased with this conversion.

Lots to do.

Chris

Overwhelming generosity

My very good friend Thomas Mischak has sent me an early Christmas present and I am overwhelmed!

Thomas is primarily a Napoleonics man, but has spent his time and money helping me with my Antietam project.

I am genuinely overwhelmed by his generosity as a fellow modeller and human being.

A parcel arrived this morning and amongst the goodies were Speira wounded, a lovely officer conversion, gravestones for the Antietam cemetery and Walling.

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A special order of his from Ingo is for an idea I have for a picture with the Irish brigade, outstanding.

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Gulliver cavalry and some vegetation completes my treat.

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The painting standard is light years above mine and I feel humbled by this kindness.

I will strive to do them and Thomas justice.

Lots to do,

Chris

Washington Artillery ( New Orleans ).

Founded in 1838 this unit was the oldest Louisiana military formation originally trained to fight as infantry as well as artillery.

Initially formed from the elite of society these men served the guns whilst the drivers were from poorer stock.

They were a disciplined unit with four companies fighting in the ANV and a fifth in the Western theatre.

They were Originally uniformed in a dark blue frock coat, sky blue trousers and their to be famous blue and red hats.

By Antietam they had lost the original appearance but retained the hats and a reputation for efficiency.

Forming part of Longstreets artillery reserve under Col. J.B. Walton they were a formidable fighting force.

The main armament ( from J M Priest, Antietam, the soldiers tale) seems to have been a mixture of howitzers and Napoleons. I have therefore given them two of each.

I have utilised several manufacturers for the men and have included some conversions too.

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Lots to do.

Chris

114 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

Collins Zouaves, Zouaves d'Afrique

The Zouave regiments add a splash of colour as well as dash to a Union army in my opinion.

Two units engaged at the original action, Baxter's fire Zouaves and the 9th New York, Hawkins Zouaves were fairly sombrely dressed.

However, the only unit in the famous red trousers engaged, seems to be the one company of the 114th Infantry.

Charles H.T. Collis a Pennsylvanian lawyer raised a company, entitled the Chasseurs d'Afrique in 1861 as a bodyguard to General N.P. Banks.

The company was drilled in Zouave tactics and forged a reputation as an effective fighting force in various engagements leading up to Antietam.

However, during the Antietam campaign Collis had traveled to Philadelphia to organize the formation of the 114th Infantry Regiment leaving the company attached to the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry regiment.

The Chasseurs First Lieutenant had been arrested for drunkenness, the 2nd Lieutenant had been captured and the command had devolved to a Fifth sergeant George Doriot.

You can not make this stuff up!

I had hoped that I could model the whole regiment but it's first action at full strength was Fredericksburg.

I therefore have taken the liberty of making a small unit up from SHQ figures which I will attach to a Union unit in the Twelfth Corps. Sergeant Doriot has been promoted by myself.

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Lots to do.

Chris

Sharpsburg high street.

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The town of Sharpsburg was officially created by a Joseph Chapline Jr in 1763 with a natural spring determining its location. The ‘big' or ‘great' spring had long been a water source for the Indians and settlers alike.

It is my intention to only have the entrance to the town, by the Lutherin church, displayed on my battlefield as the main actions took place elsewhere.

Nevertheless it is significant and so I have constructed some buildings as per Gardner's photo.

It is noticeable that the buildings are of a much more basic nature but that is perhaps indicative of most urban areas as you approach them, with the finer edifices nearer the centre.

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Hopefully, I have now finished building, buildings.

However, when I set out the landscape ( eventually) I will take a view about the Mumma and Roulette barns.

At last, progress!

Chris

Boom, Bang, Crash

The American Civil War is often referred to as the first industrial war because of the many innovations in technology, engineering and logistics that were applied in pursuance of the war aims.

One of the major battlefield developments was the improvement in rifled weaponry and the rapid expansion of explosive ordnance.

Traditionally an artillery battery would have several solid shot cannons and a few howitzers to fire common shell. Shrapnel, a Napoleonic invention was also a variant on the common shell principal.

Nevertheless the bursting charge of these devices was still gunpowder, classified as a low explosive.

A low explosive is essentially a chemically induced gas expansion at subsonic speeds, whilst a high explosive is supersonic.

I have seen all sorts of interpretations of gunpowder explosions, some bordering on semi nuclear.

However, the best analogy I can think of is the humble ‘banger' of my childhood.

Essentially, a cardboard tube of gunpowder with a short fuse once lit exploded with a loud bang, a cloud of smoke and a stink of bad eggs.

This link will stir many a memory.

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This I would suggest is a classic gunpowder explosion albeit without the metal shards and debris.

For Antietam along with the traditional round shot I will need to represent the effect of explosive ordnance.

I have used thin wire with a ‘puff' of cotton wool with yellow and red dots on a to represent aerial activity. The ‘throw' effect is forward, naturally.

Ground explosions are created by finely stretching heated sprue to length.

I then glued the sections into a V shape and painted white.

I used a dollop of decorators caulk, painted brown for the base which will be buried in the sand.

Thin cotton wool teased out, decorated with chinchilla dust and or sand creates the debris field.

A light spray of hair spray helps adhesion and a few specks of yellow and red at the base simulate the ignition.

My poor Reb is being unfairly targeted.

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Lots to do.

Chris

Conversions

I have been chopping and swopping again.

The Newline bare headed gunners are most useful for transforming some pretty ugly looking figures into something far more acceptable.

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Whilst I am not a great fan of swinging muskets around, it's a most inefficient use of what is effectively a spear, the Pegasus Napoleonics do convert nicely with a bit of greenstuff for rolls and canteens etc.

This is me with a said Springfield.

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Incidentally, I came across this ‘making of' link.

YouTube link

Fascinating stuff and whilst clips are on U Tube I can not seem to locate the full article.

Any help would be appreciated before I e mail the NPS at Antietam.

Lots to do.

Chris

My primary interests are 28m Napoleonic and, latterly, Free French vehicles for Paris 1944, but, saying that, I have lately been involved in supplying Prussian cavalry for a massive Waterloo project, in 1/72. So far I have stuck to metals but am constantly inspired by your chopping, swaps and conversions. I said it earlier on this topic, a great lesson here in what imagination can do!

Thank you Mr D for your kind comments.

Metals present a bit more of a challenge but sawing and chopping is practicable.

I too have been supplying James with troops for his massive project.

I would like to do more but finishing Quatre Bras and progressing Antietam are very time absorbing.

Best wishes,

Chris

I was doing some research and came across this ‘War of Rights' promotional video that sets out the terrain for Antietam.

The detail is superb although there are a number of mistakes, ie the Otto Farm , opposite the Sherrick Farm has disappeared.

Nevertheless, good stuff for terrain dressing ideas.

YouTube link

Happy viewing,

Chris

Wagons roll

The Civil war armies used wagons by their thousands in order to transport munitions, foodstuffs and necessaries from the railheads to the battlefields.

Whilst the Confederates used anything to hand including captured US stock the principal US vehicle was a purpose built wagon, authorised in 1855 and produced with various modifications until 1865.

The vehicle weighed 2000 pounds and could carry a similar weight.

Originally designed for use with four horses or mules this specification was later upgraded to six animals.

An interesting point is that the teamster rode the inside rear mount and was not positioned on the vehicle ala John Wayne etc.

Here is a drawing I found showing the standard army wagon and it's principal features.

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These contemporary Pictures illustrate the wagon.

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Here is the basic uncovered wagon.

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Jacklex miniatures do a very nice wagon with mules but it is not cheap so I decided to utilise the IMEX wagons rather than build from scratch.

I firstly used cardboard to represent the tailboard detail.

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I constructed the front tool box from balsa with card hinges.

The hooped structure I was going to build with card as the originals used wooden hoops.

However, picture wire works well as it can be easily bent to shape.

To provide the accommodation holds for the hoops I heated a needle, held by pillars over a gas flame and then inserted it in the base.

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Once completed the brake system was made out of balsa.

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Toilet paper cut to size completes the canvas which these vehicles were uniformly equipped with as I found tissue to be too uniform in texture.

I was going to paint the canvas's but I think they look good ‘au natural'.

The horse team in this instance, are from the Revel and Imex sets with tissue covers and Hat Austrian trails.

A web site suggested that the bodywork should be a light blue with Venetian red wheels. My research suggests that the monochrome pictures indicate a uniform colour. Mr Adkin in his Gettysburg companion has them in green as per my initial picture so green it is.

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The camera has revealed a few bits that need attention but I think they have the ‘feel' of the period.

Incidentally I found a fascinating link on Civil war logistics .

All you need to know about kitting out,supplying and feeding a civil war soldier!

PDF link

Fascinating stuff.

Chris

Despatch rider

Thank you to everyone for their kind words which are most appreciated.

I noticed this super piece of modelling from the Gerschite in Miniturian forum as part of Salaberry's Napoleonic project.

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The sheer dynamism of the subject is in my opinion brilliant.

Therefore I thought some chopping should be attempted to see if I could get something similar.

A poor Itallieri US cavalryman was selected and by chopping his leg off and rotating it I got the look I was after.

Unravelled picture wire provides new reins and the stirrups.

A little greenstuff fills the poor chap's crotch.

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Hopefully, he will look the part after painting.

Best wishes,

Chris

I just found this thread. To say I am in awe is an understatement.

Thank you for your kind words.

You might like this fuller link with the story to date.

link

Hookers Corps is complete and Mansfield's is in progress.

Lots to do.

Best wishes,

Chris

Many thanks to Sala for his help with the ADC idea.

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I have now completed Hooker's First Corps and have commenced work on Mansfield's Second Corps.

This Corps included a great many recruits with very limited training.

I felt that a little martial music might cheer them on.

Having done a spot of research I carved up the Stretlets offering and added a bass drummer with a drum from greenstuff and stretched sprue drumsticks.

The brass instrument of choice was the saxhorn it seems.

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I used thin wire for the pipe work with greenstuff for the bell section.

Itallieri flag bearers heavily mated with US cavalry arms made up the players.

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They are not perfect but I think they will pass muster in the field.

Gentlemen, ‘When Johnny comes marching home'.

1/2/3/4……..

YouTube link

Lots to do.

Chris

Reinforcements

I am currently building up Mansfield's Corps and the arrival of the new Hat figures has allowed me to proceed in style.

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I really like these figures and they are very much in the the Perry style.

I have kept the red sashes for the junior officers as the Corps was predominately inexperienced and yet to learn that symbols of rank equated to special target practise.

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The Hat mounted officer is very small in my opinion so I used an Itallieri fellow for this unit.

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My order was troubled by mould flash and the bayonets especially are resistant to paint even offer washing.

This is a huge disappointment but I will try priming PVA to get a better adhesion.

On to Richmond!

Lots to do.

Chris

Texas Brigade

Forming half of John Bell Hoods Division under the command of Colonel William T. Wofford the Texas Brigade had earned itself a reputation as the Confederacy's shock troops.

The original unit reported some of the highest unit casualties at Antietam and the First Texas lost its flag along with nine standard bearers.

This flag, known as ‘ Mrs Wigfall's wedding dress' ( the original Colonel's wife and daughter made it) was inscribed with the battle honours of Gaines Mill and Seven Pines.

I have used a generic Texas State flag along with a battle flag to represent the brigade rather than an individual regiment.

The troops are a mixture from various manufacturers along with head swaps.

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Lots to do.

Chris

Casualties and conversions

I have been clearing away my Quatre Bras re-fight and I wondered about using Hagen Dutch Belgians as Union casualties.

Essentially to my mind, after chopping off the cuffs they make a good conversion.

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The Schilling couple required a simple Italieri head swap whilst the crawling wounded are from my British WW11 wounded, repainted with Kepis.

The Italieri WW11 walking wounded couple were once again a head swap.

Art Miniturian ‘struck' in action figures benefited from Master Massimo's Springfields from his excellent US wounded pack through Hagen.

There is also a sprinkling of Yekerol dead painted up as Federals.

I like the smoking Italieri fellow, sliced and mounted on a cavalry torso.

He seems to be happy with his pipe.

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Mansfield's Corps is nearing completion.

Then it's onto ‘Bull' Summers enormous Corps featuring Baxter's Fire Zouaves and the Irish Brigade amongst others.

Lots to do but moving in the right direction at last.

Best wishes,

Chris

Baxter's Fire Zouaves

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Formed in August 1861 by Colonel Edward D Baker, a powerful Congressman and friend of Abraham Lincoln, they originally formed part of four regiments representing California.

It was a large unit comprising fifteen companies rather than the usual ten.

However, after the Battle of Balls Bluff where Baker was killed, the unit returned to the umbrella of Pennsylvania serving in the second Brigade, second Division Second Corps under the command of Colonel DeWitt, Clinton Baxter.

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I have used mainly the Hat Zouave offering with some Italieri troops and a few Kennington ones as well.

Head swaps to Kepis and a much chopped Baxter from the Hat Civil War command, a French WW1 officer's face for him along with an Italieri Kepi complete the unit.

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Troiani states that the units trousers were standard Kersey wear but I have ad libbed a bit by using the Zouave trousers of the production figures.

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I do not feel it detracts from the look of the unit. Colonel DeWitt seems happy even missing a row of buttons!

Lots to do.

Best wishes,

Chris

Straw stacks. Part two .

I was not convinced about my haystacks and further research into them has proved interesting.

The Smithsonian has several pictures of them which contradict the Gettysburg cyclorama versions. Mr Philippoteaux was French and I wonder if his interpretation was based on the French style?

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The Antietam area was heavily Germanic and these pole based structures are still used today.

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My wonderful wife, Der Feldmarschall found this great site from our railway modelling friends.

YouTube link

I used a hand crafted cardboard tower with a central disk to support a cocktail stick otherwise the the technique is exactly the same.

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A little trimming Is required but much better than the Mark one haystack in the background.

Lots to do.

Chris

Straw Stacks part Three!

My friend the good General has pointed out that a thatch type roof would be required for haystacks to keep the water out.

Oblivious really, but I got a bit carried away by our railway modeller friend.

When I commenced this project I had no idea that my research would take into the realms of agriculture, sawmilling, road building etc.

Fascinating stuff.

Anyway, having watched various U Tube films on the differences between straw and hay together with tutorials on how to build a real one I have redesigned mine with some grass additions.

I am quite pleased with the end result.

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Lots to do.

Chris

Preliminaries

I have now cleared Quatre Bras away and wanted to see how it fits together on my table.

I therefore placed some of the principal buildings in their approximate positions to see how the ‘feel' was.

Apart from the Newcomer house which may need reducing in size and the orientation of North and South to maximise the relevant terrain area I feel that things are progressing in the right direction.

Topography and landscaping will be undertaken once my new garage door is fitted.

I will also need terrain extensions for the Rhorbach bridge assault area and the Union artillery on the Newcomer heights.

Both views looking roughly north towards the Miller and Nicodemus farms.

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Lots to do.

Mr Toombs Georgians

Mr Robert Augustus Toombs moved from his lawyer job in Georgia to serve as a notable orator in the US senate before eventually joining the fledgling Confederacy. He was hoping for high office in the Confederate government but it appears his hard drinking went against him . The appointment of Jeff Davis as President convinced him to join the army and it was as a Brigadier-General he found himself at Antietam.

My chap is going to require a shave I think.

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I personally have found the Stretlets offerings to be most useful especially when they are mixed up a bit.

Whilst some flash is annoying and tricky to remove the effort to make the figure's faces personalised is in my opinion a triumph.

The skirmish set is a case in point and I have created a unit that will be ideal in defending the Rhorbach bridge ( now Burnsides bridge) in my re-fight.

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Many thanks to Mr Bessiere for the shoe-less rebel idea.

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Many poor souls had no or worn footwear which contributed to an epidemic of straggling. Indeed it is estimated that six thousand stragglers swelled Lee's Army the day after the battle.

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I had toyed with the idea of swapping some Zulu feet but I feel that in 20mm the reward will not be commensurate with the effort.

Starting to get there.

Chris

North Carolina Troops

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My research suggests that the best clothed, dressed and most uniformed troops in the CSA were those from North Carolina.

The State traded directly with England despite the blockade and ended up with ninety two thousand unused uniform suits at the end of the war.

This is a fascinating link.

PDF link

Whilst some brigades were state homogenous, others were mixed. I have chosen to field three NC Brigades dressed in the state uniform. This allows different poses that can be interchanged once the fighting starts.

Apparently Lee had issued orders that only the Battle flag could be carried by the Army of North Virginia. Certainly the Texas regiments carried state flags as the 1st Texas had theirs recovered by a private Samuel Johnson of the 9th Pennsylvania reserves in Mr Miller's cornfield.

I do not want to go over the top but I feel a few state flags will add a splash of colour to the event.

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Incidentally I have found this blog to be a fountain of ACW information by an enthusiast who seems to know his stuff.

link

Starting to come together.

Chris

IRISH BRIGADE

Authorised in September 1861 and initially commanded by Michael Corcoran, the unit was, following the dropping of his court martial, despatched to take part in the battle of 1st Manassass ( Bull Run).

The unit performed well although Corcoran was wounded and captured.

Command was then given to a Thomas Francis Meagher .

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This fellow, having been initially condemned to death for his part in the Irish uprising of 1848, avoided a reduction in sentence to life imprisonment in Tasmania by escaping to San Francisco.

He actively recruited Irishmen in New York and effectively built up the Brigade and uniquely insisted that 80% of the troops be armed with the 1842 smooth bore musket in order to use the ‘buck and ball' ammunition system as he believed in getting close to the enemy.

Success in the Seven Days campaign brought recognition of the units fighting skill which would be called upon at Antietam.

In the original action there were 540 casualties out of approximately 1200 engaged.

This was a large brigade and I have therefore used sixty troops to represent it.

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The units Irish Catholics were represented by Father William Corby CSC.

I originally converted a chap, seen blessing the Orndorff mill earlier in the text to represent him.

However, my very good friend Thomas Mischak, as a surprise and to my delight ordered and painted an excellent model for me.

Thank you again Thomas

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Interestingly, Meagher died on the 1st July 1867, falling off a steamboat into the Missouri River . A hard drinker, was it an accident, suicide, or, as claimed murder?

Fascinating life histories these fellows.

Getting there slowly.

Chris

Casualties, chaos and conversions

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At my twenty to one ratio I will require roughly two thousand five hundred Union infantry to represent the Corps involved based on Carmen's meticulous work.

As the assaults will be staggered to reflect McCleans non involvement ( probably with some form of modifier) I will be able to use some units post bashing, elsewhere, saving a lot of work.

However, their unit remains will require representing and hence the high volumes of casualties being created.

I have utilized many troops from Quatre Bras which, after a little chopping are in my opinion most satisfying.

Head swaps and chopping transform Brunswickers into combatants from both sides.

I notice that one poor chap minus his foot has stopped bleeding.

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The camera is as merciless as ever.

Getting there.

Chris

Join the Cavalry!

The Union cavalry division was posted, against convention, in the Union centre and played little part in the action.

McClellan apparently toyed with the idea of charging the Confederate gun positions on cemetery ridge but was thankfully, to those concerned, dissuaded from repeating the Light Brigade's experience eight years earlier.

Nevertheless, elements of the Division, supported by artillery and elements of Fifth Corps , Second Division, General George Sykes did cross the middle bridge and engage the enemy.

Whilst my cavalry to date are destined for escort duties I have been chopping to enhance the Stretlets and Itallieri offerings with a view to skirmishing.

I really like the Italieri cavalry. They have good faces, crisp detail and chop up well allowing the imagination to do the rest.

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Forrrrrward ho!

YouTube link

Best wishes,

Chris

Join the cavalry ( part two).

I have been playing with my skirmish element of the cavalry and owe a debt of gratitude to a Steve from the Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.

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He and his group are a mine of information about US. ACW cavalry and I recommend any student of the period to look into their fascinating tutorials. For example ….

YouTube link

YouTube link

I wanted to do some horse holders and Steve has shown me the correct method of doing this with the slip knot method and one rein for three horses as opposed to my original nonsense.

For the horses I used the Stretlets offerings with green stuff accoutrements as they do not hold the riders well. The Itallieri offerings are far more attractive in my opinion and seat the occupants well.

I was very pleased with Revell Panzergrenadiers chopped up to offer something a bit more dynamic along with the Airfix US WW1 chap.

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All in all, a pleasing result.

Forward……March.

YouTube link

Getting there.

Chris

Join the cavalry three

I have now completed my mounted US cavalry unit and am pleased with the ‘mix' of Stretlets , SHQ and Itallieri troops.

Upon reflection I might do a few more and a further officer would make sense.

The Stretlets swords are a bit chunky but the figures are wonderfully detailed down to the rifle clips on the rifle bearing guys.

The Union standard bearer reminds me of the old Britain's guy I had as a kid, a long time ago.

The flag is smaller than an infantry flag but still looks enormous compared to the guidon.

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I have now completed Hooker's, Mansfield's and Jackson's Corps .

Summer's massive Corps is nearing completion and Longstreet is well under way.

All in all, the destination is coming into view.

Hooray!

Lots to do.

Chris

Conversions

I have been revisiting some of my childhood Airfix figures and have reinstated a few by way of a bit of light chopping.

I am pleased with the surrendering group but am thinking that the Japanese chap would be better with greenstuff to cover his arms.

The WW1 German turned out well and the use of Revell artillery tops on Italieri bottoms has given a selection of artillery drivers.

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Mansfield had two sharpshooter companies in his Corps.

My very good friend Thomas Mischak sent me this lovely picture along with a couple of painted Speria figures .

I thought a little chopping might emulate the flavour of the scene and am pleased with the result.

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The idea of PVA glue filling any join gaps is inspired, thank you.

Starting to get there.

Best wishes,

Chris

Cardboard and conversions

After my preliminary positioning on my sand table I felt that I could expand the Sherrick farm a little and decided upon the summer kitchen as a small but effective build.

The Library of Congress as stated before is a treasure trove of information including technical drawings and picture records, fantastic.

url=https://postimg.cc/CdWGfw8q]

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My cut up cardboard box, decorators caulk and Wills plastic tiling along with a balsa and caulk chimney have been most pleasing in coming together to make this little structure.

url=https://postimg.cc/CzkjG9C6]

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I was going to drill the ventilation brick holes but they are so small I used ink.

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In the meantime I have rejuvenated an old Airfix US cavalry officer from my childhood. He has a new Italieri head, pistol and scabbard and looks very dashing.

An Airfix commando conversion from who knows when got a repaint as a fleeing Blue Belly.

I did a bit of chopping and swapping for the US prisoners who I feel look quite natural.

Head and body swaps contributed the artillery officers, Stretlets ex Zouave assisting and the Polish walking wounded.

I have also painted a new ‘Traveller' for Marse Robert as research suggested he was a lighter grey than originally thought.

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Lots to do.

Chris

Light artillery, casualties and doors

The light artillery were the equivalent of the ‘ horse artillery' of Napoleonic times, assigned to the cavalry as opposed to infantry support.

As the middle bridge saw these troops in action, I decided to manufacture from Revel artillery and Itallieri cavalrymen some riders to accompany the guns.

I am very pleased with the commanding officer.

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More chopping has provided extra battlefield horror. Whilst as stated before I do not think much of waving rifled muskets around like baseball bats I could not resist gluing an Esci chap to an Imex one for a more dynamic pose.

When I visited Antietam with Der Feldmarschall in 2002 I discovered a wonderful book, ‘Battle in the Civil War' which has lots of superb drawings which provide stimulus to the imagination as well as being a mine of information.

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Good news on the garage door front. It will be fitted in a few weeks time and I can then start measuring out and sculpting.

Progress!

Back to Cassions

The Itallieri ACW limbers and teams are, similarly to the French artillery set a complete nonsense with the caveat that at least no riders are being whipped in the ACW version!

Rather than waste a resource I determined to convert them into something a little more realistic.

The ACW system was essentially two ammunition boxes on a trailer that featured a spare wheel. Whilst the boxes could be removed they where generally left in situ.

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By chopping the Italieri box ( it's too big) off, a base is left with a hole.

I then fashioned ammunition boxes from balsa, the front one having a sliver of additional balsa stuck on top to compensate for the difference in height.

These are then stuck to the frame and greenstuff applied to cover the gap and any holes in the balsa.

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Bent, unravelled picture wire is then inserted into the balsa to provide the handles. Balsa loves wire and a small piece of copper earthing wire forms the spindle for the spare wheel.

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I think, when painted they will pass muster along with the Revell adaptations I built earlier.

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Good news, the garage door arrives on Monday.

Getting there.

Chris

Confederate firing line

I have personally think the Stretlets range of ACW figures has been a huge bonus to my project. Their range is fairly extensive and has allowed, by mixing them up a bit a huge variety of poses as opposed to the formal lines of old.

Also, due to the nature of the ‘uniforms' marching and firing lines can be swapped without having to duplicate a unit saving a lot of painting.

This along with the expedient of swapping standard bearers for Confederate units, to represent different states units is most helpful.

This tatty bunch are itching to avenge South Mountain!

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Good news, the garage door has arrived and will be fitted this week.

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Making progress at last.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris, this thread is rich with your devotion and creativity.

On top of that – a sand table for your setups too!

(good luck with that door) ;)

Thank you for your kind comment.

The door is now installed!

Full speed ahead, but first…..

The Samuel Mumma Barn

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Following my rough positioning of the buildings on my table I felt that there was enough room for the Mumma barn.

Whilst the ‘footprint' will be out of scale the visual aspect will hopefully be enhanced. I intend that whilst the buildings will ‘tactically' be of importance, their presence for line of sight and movement will be essentially ignored.

Once again the Library of Congress has been a treasure trove of information with technical drawings and photographs.

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I have decided to ignore the flank building structures as the edifice is already huge. These ‘bank' barns were based on a stone base with the wooden top structure allowing access up a slope and movement out through the opposite side onto wagons etc.

I used my card and caulk method to construct the base and balsa to build the rest of the structure. Whilst the model is not one hundred per cent correct I have used my license to keep the dimensions under control.

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Doors were built with card and wire before attachment as experience has taught me this is easier than in situ. Door frames are lined with paper trimmed to size.

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The original house was set ablaze by a Sergeant Major James F. Clark and volunteers from the 3rd North Carolina regiment on the orders of Brigadier Roswell Ripley in order to deprive Union sharpshooters cover.

Sergeant Clark incidentally survived the war and wrote a letter to the Sharpsburg postmaster who happened to be a Samuel Mumma Jr, apologising for his action. However, Samuel wrote back saying he understood the military logic of the destruction of his father's house.

I have therefore made a duplicate top structure in order to set it ablaze as per the original.

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I have left the ramp as I intend to bury the frontage in the sand table as per the original construction technique.

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The camera is as merciless as ever, some of the brackets have slipped amd will require adjustment.

Lots to do.

Chris

The rooves would likely be wood shingles, not slate (what I think you referred to as tile) or tin.

Here are some examples from Gettysburg:

link

Thank you for your link.

I referred to this with the Roulette farm construction as Gardners photographs distinctly show shingles/tiles and not the galvanised roofs of today.

Best wishes,

Chris

Antietam topography

There are many maps of this battle available to help the landscape gardener recreate the terrain and it really is a case of perhaps, where to start?

I have commenced with my Antietam' voices of the Civil War excellent map and by using the same scale and tracing paper with an outline of my table have ascertained approximately what I can fit into the fighting area.

Apologies for the torn off by accident corner.

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This then translates into distances. Everything of course is in yards and miles so a little converting is required. I am not overly concerned with exactitude as I want the end result to look right rather than be a mathematical presentation.

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Once again inconsistencies abound but I found William A Frassanito's camera diagrams to be a most useful tool when I did a rough layout.

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As usual, the contradictions from the reference sources immediately appear. Whilst I am not recreating spot heights, I do want to sculpt the landscape to be an approximate recreation of the original.

The Library of Congress has excellent maps showing the contour lines, fence types, crops etc and is excellent.

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To get a slightly more simplified overview I consulted Ted Ballard's United States Military centre for military history's 2008 staff ride with its excellent maps.

PDF link

Looking at the contour heights we see that he has the Nicodemus Heights on a 525 feet line whilst the LOC states 150 feet!

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You really can not make this stuff up.

Wikipedia states that the town of Sharpsburg is at an elevation of 425 feet which suggests Mr Ballard is correct.

Nevertheless, a ‘feel' of the landscape can be appreciated and this brilliant link from the Battlefield Trust is most useful too.

link

I also dug out David Greenspan's wonderful picture map from my childhood.

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It is not entirely accurate, but it does represent the ground fairly well.

My sketch map will give me a starting point for the basic building blocks.

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The new garage door has been installed and it is time to get the bucket and spade out.

Progress at last.

Chris

Chris,

I once tried to make a digital rendering of the cornfield area, to play a "Before Antietam" scenario on, to game the skirmishing around the East Woods the evening before the battle. Low res version here -

I even had the image printed out on vinyl, fully expecting to be able to populate it with all the snake fences, stone walls, and a few Miller farm buildings, and use it for a game……when I received the mat back from my printer, I hated its look, and it's been sitting in its shipper tube ever since.

Maps – love 'em, hate 'em! :)))

Hi, Interesting stuff and imaginative too.

I am lucky to have a sand table and this makes terrain relatively easy to recreate.

The LOC maps are a joy of detail for modellers.

I am hoping by using maps and terrain pictures to get the ‘feel' of this most sacred of American battles.

Sand pie time!

Best wishes,

Chris

More chopping.

I was fortunate enough to to have the honour of meeting Massimo from Black Watch Minitures at the last Dioramica where I witnessed his genius in action.

His recent Franco Prussian masters are, as usual, outstanding and gave me an idea.

I hope that he doesn't mind but I sliced up a Zvezda Napoleonic mounting ADC stuck him to an Airfix surrendering chap, after turning his hands down with pillars.

An Italieri US cavalrymans head and pistol completes the mounting rider.

The horse was from the Napoleonic command set suitably dressed with Greenstuff and bits from another cavalry horse.

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Time for some landscaping.

Best wishes,

Chris

Progress

I have been measuring distances in order to start the laying out of the battlefield.

A complete nightmare with different sources using different scales which is understandable but the same source using different scales within its terms of reference?

Bonkers.

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What a lovely garage door.

To save my already adled brain I have relied heavily on Mr Frassanito's wonderful book as he actually worked out where Gardner took his pictures, what angles, distances etc.

The LOC maps are great for the detailed work.

I have used my bean stick method of laying out the principle roads .

The water courses are my usual method and apart from the creek are mercifully few.

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The northern end of the field showing showing Mr Millers farm, the Mumma farm and the roof of the roulette farm.

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The southern end showing Sharpsburg, the Sherrick and Otto farms.

The Rhorbach bridge will be on a separate section, the frame of which is in the picture.

Lots of manoeuvring to be done, sand pies to be built but it's a start.

Best wishes,

Chris

Battlefield preparation

I have now erected the background sheets for the view to the west.

Whilst not completely accurate they are reflective and when the woods are inserted they will have the ‘feel' of the rolling countryside of this region.

The weather in 1862 was,after a damp night and misty sunrise, sunny so I am happy with this.

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I have also preliminary sculpted the main watercourses including the mill race at the middle bridge.

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The Nicodemus hill and Hauser ridge are in place along with the principle elevations.

The ground rises gently from the middle bridge to the ridge line and thence down into Sharpsburg. I took a drive with Google Earth along this road with views to the side enroute, very interesting.

The Otto and Sherrick farms are in their approximate positions leading to the mill and town beyond.

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The under lying geology of the area is limestone which shows itself on the surface in places.

I found some limestone in the garden and smashed it up ( inside polythene to avoid injury). The LOC. maps are excellent as to the positioning of these rocks, which certainly in the West wood were good cover for the Confederates.

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The roads have been roughly positioned using balsa for the sunken lane area.

This is the view north from the Newcomer house towards the North wood and Miller farm.

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The ground rises up from the creek before dropping down to the lane itself. This was a primary factor for the bloodbath there in the original battle.

I have a hankering to build the Roulette barn as there is space but we shall see.

It must be noted that whilst the properties far exceed their scale ground space I am trying to replicate the look and the ‘feel' of the battlefield.

The rules will discount their presence for fire and movement purposes and photographic perspective should provide a realism regarding distances.

Progress.

Best wishes,

Chris