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I have to admit, i too am a sucker for general staff figures!!
Think I have 4 Wellingtons, 4 Napoleons, 3 Pictons, 3 Neys & 3 or 4 Uxbridges. Oh and 2 Prince of Orange's!! One of the Uxbridges is a conversion of the hussar ADC from the Zvezda French HQ set. Gave him a sword and the rest was just painting really. He can then join the Household brigade in counter attacking French Cuirassiers!
Thing is i dont know whether Uxbridge with the shako or Uxbridge with the Busby is the one more representative of him at Waterloo.
Thing is i dont know whether Uxbridge with the shako or Uxbridge with the Busby is the one more representative of him at Waterloo.
Hi Roger.
Originally I wanted to do Uxbridge in a busby, simply because I really like busbies. But in the end I kept the gold laced shako that came on the Strelets figure. I did mount the figure though, I think the commander of the cavalry kind of needs to be mounted:
Uxbridge's Waterloo uniform is displayed at his house, Plas Newydd in Anglesey, and includes the gold laced shako. There's no doubt that all of these items belonged to Uxbridge, but are they all from the same time or were parts of different uniforms put together at a later date?
The trouser leg is the one cut off by the surgeon prior to amputating Uxbridge's leg, so we know that is definately part of his Waterloo uniform. It's also an unquestionable colour reference for the mud at Waterloo.
The shako kind of looks like a later style but it also looks knocked about enough to perhaps be from Waterloo. The National Trust Collections catalogue for Plas Newydd dates it to 1815:
Most paintings of Uxbridge at Waterloo including the Dighton painting, which is hanging in Plas Newydd, show him in the shako:
All of the paintings were painted some time after the battle and it's possible that they were based on the Plas Newydd uniform. But that would mean the uniform was associated with waterloo not too many years after the battle. Which, perhaps gives it some credence.
There's some thought that the busby is part of his uniform as Colonel of the 7th Hussars or perhaps as a General of hussars in The Peninsula. But there's really no reason why he could not have been wearing that uniform at Waterloo. I still like busbies and if you do your Uxbridge wearing one I'd like to see it.
P.S. During the operation to fit my Uxbridge figure to his horse, one of the figures legs came off. :astonished: How authentic is that?
He looks brilliant Graeme! I like that you used Dighton's painting as inspiration. Converting standing figures to mounted is a really pleasing 'operation'. The leg coming off is classic. Was it the right leg too?!
Thats a great mounted Uxbridge there!! His leg fell off??!! Spooky!!!!
I agree the commander of the cavalry should really be mounted.
Well for with a Shako i just more or less did a paint conversion on the Hussar ADC that comes in the Zvezda French HQ set. Only alteration was attaching a hand with a sword on his outstretched arm.
My Busby version is the metal Waterloo 1815 one which im none too fussed on to be honest. I have an SHQ/Kennington Uxbridge with Busby but as yet have not painted him.
I have to find a better steed for him as I didnt like the horse that he came with...too big and heavy like a cart horse!
Great stuff Graeme! Brought forth a good laugh at my end.
Right in both respects then?! I did consider that 'right' was safe either way as I was not sure which myself, but a quick check before hitting 'submit' suggested it was, indeed, his right that is correct.
I'm not sure but it seems you missed out on the first one of those (I think the sitting and standing Napoleon are in your collection but you missed to mention that they are Linear-B ...)
I'm not sure but it seems you missed out on the first one of those (I think the sitting and standing Napoleon are in your collection but you missed to mention that they are Linear-B ...)
Interesting to see those metal figures though, anyone who is finding it impossible to get the Strelets Napoleon sitting with his foot on a drum without paying eighty dollars or so on e-bay might be interested.
Graeme, that are some most interesting figures in the upper image. They seem to be from PSR but I'm unable to find them. Can you help in identifying the set?
Very nice, thank you Strelets. This must be on St Helena when he had to hold his own coat while doing the gardening. Previously, a valet would have been available.
That horse is probably the true reason for the ferocious charge of the Scots Greys. They saw Nappy on his grey horse and said "Hey he's stolen one of ours! Let's go get him!" :relaxed: :relaxed: :relaxed:
That horse is probably the true reason for the ferocious charge of the Scots Greys. They saw Nappy on his grey horse and said "Hey he's stolen one of ours! Let's go get him!" :relaxed: :relaxed: :relaxed:
Well, here is the relevant clip from the film 'Waterloo':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsVziFEWLlM
I have always, always, wished that the Producers and Directors of this film could have portrayed the charge of the Union Brigade better. They had the riders, they had the grey horses, they had the special effects, but.....the dialogue is awful (ie: (Napoleon) "we'll match them with our lancers"...really???? Frenchmen, many raw recruit teenagers, with lances on tiny horses against ferocious Scotsmen with 42 inch hacking sabres on huge great grey horses??), and the cinematic shots are awful as well. The Scots Greys charging at full pelt at nothing...... Where are D'Erlon's infantry that they are meant to be attacking??
Knowing your (history) books too well can spoil a lot of fun when watching them made into a movie ... I still like this one despite its inaccuracies. The old "War and Peace" is far worse in its depiction of Borodino. Sometimes we do behave like hardcore Tolkienists critizing Peter Jackson's trilogy. Seems to be a professional habit 😄. Let's remember it's still a HOBBY. That said, yes the deficiencies of that scene are ... mmpf ... blame it on budget redtrictions. At least Pericoli showed them the correct uniforms.
Good old TV & film industry!!
Still entertaining though!!!
There definatley were lancers involved in the counter charge (3rd & 4th I think), but so too were Cuirassiers and I believe some Chasseurs a Cheval. I have read somewhere that the guard light cavalry lancers/Chasseurs also may of been involved but im not too sure on that one.
I think its assumed that it was all lancers that countered the Scots Greys due to what happened to Ponsonby. Certainly isn't true though.
As for lancer effectiveness, well I guess the lance has a longer reach, but apparently it was still possible to parry it away. I think a big factor to take into account, is the Scots Greys would of tired and the horses been "blown" from the charge in thick mud. They would of been exposed and probably outnumbered so even if they fended off one trooper, there was probably another ready to thrust or stab.
Once the fresher light cavalry of Vandeleur and i think de Ghingy arrived, that probably levelled things up allowing the heavies to fall back.
I think a big factor to take into account, is the Scots Greys would of tired and the horses been "blown" from the charge in thick mud. They would of been exposed and probably outnumbered so even if they fended off one trooper, there was probably another ready to thrust or stab.
As is often the case, a fair amount of mystique has built up around 'The charge of the Scots Greys at Waterloo' (and Lady Butler and her fine painting is partly to blame for this!).
Let's be honest: The tactical reason for the charge was to halt D'Erlon's 1st Corps infantry. The charge simply got a bit out of hand.
Let's also remember that the Scots Greys were about 30% of the Union Brigade by numbers of effectives. The other two regiments, 1st Royal Dragoons and 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons were at least as strong; but they did not ride grey horses and had the 'ordinary' heavy cavalry helmet rather than a fancy bearskin (in oilskin cover).
But they were just as fearsome...they have simply been lost in the mists of time, and to military myth.....
"As is often the case, a fair amount of mystique has built up around 'The charge of the Scots Greys at Waterloo' (and Lady Butler and her fine painting is partly to blame for this!)."
Good painting though!! If not perhaps accurate!
Yep there is a certain amount of folklore involving that charge definately. The charge did indeed get out of hand.
The Royals & Inniskillings are no less important. Captain Clark of the Royals also captured an Eagle, that of the 105th Ligne, but that isnt as well mentioned or portrayed as the one captured by Sargent Ewart of the Scots Greys.
\"As is often the case, a fair amount of mystique has built up around \'The charge of the Scots Greys at Waterloo\' (and Lady Butler and her fine painting is partly to blame for this!).\"
Good painting though!! If not perhaps accurate!
Yep there is a certain amount of folklore involving that charge definately. The charge did indeed get out of hand.
The Royals & Inniskillings are no less important. Captain Clark of the Royals also captured an Eagle, that of the 105th Ligne, but that isnt as well mentioned or portrayed as the one captured by Sargent Ewart of the Scots Greys.
Indeed, and here is another good painting (Denis Dighton):
Wellington always believed that the only man who could handle British cavalry - which was otherwise a 'fire-and-forget' weapon - was Sir Stapleton Cotton, who sadly wasn't at Waterloo.
The Royals & Inniskillings are no less important. Captain Clark of the Royals also captured an Eagle, that of the 105th Ligne, but that isnt as well mentioned or portrayed as the one captured by Sargent Ewart of the Scots Greys.
Roger.
I think one reason for that is the fact that there is no controversy regarding Sgt. Ewart's capture of the Eagle. Everyone knows that Ewert took the Eagle, and I've never heard of anyone claiming he didn't. We can celebrate his remarkable achievement without the intrusion of any negative undertones, a glorious moment for both Ewert and The Greys.
Not so with the capture of the Eagle of the 105th. Some say Captain Clarke took the Eagle, others say it was Corporal Stiles. The capture of this Eagle should have been a glorious episode for the Regimental history of the Royals but instead it is one sullied by an ugly spat over who actually took it. Personally I suspect it was down to the combined efforts of at least four men, Clark and Stiles included, whether one of them could have done it alone, who knows?
That is very true. I was aware of the controversy, and was i suppose just referring to the fact that another eagle was captured by members of the union brigade.
Wonder if it wasnt some sort of "class discrimination" that was to blame?
Your production is absolutely marvellous as ever! Napoleon and his Napoleon staff is a real wheeze—reminds me of 'Rimmerworld'!
The second photo of the Emperor and mounted staff is magnificent. Is that the one for your brilliant the diorama? (You may be keeping that 'under your hat'—unless I have missed it on your blog?—so I'll understand if you 'neither confirm nor deny'!).
Oh my! Thank you to Picton, Strelets for the preview, and everyone else. That is a most persuasive young Napoleon there, might have to bide my time a little. But yea, I need Marengo too. I can see how one may end up with a few Napoleons... :grin:
Thanks Handle with Care, you can only have so may Napoleons, so I chopped his head off and sat him in front of La Belle Alliance with an infantry shako and his foot on a drum:
A little vignette that I put out for this week's bicentennial of the death of the Great Man.
Having begun with la mort de Napoleon I'm now working forward from 1796 with the other 20. There won't be one per year but rather a few different command stands and/or vignettes, inspired by famous paintings. A few are partially completed others to be commenced, all planned to be done in this last of the bicentennial years. Strelets' Napoleons feature heavily.
Great idea James and very well realised, I really like this.
I look forward to seeing the rest of the series.
My favourite Napoleon and Marengo is the Italeri mounted figure. I managed to get the now very rare Strelets Napoleon sitting with with his foot on a drum, which I think is a fabulous figure, but an army commander needs to be mounted and the Italeri figure does everything you need it to.
My Wellington, Blucher, and Major Henry Percy are also Italeri. Gneisenau is an Italeri figure with a Strelets head. Orange, Brunswick, and Picton are from Waterloo 1815. But Uxbridge, Hill, De Lancey, Richmond, Ney, Grouchy, Bulow, and sundry other personality figures are all from Strelets. And wonderful figures they are too.
Bonaparte and staff at Castiglione, based on the painting by Boguet, is next in line. I have spent time this morning doing some prep. and simple conversions for a stand for Marengo, based on detail from Lejeune's famous painting, which will be number five in the 'series'.
I have used an Imex Washington from the "George Washington's Army" as the basis (and a figure from the Accurate "American Militia" for Pont a'Arcole). Improvising and adapting are all part of the fun for me.