Monday, April 15, 2019

Deshler's "Texas" Brigade

Finally, after many fits and starts, I've completed another Confederate brigade for my 15mm ACW forces which are based on portions of the Union Army of the Cumberland and Confederate Army of Tennessee during the spring and summer of 1863.

This one is the "third" brigade of  Pat Cleburne's division of Hardee's Corps, Army of Tennessee.  Commanded by Brigadier General James Deshler, it consisted of the following regiments:  19th/24th Arkansas, 6th/10th Texas Infantry/15th Texas cavalry (dismounted), and 17th/18th/24th/25th Texas cavalry (dismounted).  After Deshler was killed at Chickamauga, the brigade command was assumed by Brigadier General James A. Smith and later by Colonel, then Brigadier General, Hiram Granbury.

Deshler's Brigade in a reinforced line formation
 My 15mm ACW forces are organized for the "On to Richmond" rules where the basic maneuver unit is the brigade.  Each stand depicts about 300 infantry.  With Deshler's Brigade being about 1800 strong, there are six stands in it.  The reinforced line is one of the formations allowed in the OTR rules.


Here's another view showing the "Cleburne" style flag carried by the regiments of the brigade.  Even though there are three combined regiments in this brigade, I only use one flag.  The miniatures, with two exceptions, are 15mm Old Glory figures.  The two exceptions are the mounted and foot officers.

Here's a close-up of one of the stands.  I've depicted the brigade in newly issued uniforms from the Columbus, Georgia, depot.  It is a light gray/brown with infantry blue cuffs.  I used Folk Art Barn Wood as the base uniform color with Americana Uniform Blue on the cuffs.  For more information on this uniform, as well as pictures of surviving examples, see Geoffrey Walden's excellent on-line article "Confederate 'Columbus Depot' Jackets."  This uniform will also equip another of my soon to be painted Confederate brigades, Helms' "Orphan" Brigade of Breckinridge's Division.

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