Raglan's American Civil War Project

[Lord Raglan]

Having worked through the bulk of my other wargaming periods, I decided to return to the ACW as this winter's main project. I have dabbled in the period previously, but this time I decided to take a leaf out of Nick Eyre's book and  focus on historical formations, taking time to read up on the history before painting the formation in 28mm scale. After some general reading around the conflict, I decided to start with the Confederates. My first 2 rebel brigades were a pretty easy choice, as I enjoyed reading about the exploits of both Hood and Pickett's Divisions, as a result, these two brigades will be my step off point:

Army of Northern Virginia

Pickett's Division

Armistead's Brigade Colonel William R. Aylett
9th Virginia Infantry Regiment Colonel J.J. Phillips
14th Virginia Infantry Regiment Colonel William White
38th Virginia Infantry Regiment
53rd Virginia Infantry Regiment Colonel William R. Aylett
57th Virginia Infantry Regiment Colonel Clement R. Fontaine

Hood's Division

Robertson's Brigade Bde. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson
3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment Colonel Van H. Manning
1st Texas Infantry Regiment Lt. Colonel Philip A. Work
4th Texas Infantry Regiment Lt. Colonel John P. Bane
5th Texas Infantry Regiment Major Jefferson C. Rogers

Henry's Artillery Battalion Major Mathias W. Henry
Branch (N.C.) Battery Captain Alexander C. Latham
Charleston German(S.C.) Light Artillery Captain William K. Bachman

[Lord Raglan]

Hoods Texas Brigade



The original Texas Brigade was organized on October 22, 1861, primarily through the efforts of John Allen Wilcox, a member of the First Confederate Congressfrom Texas who remained as the brigade's political patron until his death in 1864. The brigade was initially and briefly under the command of Louis T. Wigfall until he took a seat in the Confederate Senate. Command was then given to John Bell Hood (hence the Texas Brigade was often known as "Hood's Brigade" or "Hood's Texas Brigade").

For much of the war, it was assigned to Longstreet's Corps, General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, and commanded for much of the war by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson. It initially comprised the 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas regiments, the 18th Georgia Infantry and (after the Battle of Seven Pines) Hampton's (South Carolina) Legion. After the general reorganization of Lee's army following the battle of Antietam in late 1862, the Georgians and South Carolinians were reassigned to brigades from their respective states and the 3rd Arkansas Infantry was added due to their being the only other trans-Mississippi regiment and single Arkansas regiment serving with Lee's army.

The brigade distinguished itself as a hard fighter during the Seven Days Battle where it routed the enemy at Gaines' Mill, captured a battery of guns, and repulsed a cavalry counterattack. Its reputation was furthered when it spearheaded Longstreet's assault on Pope's left at the battle of Second Manassas. The brigade overran two Union regiments, nearly annihilated the 5th New York Zouaves, and captured a battery of guns.

Its reputation for fighting was sealed at the Battle of Sharpsburg, when it sealed a gap in the Confederate line and drove back the two Union Corps that were attacking. However, this was not without cost. Out of 854 that went into battle at Sharpsburg, 550 of the Texas Brigade were killed or wounded.

The brigade's most famous action took place on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, during its fight for Devil's Den. Though the Confederacy ultimately lost that battle, the 1st Texas, 4th Texas, 5th Texas, and 3rd Arkansas distinguished themselves in taking Devil's Den despite being greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy casualties, to include General Robertson being wounded.

The brigade's failure to take Little Round Top marked the failure of that day's fighting. By the war's end, the Texas Brigade had fought in all the battles engaged in by the Army of Northern Virginia except Chancellorsville. Battles included the Battle of Seven Pines, Seven Days Battle,Battle of South Mountain, Battle of Sharpsburg, Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Gettysburg, and the Battle of the Wilderness. They later fought with the Army of Tennessee at Chickamauga and during the Knoxville Campaign, as well as with Longstreet at Suffolk. Of the estimated 5,353 men who enlisted in the three Texas and one Arkansas regiments, only 617 remained to surrender on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

The Texas Brigade, along with the Stonewall Brigade from Virginia, were considered to be the Army of Northern Virginia's shock troops.



The Order of Battle

Battle of Eltham's Landing (May 7, 1862); assigned to Whiting's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood

1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments and 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment

Battle of Seven Pines (May 31 – June 1, 1862); assigned to Whiting's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood

Battle of Gaines' Mill (June 27, 1862) (the primary engagement of Seven Days Battle); assigned to Whiting's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood

Second Manassas (August 28–30, 1862); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood

Antietam (September 17, 1862); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Col. William T. Wofford

Fredericksburg (December 11–15, 1862); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson

Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson

Chickamauga (September 18–20, 1863); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson

Wilderness (May 5–7, 1864); assigned to Field's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Gregg

Cold Harbor (May 21 – June 3, 1864); assigned to Field's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Gregg

[Lord Raglan]

3rd Arkansas



From its induction into the Confederate Army, the 3rd Arkansas would go on to become one of the most distinguished and well respected Confederate regiments of the war. However, prior to their first battle actions, the first impressions of them by their fellow Confederates were, by written accounts since, not good to say the least. In several accounts, relayed by author and historian Mauriel P. Joslyn, the regiment was first seen as a poorly dressed and poorly equipped lot of ignorant country boys. Once proven in combat, however, those opinions of them would change dramatically. The regiment was ordered to the mountains of West Virginia, where it performed arduous and discouraging service in the campaign on the Gauley and Cheat rivers. This was followed by hard marching under Stonewall Jackson (whom Col Rust later described as "an impracticable old schoolmaster who said grace before he ate and prayed before going to bed") in the Valley Campaign.

In November, 1862, the 3rd Arkansas was assigned to the famous Texas Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia. The Confederate War Department had determined that the troops would benefit from being brigaded with regiments from their home States. At this time, the standard brigade organization consisted of four regiments. There were three Texas regiments in the Army—the 1st, 4th and 5th—and only one Arkansas regiment. It was therefore decided to group these four western regiments together.

The Third Arkansas remained an integral part of Hood’s Texas Brigade until the end of the war. The first engagement that the unit participated in as part of the Texas Brigade was the Battle of Fredericksburg in December, 1862. The regiment was not engaged at Chancellorsville, being detached with the rest of Longstreet's Corps at Suffolk. The 3rd Arkansas acquired a reputation as tenacious fighters, often finding themselves in the thickest fighting on the battlefield, such as their presence at the "sunken road" during the Battle of Antietam. Their most famous action was while serving as a part of the Texas Brigade during the Battle of Gettysburg, at the Devil's Den, where they took heavy casualties while serving under General John Bell Hood. Its place in the front of Hood's assault meant it was one of the first units, if not the first, to be heavily engaged during the second day of the battle.

[nicknorthstar]

Hello Raglan

I've just spotted this!

Good luck old old boy, my project has become all consuming. 

I was tempted to do the Texas boys after the current Brigade, just as a one off unit. I like the two standards they carry, which are available to buy already. Plus, whereas the Alabama and North Carolina 'might' have decent uniforms in Sept '62, no one suggests the Texas were anything but a rag-tag bunch of tramps, so would make a great painting project.

[Lord Raglan]

Cheers Nick!!

I already have the first 3 regiments painted up and will began to base them next week. Been using a combination of Crusader, Perry, 1st Corps and Barber, which all seem to match well once painted up in the same style.

[vtsaogames]

The Stonewall Brigade had lost a bit of their edge by 1864. Most of the brigade (and most of their division) was captured by Hancock's massive corps attack at Spotsylvania. The survivors of 3 brigades made up a weak battalion afterwards. A number of elite units on both sides had lost their edge after the bloodletting of 1863. The Iron Brigade never really recovered from Gettysburg.

[Lord Raglan]

The Stonewall Brigade had lost a bit of their edge by 1864.

That's good info, cheers buddy.

[Lord Raglan]

9th Virginia Regiment, Armitstead's Brigade, Pickett's Division, Longstreet's 1st Corps. Raised in Virginia, it fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia.

[Lord Raglan]

3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment. It was the only regiment from the state of Arkansas to serve the entire war in the Eastern Theater, where most of the major Civil War battles were fought.

[nicknorthstar]

Yee-ha

Looking great.

[Lord Raglan]

ACW Confederate Brigade

[bluewillow]

Lovely Raglan, I also build all of my Armies on actual battles, my confederates are Cleburnes Division at Chickamauga, my Union are not complete yet but are the opposing division.

Best of luck with the project

Cheers
Matt

[Lord Raglan]

Yee-ha

Looking great.

Cheers Nick