These look great, Chris. I agree with you that the Strelets figures have a lot of potential for real character once they're painted up, certainly moreso than with most previous ACW figures. And we can't really capture the look of the rebel forces without a fair bit of character. Your excellent painting helps to bring that out. I also like to leave some of my rebels barefoot. Shoelessness was a major logistical problem in Lee's army -- though a lot of the farm boys actually preferred going barefoot to wearing shoes. Indeed, as I recall, one of Lee's reasons for choosing to concentrate his forces at Gettysburg -- in his next invasion of the north -- was the shoe factory that was located there.

Nearly right - Lee didn't intend to concentrate at Gettysburg but sent a detachment to look for shoes - this ran into a Union detachment and each side sent reinforcements until a major encounter developed. An encounter battle, in a place not originally intended.