Yesterday morning I had a wander through Massachusetts archives. It was most enjoyable and provided inspiration for the current figures I am working on. Time just gets devoured in such a venture and I realised I had spent over ninety minutes over coffee. I wander about and find inspiration from my wanderings , often an image is worth a hundred words.
My favourite was this painting of The Boston Lancers-
A couple of these splendid gentlemen are currently on the painting table. I liked the inclusion of the civilians in the painting too. Maybe I ought to invest in a couple of such figures...
Below are another couple of units currently being converted.
The civilians comment is interesting. The field displays to civilians and the social side were very much part of the Volunteer Movement in the U.K. and USA as you can see from the great crowds in the Illustrated London News print of the Lancashire Rifles Volunteers on my blog post
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It's a shame Frith never painted the crowds at these Victorian scenes.
At this time civilians travelled out to see early American Civil War battles and even the Clacton 1904 Amphibious Landing training field exercise in the U.K. (that we posted film footage of) shows lots of civilians on the cliff tops and beach edges watching.
A great link Mark, I had forgotten that. I definitely need to get some civilians to add to the look of the thing. I wonder if some social climbing, intrigue rules could be added to some scenarios...
DeleteGlad your enjoying this Project Alan- lots to do.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kev, keeps me out of mischief and increases morale in these cold damp days.
DeleteAlan, Field Days for the Militia were always a great spectacle, particularly for socially prominent units, like the Boston Lancers. The unit I first joined in the National Guard, was the old 5th Massachusetts Infantry in Cambridge. There were lots of old pictures and prints along the walls of the Armory. Love to see these fellows on the tabletop. That should give Mr. Macfarlane's lads a good drubbing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment. The old pictures sound fascinating. Is that social side of things on Field Days part of National Guard life today at all ?
DeleteReading accounts from snippets of old newspapers when looking at California it was interesting to read of the shooting competitions, parades etc not to mention the odd fall out with those selling uniforms over headgear. Social history indeed. I was also interested in San Francisco how the people from different countries who had moved to America formed units together, probably very naturally trained together. My forebears came from German around 1900 to Scotland. There wasn’t a German “scene “ in the same way as there was for Italians here.
Btw Mark and others. Were there Uk volunteer units from particular ethnic background like there were from professions?
Another good source of Militia uniforms is the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection. If you search it you will find it. Of course much of it is pre- Civil War uniforms.
ReplyDeleteI have browsed in the collection before and have found it really interesting. Thanks for mentioning it here.
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