American Expedition to Venus

[Ray Rivers]

The start of a new project...

[Bullshott]

Nice one Ray, you beat me to posting photos of my French expeditionary force on Venus  (watch this spece ...).

If the rest of your troops look anything like these, you will have a very nice looking force.

I'm not too with familiar with American uniforms between ACW and Boxer Rebellion (must finish my US marines ....). What troops are these and what date?

[Ray Rivers]

These are my first shot at American regular infantry, cicra 1899, in full dress uniform, of course.

The uniform is basically the US Regular Civil War uniform in frock coat, with a stripe down the pants and the addition of a spiked helmet.  Facing colors were white for infantry, red for artillery and yellow for cavalry.

Here is a link to a  US Army Print from that time period.

As I understand, the US uniforms was heavily influenced by the Prussian military.

[Driscoles]

Very nice painted miniatures and a good idea for a project 

[Chairface]

Ray those are outstanding! I can't wait to see more.

[JollyBob]

Very nice, I don't think I've ever seen Yankees in spiked helmets before, a really nice touch.

[twrchtrwyth]

These are nice. Were are they from? Or are they head swaps?

[argsilverson]

Very nice job. Really the full dress of the americans is very beautiful, and you've done a nice job!!!

Lots of armies of the era are based on prussian uniforms and some others were based on the french. see for example swedish uniforms of the time or some southa american ones.

I have the same question:

These are nice. Were are they from? Or are they head swaps?

[Ray Rivers]

 

Thanks guys, yea they look kewl in spiked helmets don't they!  Another kewl thing about the US army at that time is that, like the state regiments prior to the American Civil War, there are lots of state regiments with all kinds of different colored uniforms.  So actually, the Americans offer a lot of variety to choose from.

The basic figures are Foundry Iron Brigade.  I did a head swap with figures I got from Redoubt, rebuilt the collars and then added (with milliput) the stripe down their legs.

I have also bought some heads from Empress Miniatures to which I am going to add (hopefully) a spike with horse hair plumes for my mounted General, artillery and a 10 man squadron of Dragoons.

Should be a fun project.

[Malamute]

Wonderful stuff Ray. An excellent change from seeing Americans in Marine uniforms with Montana hats. Nice idea to use the spiked helmet. I'm a sucker for painting figures in white gloves too.

[Geudens]

Top Job!

Rudi

[Trencher]

Nice and clean paintjob! I didn't know that the Americans used spiked helmets as well.

[Ray Rivers]

Some links for those interested (spikey helmets abound):

Artillery uniforms
http://www.wheelerplantation.org/dress_helmet_and_knots.htm

Cavalry helmet
http://www.andersonmilitaria.com/images/headgear/MintCavalryHelmet.jpg

Buffalo Soldier
http://www.buffalosoldier.net/LargeBuffaloSoldierDoll1872,Helmet1881.gif

U.S. Army - ACW to present
http://www.military-historians.org/company/plates/images/postCWUS.htm#z

10th Infantry
http://costumes.org/history/victorian/military/usarmy10thinfantry1899.jpg

Victorian costumes... scroll to bottom to see US Navy uniforms of the time
http://www.costumes.org/history/100pages/timelinepages/1890s1.htm

The "U.S. Army - ACW to present" link is the best for the US military at the time.  Go to the section "UNITED STATES, 1866-1914"

The Victorian costumes site is also a fairly good source for women's apparel (mostly British).

[argsilverson]

Ray Rivers,

here is a small contribution to your project:

http://www.washingtonartillery.com/Uniforms%20page.htm

[Ray Rivers]

Thanks mate,

All contributions are certainly welcome.  It is not what you would call a heavily researched era in American history.