Gettysburg 1863

Samuel Gettys settled and built a tavern near the Shippensburg – Baltimore and Philadelphia – Pittsburgh cross roads in the 1760's.  Founded in 1786, Gettysburg was named after him. By 1860 there were about 450 buildings including carriage manufacturing, shoemakers, and tanneries.

One building was the Eagle Hotel.

The Eagle Hotel was used by General Buford as his HQ on the first day of the battle.

 For years following the war it was the hotel of choice for Union veterans returning for reunions.

 

Robert McCurdy and Josiah Diehl opened a new warehouse near the railroad tracks several weeks before the battle. McCurdy was President of the Railroad. 

He was well known and respected businessman on both sides of the Mason Dixon line.

 David Kendlehart had a shoe and boot making business in the town.

 

 John Burns was a veteran of the War of 1812, and a cantankerous former constable who decided to take up arms and go up against the rebels personally. A cobbler at town council President David Kendlehart's boot and shoe shop, Burns had nothing but unkind things to saw about his fellow townsmen whom he considered cowards for not helping out the army.

Fahanstock Brothers General Merchandise...

James, father of Gates, and two brothers operated Fahnestock Brothers General Merchandise a block south of the Diamond.  After the battle the store became the headquarters of the U.S. Sanitary Commission.

 Samuel Buehler and son Alexander operated Buehler's Book and Drug store.

 Cannon Marble Cutting Works was on the corner of Baltimore and East Middle. John Cannon ran a marble cutting yard in back of the house which he probably rented. General Jubal Early made this his HQ on July 2.

 Hugh Scott operated the telegraph office located in his parents house in the first block of Chambersburg Street on June 26 he received warning of the Confederate approach from one of Bell's fleeing troopers and took his telegraph equipment and headed east to York along the turnpike in a borrowed horse and buggy.

 Tyson Brothers Charles and Isaac came to Gettysburg to open a photography studio in 1859. Their house was on Chambersburg Street. On the morning of the battle Charles Tyson was busy taking portraits of Union soldiers lined up in his studio as their units headed into battle. 

I would like to thank Captain Richard from http://captainrichardsminiaturecivilwar.blogspot.com/

for the wonderful buildings he makes for his layout. The Eagle Hotel wall was inspired by the Captain's work from this post here.

                  and Pat from http://wargamingwithsilverwhistle.blogspot.com/

for the fantastic post on his Old West town here. This post by Pat came along at just the right time as  I was about to start on the making of Gettysburg.

If you have not visited these sites before.... get over and have a look, you will not be disappointed!!

Unbelievable find!

Today I came across these old pictures of Gettysburg. I believe these were created about two weeks before the battle.

As I am about 7 weeks into the modelling of the town of Gettysburg for our game soon, these will be very helpful.

Looking north with Taneytown Road in the foreground.

Southwestern corner of  Gettysburg

A view down one of the streets.

The eastern end of East Middle Street

The back of the shops along  York Street with the railway crossing on Carlisle Street in the foreground.

Still trying to confirm  the authenticity of these pictures.

General R.E.Lee

When Virginia declared its secession from the Union in April 1861, Lee chose to follow his home state, despite his personal desire for the country to remain intact and despite the fact that President Abraham Lincoln had offered Lee command of a Union Army.

Lee became the great Southern hero of the War, a postwar icon of the " Lost Cause of the Confederacy" to some. But his popularity grew even in the North, especially after his death in 1870. He remains an iconic figure of American military leadership.

 Lee is a Foundry figure and again the other guys are Perry plastics.

 I wanted something a little different from the Meade command stand, so this time I made one trooper look like he was coming up to Lee with some information and another having a drink from a canteen.

 As Lee is more of a 25mm figure and the plastic Perry guys are much closer to 28mm I have had to raised the stand a bit giving Bobby Lee a bit more height.

 The flag is from the same old place again!

 Close up of the dude with the water bottle.

 

Close up of the dude greeting Mr Lee.

Major General George Gordon Meade

Meade took over command of the Army of the Potomac just a few days before the battle of Gettysburg.

After his victory at Gettysburg Meade received a promotion to brigadier general in the regular army and the Thanks of Congress which commended Meade "... and the officers and soldiers of [the Army of the Potomac], for the skill and heroic valor which at Gettysburg repulsed, defeated, and drove back, broken and dispirited, beyond the rappahannock the veteran army of the rebellion."

 Meade himself is a Perry metal miniature, the other guys are all Perry plastics. This will be the Union army command stand at our re fight in a couple of months time. The flag was stolen from the Internet

ANZAC Day 2013

25th April 2013

The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

 "Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives.
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
Here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have
Become our sons as well."

I finished painting these WW1 Foundry Brit's last week and based them over the weekend. Quick to paint and look much better for an ANZAC day post than all the ACW troops I have been working on for most of this year.

 

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Adding to the ranks.

Finished off some more Rebel Infantry the other week. These guys will be formed up as Semmes' Georgian brigade, consisting of the 10th, 50th, 51st and 53rd Georgia regiments.
Despite only being engaged on the second day at Gettysburg they still suffered just over 32% losses.

General Semmes was mortally wounded during the battle and died a week latter.

Figures are from Renegade and the flags are again homemade.

WW1 German HMGs

Although I finished the painting on the last one of these stands a wee while ago the basing was only finished of the other weekend.

These are all Foundry WW1 HMGs. Two from the early war period and one from later in the war.

These early war HMGs have been painted for a number of years but have only just had the tufts and flowers added.

I see this post has gone out to the world in the way it is meant to. Unlike my last post about Major General Lafayette McLaws!