Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Perry Brothers ACW Dismounted Union Cavalry

Good day and happy Sunday from Ontario, Canada, where March has come in like a lamb after dumping a LOT of snow on us.   The path to my front door looks suspiciously like a Great War communications trench!   

As I find some more time for my blog, which is more and more just a hobby diary with photos (and bless those of you who do sop by and comment), I have some photos of a project I finished over the Christmas holidays, which are rather a distance in the rear view mirror now.

I’ve become a fanboy for Perry Brothers miniatures, which though pricey and perhaps smaller than the heroic 28mm scales in vogue these days, are full of detail.  Here is a unit of 28mm ACW dismounted Union cavalry, to give me a second such unit for the tabletop.  The flag I believe is from GMB Designs.  Sorry, the lighting on these photos is not of the best.

Sergeant Davis is not having a good day.  He reminds me of a character in Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage:  “The lieutenant, retiring from a tour after a bandage, produced from a hidden receptacle of his mind new and portentous oaths suited to the emergency.  Strings of expletives he swung lash like over the backs of his men, and it was evident that his previous efforts had in nowise impaired his resources.

One of the curious things about these sculpts is that one set are cast in the classic cavalry piped shell jacket and piped riding breaches, while another pack look like mounted infantrymen: they have Sharps carbines but are wearing the classic four button sack coat, with infantry trousers and brogans (shoes) instead of riding boots.   I painted all of the collars with yellow piping to give a uniform impression. 

Ready to see off Johnny Reb while waiting for the infantry to come up.

 

In some decent lighting.

 

The finished regiment on the tabletop, awaiting they first fight.  They did well enough.   More on that in another post.

I have a box of Perry plastic mounted cavalry and two sets of householders to do next, and then, with my previously painted figures,  should have the makings of a tidy little Union cavalry brigade.

Blessings to your brushes!

MP+