James Ewell Brown Stuart
Having graduated from West Point in 1854 Stuart served with the US army in Texas and Kansas’s .
He took part in the Indian frontier wars and was also a part of the US force that captured John Brown at Harper’s Ferry.
Having resigned his commission as a Virginian he then served under Thomas Jackson in the Shenandoah campaign. Jackson put him in charge of the 1st Virginia cavalry.
Stuart’s exploits in the Peninsular campaign was a public relations sensation and he was promoted to command the cavalry division during the following Virginia campaign.
Further success including capturing General Popes uniform and the pursuit of the fleeing Union army after 2nd Manassas.
Stuart had a flair for not only audacity on the battlefield but personal flamboyance with his ostrich feathered hat and luxuriant beard.
His entertaining and the dispersed nature of his forces during the Maryland campaign did not help the Confederate forces following the discovery of Special Order No. 191.
Personally, I think that the Stretlets Stuart is too squat.
Therefore I chopped his head off and stuck it on the Italieri cavalry officer. The colour scheme is from the illustrated Don Troianis’s painting. Mr T, a terrific researcher has Stuart’s hair as a reddish brown.
My research suggests brown and indeed I came across this lock off the great man taken after his death at Yellow Tavern.
Stuart’s plume was created from static grass and then cut to size, I am pleased with the result.
The general officer is constructed from an Italieri US cavalry telescope chap sliced and matched with a a Stretlets officer holding his hat.
The head is from the tiny but eminently useful Newline Civil War gunners.
Lots to do.
Chris