The Battle of Antietam ( Sharpsburg) 17th September 1862

[John Simmons]

More wonderful stuff, Chris. I always enjoy trying to identify the figures and conversions you've used in your game. But the scenery -- buildings, trees, fences, vegetation -- is all so impressive and realistic that I I sometimes forget that you're working with the same toy soldiers as the rest of us! The final photo of the assault on the bridge is particularly impressive, in my view. And your flags always look so perfect. I have a feeling that A. P. Hill can't be far off.

Best,
John

[C M Dodson]

Thank you, once again for everyone’s kind comments.

They are most appreciated.

You are all very kind.

I hope that you spotted the Revell panzergrenadiers amongst the US cavalry John.

The problem with a project of this size is photo repetition.

I had a think about the Rhorbach bridge assault and decided to go micro with some conversions to pretty up the figures. ie. hand and head swaps.

I am very pleased with the result.

AP Hill is still on the Harpers Ferry pike many miles distant.

Next up, 12.15 PM with a guest appearance by little Mac himself.

Best wishes,

Chris

[Egbert]

Model making couldn't be presented more vividly... simply wonderfully staged.

[C M Dodson]

Hi Egbert, the conversion King!

Lovely to hear from you and thank you, you are very kind.

I am working on 12.15PM at Antietam but production is in full swing with Aspern.

Where does the time go?

Best wishes,

Chris

[C M Dodson]

Battle of Antietam ( Sharpsburg ) 17th September 1862

Timeline 12.15 PM.

General McClellan, following the news of Major General Summers repulse has decided to appraise the situation first hand.
Riding his stead, Daniel Webster, he gallops with his staff towards Major General Franklin’s deploying Sixth Corps in order to speak with Franklin and Summers as to his next move. His adoring troops give him a rousing reception.



Union forces under Brigadier General William French are being engaged by General Lafayette’s Confederates by the Piper farm. This is the last effective rebel unit able to provide resistance in this sector.





Union forces having successfully crossed the Rhorbach bridge, are stalled by the fierce Confederate defensive fire.



Brigadier General Samuel D. Sturgis is encouraging his troops to hold in order to allow reinforcements to cross into this bridgehead.

The success or failure of this assault hangs in the balance.

Forward, for the Union!

[santifernandez]

This is what I call diorama and history together.
Santi.

[Iceman1964]

Other scenes of the kolossal movie we are really enjoying

[Bessiere]

More excellent work Mr D. Your work is like fine wine improving with age. Little Mac won't be receiving many more rousing receptions after failing to simply concentrate his forces and barrel through some point in the line, something well within his capabilities. True his casualties were immense but this was the Unions best shot at catching Lee's army and pushing him against the Potomac. In the end it was his timidity and Confederates choosing to stand and die that decided the day (along with AP Hill's timely arrival). The heroism of that day was incredible and showed the nation the kind of brutality the war would wind up in. I find the actions at Fox and Cramptons gaps pretty fierce too.
Cheers,
Bessiere

[Santi Pérez]

This is what I call diorama and history together.
Santi.

Other scenes of the kolossal movie we are really enjoying

Santi and Enrico have summed it up perfectly, Chris. Another excellent chapter in this excellent story.

Santi.

[C M Dodson]

Battle of Antietam ( Sharpsburg ) 17th September 1862

Timeline 12.30 PM

General McClellan is in consultation with a dispirited Major General Edwin V. Summer and Major General William B. Franklin.



Franklin is anxious to deploy his Sixth Corps in order to attack the pulverised Confederate centre around the Dunkard church believing victory is within his grasp.

The cautious McClellan is easily persuaded by Summer to assume a defensive role much to the despair of Franklin.

The focus of action is now the Union left.

Major General Ambrose E. Burnside has captured the Rhorbach bridge and the Confederate troops are falling back as Union reinforcements cross it.




Meanwhile, having invested the Federal position at Harpers Ferry, a determined Major General Ambrose Powell Hill is spurring his light Division onwards towards Sharpsburg to join with Lee.



Time, the most important battlefield commodity, is of the essence.

[MABO]

Every time I hear or read something about this battle, I am amazed anew at the completely wrong conclusions McClellan drew from the situation and the decisions he made as a result. The war could have ended so much earlier.

Once again, three very good photos from your sandbox. The pumpkins are a particularly nice detail.

[C M Dodson]

Thank you MABO.

You are right in that McClellan’s decisions seem to defy logic and good generalship.

He was a ‘political general’ who wanted to win but dare not lose.

His Pinkerton staff constantly supplied him with inflated Rebel troop estimates, sometimes bordering on the fantastical.

Nevertheless, this helped reassure his caution with constant requests to Lincoln for more resources.

I will be doing an after the action report as usual but it is important to note that I am only using troops actually deployed at the original action.

I feel that the deployment of Sixth Corps across the middle bridge as it passed en route to the East Wood area would have been decisive.

Furthermore, Fifth Corps again would have won the day.

Little Mac convinced himself of large Confederate reserves and held these troops back ‘in case’.

Nevertheless, he nearly won but for the arrival of A.P. Hill ‘ in the nick of time’.

Burnside has now started to marshall his forces over the Rhorbach bridge and we shall see how the last act plays out.

Best wishes,

Chris

[MABO]

Even though I know the outcome, I am excited to see how the visual story unfolds!

[C M Dodson]

Hi,

Thank you again.

The action has unfolded very much in line with the original despite McLaws dreadful dice rolls.

The original push by Ninth Corps under Burnside was delayed for three hours hence giving Hill the time to get involved.

My next move sees Rodman’s division crossing at Snaveleys ford completing the outflanking of the Confederate bridge position.

The bottleneck of the bridge with a movement dice variable as per Black Powder will mean that the outcome is not yet guaranteed as a speedy deployment could result in further problems for Lee and his battered forces.

Happy new Year to all.

Best wishes,

Chris

[MABO]

You will show us all!

[Captain Sibourne]

I love the framing of your shots, and the lighting. I use your work as an exemplar for what I seek to do, although we differ in some important regards:

1. Your images are perfectly formed with the photo in mind, to be dismantled in due course. My diorama is designed as a diorama and the photos are hastily taken to shown progress and are the not the end in their own right. Nevertheless, I can learn a lot from your framing.
2. You use very close country which is typical of many ACW terrains, while I am building the largely open terrain of Waterloo.
3. The numbers of troops involved in my diorama is significantly larger.
4. I am lucky to have my father as the modeller of buildings - it's something he loves and excels at.

[C M Dodson]

Thank you for your kind comments Captain.

As you state, my pictures are the photographic record of the progress of the re fight.

I use my camera linked to my I pad in order to avoid camera shake and avoid flags sticking out of heads etc.

Your work is on a completely different scale and dimension.

Best wishes,

Chris