The Battle of Antietam ( Sharpsburg) 17th September 1862

[Peter]

The picture of the praying soldiers is fantastic!

[Rich W]

The lines of advancing Union troops in the fields look super.

[Minuteman]

More fine pictures! As Rich has observed already, the first picture of advancing Union infantry is very fine and inspiring. I also admire the amount of work that must have gone into the image of the Reverend Corby giving absolution to kneeling soldiers: I presume a fair number - to say the least - of conversions here?

This visual drama here at Benno's is a continuing pleasure, please keep the pictures coming!

[Susofrick]

Can only agree with the others! Why TV and movies, when we have this? Love it! It's so much to drool over!

[Santi Pérez]

Can only agree with the others! Why TV and movies, when we have this? Love it! It's so much to drool over!

I couldn't agree more with this opinion. Chris always leaves us looking forward to the next phase of the battle.

Santi.

[Bill Slavin]

Yes, yes to all of the above! Another brilliant instalment. I, too, marvel at the effort put into painting up, what, 100 kneeling soldiers in pray? The effort you go to, Chris, to tell the story is fantastic and unrivalled.

[C M Dodson]

Thank you to everyone for their lovely comments.

I mentioned the Absolution idea many years ago to my good friend Thomas Mischak having converted a chap to represent the good Reverend.

He surprised me with typical kindness by sending me a new sculpt along with the thirty or so praying troops he had commissioned.

The details are in the WIP section.

I am deeply grateful.

Nine thirty is in production and Burnside will soon be activated by the Roarbach bridge.

Best wishes,

Chris

[sansovino]

I am impressed like many others that you achieve already on a high level such scenes with the prayers. We all have to thank your friend Thomas Mischak for it too. Wonderful!

[JurgenH]

A fantastic dio.

[Beano Boy]

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious BB

[Chariobaude]

the praying soldiers are just wondeful !

[Bessiere]

It bears endless repetition but the absolution scene is magnificent, deeply touching and beautifully rendered. That is a classic vignette of a terribly overlooked aspect of modelling battles. Fantastic work as always Mr D.
Cheers,
Bessiere

[C M Dodson]

THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM ( SHARPSBURG) 17th September 1862

Timeline 9.30AM.

The Union Twelfth Corps is now commanded by Brigadier General Alpheus S Williams following the demise of Mansfield. He is advancing towards the Dunkard church with the remnants of the First and Second Divisions.



His advance is now supported by the Union Second Division commanded by Major John Sedgwick, currently negotiating, with difficulty, the burning Mumma farm complex.

The Union advance at the Mumma farm is being made through a hail of Confederate canister fire from John Bell Hood’s divisional artillery.






Contemporaneously, Hood’s Division is being subjected to heavy Union shelling as it retreats, along with the remains of Jackson’s command into the relative safety of the West wood.



Meanwhile, detecting Union activity on the heights over the Rhorbach bridge Longstreet has ordered another Brigade to support Brigadier General R.A. Tombs troops. This Brigade is passing the John Otto house prior to deploying in support.



Whilst General Jackson has reinforcements of six fresh brigades from Longstreet in reserve, his original command has been severely depleted. The Confederate centre awaits the new onslaught with trepidation.

[Minuteman]

The visual drama of the Battle of Antietam in 1/72 continues to compel us to look in awe. Fine images as the battle continues. The blazing Mumma Farm complex is, I believe, really ablaze here (and therefore requires one careful take and then a blast of fire extinguisher presumably??!). I also admire the buildings throughout this panoramic modelling epic; the John Otto house is - especially if scratch-built - a great piece of model making in detail.

The carnage caused by the close-range canister is shown here...and may, indeed, have been even bloodier for real. Pity the poor infantrymen, in the age of 'Horse and musket' (and afterwards) inevitably the main cannon-fodder.

[C M Dodson]

Thank you Mr M, your thoughts are much appreciated.

The fire is real using my burners as the original edifice is much reduced by the original blaze .

The watering can is always on hand as I have no wish to set fire to our house.

The John Otto house like all the structures in the project is scratch built based on the original properties.

The WIP section of Bennoes has full details, research and methods used in construction.

Best wishes,

Chris

[Bessiere]

I apologize but I have to yell; HELL YEAH!!!! Mr D, you have outdone yourself sir. Just superb. You knew I would ask how you lit your cannons of course. You have also managed to get your cotton very wispy making realistic gun smoke. I would be most interested to learn how that is done too.
Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back. You brought to life a battle I've spent over 50 years wondering how it looked that day. Your work does that in a grand and panoramic fashion.
Cheers,
Bessiere

[Bessiere]

Wars were won and lost on fodder supply of all kinds. Napoleon lost to attrition.

[C M Dodson]

Thank you Mr B.

The secret of getting cotton wool to look whispy is to gently warm it before tugging into shape. Also, less is more, too often massive balls of the stuff are seen engulfing the troops. Gunpowder produces white/grey smoke not the black eruptions sometimes shown.

I posted an article on genuine explosions a few weeks ago. This shows the difference between reality and Hollywood.

You can use a hair dryer or, I generally breath on it.

For smoke effects , once pulled , a light application of a spray die creates the impression of burning smoke. Very fine picture wire provides an armature to support the smoke column.

The blazing Mumma farm is real fire.

For the explosions, a few flecks of yellow and red paint as per the WIP section provide the impression of ignition.

I was going to do the same for the cannon but cheated and photo shopped the tip of the Mumma farm flame as it looked better. Still, it was my personal fire!

Thank you again for your kind support.

Best wishes,

Chris

[Bill Slavin]

How I love this project. I pull up each picture large on my computer screen and simply disappear into the glorious horrific chaos you communicate in your dioramas. The opening shot, with the bodies lying thick on the ground reminds us what carnage was created in these battles.
As a person who makes books for a living, I have to ask you, have you ever thought of publishing your battles, Chris? They deserve to be shared to an even larger audience.

[Rich W]

Fantastic work again Chris. The first photo with all those casualties is something else. And you've done a superb job with the canister fire.