Antietam 17th September 1862

[C M Dodson]

Oh, I forgot.

Richard, you should not knock your ability.

I have learnt from the observations of many and am getting better.

My early stuff was really poor, but, that’s how we learn. Wolfgang Meyer keeps raising the bar every time you start to approach his level, most frustrating.

Chris

[Bessiere]

According to my father's geneological research one of my great, great, great grandfathers was on Hood's quartermaster staff from the outset of the war to the end. 3/4 of the Texas brigade would become casualties in the cornfield that day. The cornfield will no doubt present a unique challenge to your work as it was very tall and mature at the time.

[Egbert]

You are so hardworking ...
I'm already looking forward to the next progress!

[C M Dodson]

Hello Mr. B, you have an interesting family tree!

Hood’s Division according to Carmen had 2000 effectives at Antietam split fairly evenly between Woffords brigade ( predominantly Texan) and Laws.

Casualties were 54.8 % and 45.4 % including dead, wounded and missing respectively.

These are horrendous casualties but the most spectacular horror was reserved for the 1st Texas with 82.31 %!

As for the Corn ( maize) I have TASMA in abundance, it’s so good you could eat it, well not quite but it’s very realistic.

Thank you again for your support, it is most appreciated.

Best wishes,

Chris

[Bessiere]

Of all the events at Antietam to me the most compelling and heroic is without doubt John Brown Gordon and his defense of the bloody lane. Hit by 4 minie balls and still commanding his troops while standing is a vision of heroism that captures my imagination as nothing else. I just wanted to mention it for your consideration; there are so many moments in the battle worthy of replication many great moments simply cannot be all be accommodated. I suppose genealogy is a great way of making us look to the past but I don't think there's anything unique among my forebears. You would be hard pressed to find many Americans who did not have family fighting in the ACW. My Texas family goes back to the founding of the Republic of Texas but they ended up broke and getting in the Oklahoma land rush. Dirt farmers and common laborers all right up to my own parents. Quick question: do you plan on replicating some of the Brady photos or is that something you intend to not do?

[C M Dodson]

Hello Mr B.

Yes J B Gordon was a hard guy to knock down and a Minnie ball through the mouth must have caused a huge blood loss.

With regard to Brady I believe he is credited with the Antietam photographs. However the actual photographs were the work of Alexander Gardner and James E Gibson.

Indeed Gardner left the employ of Brady later in 1862.

My project, like Ligny and Quatre Bras will be a re fight. The troops will start in their historical positions and then we will see what transpires. I will factor in a McClellan dither factor along with a chance element to represent the indecision of the Union Corps commanders.

The pictures will document the action and whilst I have a few ideas nothing is planned until the action unfolds.

However, I have more buildings and troops to construct and Quatre Bras to finish before I can start laying out the field .

Lots to do .

Best wishes,

Chris

[lobo]

What a complete project Chris¡
Very hard work, but all this efforts is a worthwhile work,
I would like to do in the same way in my AWI project.
Congratulatións¡
Antonio.

[C M Dodson]

John Brown Gordon



Mr Bessieres and myself have discussed this most remarkable gentlemen several times so I thought I would model him as a thank you for his kind suggestions.

J B Gordon of Scots descent was born in Georgia in 1832 and finished his education at Georgia University graduating to the Bar in Atlanta.

With his father he ran several coal mines and also practised as an Attorney.

Having been elected Captain in his regiment at the commencement of hostilities despite no military experience, he rose to the rank of Colonel when his regimental commander resigned.

He saw action in the Peninsular campaign where he was wounded in the eyes at Malvern Hill.

Having been posted to the Richmond area he missed Second Manassas but at Antietam he and the 6th Alabama ( part of Rhodes Brigade) found themselves positioned at the sunken lane in the Confederate centre.

In the original action Mr Gordon was shot in the calf, again further up his leg, again in his left arm, severing a small artery and also his shoulder.

Another Minnie ball went through his left cheek and out through his jaw leaving him face down drowning in his own blood.

Nevertheless, the indefatigable Mr Brown had the luck to have another ‘ball’ go through his cap which allowed the blood to drain away.

He was incredibly nursed back to health by his wife and resumed command again going on to further adventures.

Whilst a bit beyond my project I found this lovely story.

At Gettysburg he attended a wounded Francis Barlow, a Union Divisional commander whom he thought subsequently died.

After the war, the two met in Washington and Gordon asked Barlow if he was related to the late Francis.

Francis, who had survived, asked Gordon if he was related to the Gordon that had ‘killed’ him.

Astounded that Barlow was the original the two remained good friends from that day on.

Stretlets have a Gordon figure but he is mounted. A Colonel on horseback at this period of the war would have been a sitting duck so I decided on a foot representation.

I thought about using this chap as per a Don Troianis picture but felt a more energetic pose would be more in keeping with this astoundingly brave gentleman.

The Stretlets Union Generals has a chap with the big bushy beard without sideburns.

I decided to put a Kepi on him along with a map case rather than go bare headed.



Happy Modelling.

Chris

[Bessiere]

Bravo Mr. Dodson! Very nice figure of Gordon you've created. His role in countless battles where his command either stopped an attack or led a breakthrough is sadly not widely known. I suppose I'm on a bit of a crusade to see him placed on the Pantheon of Southern leaders alongside Lee, Jackson and Stuart. The man was a force of nature.

[Bessiere]

John Brown Gordon


He was incredibly nursed back to health by his wife and resumed command again going on to further adventures.

Chris

His wife Fanny was with the army at Antietam. As he lay wounded he heard his wife approaching and fearing her reaction to his wounds he called to her saying 'here's your handsome husband been to an Irish wedding". During recovery he claimed his greatest danger was Fanny drowning him in mercurochrome she painted his wounds so often. After the war he was unanimously chosen as the leader of the Confederate veterans organization for life. Tells you something of the regard his fellow soldiers had for him.

[C M Dodson]

The Stone Mill



The mill and substantial house that stands behind it are located on Burnside Bridge Road just outside the town of Sharpsburg.

Built around 1800 the mill was used for flour production taking advantage of the spring stream flowing from the town into the Antietam creek.

During the original action the Confederates made a stand here as they fell back from Burnside’s advance.

I managed to find pictures of the mill and house from the LOC and NPS .





The house behind is again substantial and I decided to ignore it in favour of the rather unique mill.

I could not find a picture of the front and Google Earth was limited due to the location off the main road. I have therefore pinched the front elevation from another mill.



Also I was intrigued about where the wheel would have been. I did a bit of digging and found this wonderful website that provided the answer, it was underneath the building.

http://www.angelfire.com/journal/millre ... story.html

The US Army map confirms the watercourse route and the elevated base suggests a water race flowed under the building providing the power.

I have used cardboard with decorators caulk for the construction.







During my investigations I also found this wonderful history of Sharpsburg.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Sh ... m6Ebti62IC

There are some wonderful pictures of the Orndorff mill, I am tempted.....

Happy modelling,

Chris

[C M Dodson]

Conversions and Corps flags

I have been converting more staff gentlemen including a HAT Prussian with a Newline head.



It is nice to see this set back in the shops at last.

The Confederate standard bearer is a Stretlets chap heavily mutilated and grafted onto an Italieri US cavalry pair of legs.

Horse hair reins add to the cavalryman in my opinion.

My understanding is that the Corps flags and unit motifs were commenced in 1863 under General Hooker following suggestions by Mr. Kearny.
However, prior to this General Order No 102, March 24 1862 authorized Corps Flags as follows:

Corps Flags were to have a national flag with a small square flag, of a different color or set of colors, on the same staff as the national flag

I Corps – red, II Corps – blue, III Corps – red and blue in vertical halves, IV Corps blue and red in horizontal halves; on March 26 General Order 110 modified this for III Corps to have a square red and blue flag vertical with (i.e reversed red and blue) the the same change for IV Corps.

I have therefore created the 1st and 2nd Corps flags but can not find any information about 5th, 6th, 9th and12th.



Any information about these flags/colours applicable to Antietam would be much appreciated.



Best wishes,



Chris

[C M Dodson]

Just a note.

I decided to have separate Corps flags as to mount them under a National flag would either make them insignificant, hardly the objective when ID was the name of the game, or require a staff the height of a telephone mast.

Chris

[Bessiere]

Ah Mr. Dodson, I think the information you seek can be found in the Regimental history series by H.E.Howard publishing. Harold Howard was my history teacher that set me on my current path. Where to find those volumes might be problematic, if this lockdown ends I could probably find them at my local library. Mr. Howard passed recently and was an interpreter at the Appomattox historical park for many years.

[C M Dodson]

Hello Mr B, that is an extraordinary kind offer.

I have just Googled Mr Howard and he certainly has been a busy man.

However, all I could find was reference to his Virginia regiments series.

I am looking for the Pre 1863 Corps flags of at all possible.

However, the good news is hopefully we will be out of this mess a long time before the fighting commences and your help will be most appreciated as always.

Stay safe.

Best wishes,

Chris

[Bessiere]

I believe they did books for all the union regiments though they began by doing those of the state of Virginia. Limited press runs of course so they might be hard to locate. Damn shame I moved from Richmond, I had done work for the Museum of the Confederacy so they owed me a couple favors.

[C M Dodson]

Orndorff Mills

I had a quick measure of my table and have succumbed to constructing the mills at the middle bridge as I have had some ideas for future pictures.

Also, there was heavy skirmishing here at the original action.

The pictures I have dug up give a good idea what the original looked like but I have used a little artistic licence.

The building was part stone and part timber so I have used cardboard as well as balsa.

The windows are adapted plastic ones from the bits box



Rev. John Conrad Bucher has popped round to bless the construction.

Originally from Switzerland he apparently was the minister in Sharpsburg around 1764 when the original construction took place.

My chap was originally a conversion to accompany the Irish Brigade. However, my very good friend Thomas Mischak has found someone a lot better suited( and painted) to the task.

Lots to do.

Chris

[Egbert]

Hey Chris,
again such a great building from your house manufacture …
this is amazing what you put in detail work in this mamut project.
The sheer number of researched and reconstructed buildings alone is impressive.
When the whole thing is finished, it will be a superlative show again.

[C M Dodson]

Orndorff grist mill part two.

I have completed the grist mill but have not finished or attached the mill wheel as this is linked to the saw mill which I am about to commence.

The Confederate army retreated from the battle of South Mountain across the Orndorff bridge and I feel that it will make a nice opening shot in order to set the scene.

This picture shows the derelict original mill with the new iron bridge in the background, its predecessor being damaged in the great flood.

https://postimg.cc/v159Qt1P][/url

https://postimg.cc/KkNMTcDB][/url

https://postimg.cc/347GW0m3][/url

https://postimg.cc/BPn1BWmy][/url

The girls are getting pretty well travelled these days.

Lots to do.

Chris

[Bessiere]

Looking great there Mr. D.! The Rebs took a beating at South Mountain so that should make an interesting cameo.