British Line Infantry Painting Tutorial - Part Three

The Victrix illustration shows the shading
approach I want in the final look

British Line Infantry Painting Tutorial Part One

British Line Infantry Painting Tutorial Part Two

Finally the final stage where by adding a small amount of a lighter shade we can achieve greater depth to the colour already applied and help accentuate the detail on an 18mm figure that can start to compete with a larger scale.

I tend to differentiate the better quality jackets on my officers versus the ordinary ranks by using a not quite so orange option in "Vallejo Scarlet".

To accentuate the  roundness of the water canteens I tend to just apply the Vallejo Pastel Blue just to the inner disc, leaver the darker blues around the edge

The Dark Grey can really accentuate the lines of the black equipment and give it a worn appearance. As you can see the other shades and the matt varnish have removed the sheen from the Humbrol base coat.

Use of gold and silver can add brightness to the metal work, and I like to make Shako plates, bayonets and cross belt plates "sing out" a bit.

So that's the 61st Foot completed. I just need to get them based up and then we can have a look at the battalion ready for battle and a bit about its history.

One thing I have noticed that I will touch up prior to basing, and no prizes for those who spotted it, is to add a bit of "Vajello Silver to the top edges of the officers collars and a little for the cuff lace.

As with the French, I will capture this information in a follow up PDF.

British Line Infantry Painting Tutorial - Part Two

Officers of the 31st Foot at Albuera, a similarly buff faced silver laced regiment to the 61st.
Note the buff cross belts and turn-backs seen sported instead of the usual white. 

British Line Infantry Painting Tutorial Part One

So on with part two of this three part tutorial and on with the first highlight. As a reminder, the colour manufacturer code is VJ = Vallejo, CD = Coat d'Arms, H = Humbrol, CT = Citadel. Oh and by the way you've just got to love the names of the new Citadel range, I mean "Pink Horror" and "Emperor's Child", really?

As I mentioned in the tutorial on French infantry, the brush you use is critical in getting the best results and you really do need a brush that will hold its tip in spite of the thrashing it will get over time. You can check out my recommendation here,

http://jjwargames.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/tamiyas-small-pointed-brush-update.html

This need for a good brush is illustrated in the first highlight I tend to apply which is the Citadel Kislev Flesh. These AB figures have exquisite detail and with careful application you can highlight above the top lip under the nose to bring out that detail - only with a good brush.

One thing I didn't include in the block work from part one, put it down to my age, is the Coat d'Arm Dark Grey applied to the musket slings, which I applied after I had written up the post. I tend to highlight the white lace areas and white straps with Vajello Ivory, and you will see I have started to so the back packs and musket slings, bit have left off the jacket lace. This is because I want to apply the third highlight to the tunic before adding the lace.

Likewise on the Colonel's jacket there is a great set of silver buttons to highlight but I will do those last.

Just with the first basic highlights you can see the depth created to the colours, particularly the black items, shako, back pack, ammunition pouch, scabbards and boots. I often see requests from people to find a good colour to highlight black and the Vajello Dark Sea Blue is a perfect first option.

Remember a highlight is just that and we are not looking to cover up the original base colour but accentuate the top surface where the light strikes and draws the eye to it.

I am quite pleased with the horse tone and wash and think it does produce a lighter effect. I think I will experiment with different shades of wash just to see what the potential is.

I have just noticed that I could have done the straps on the Colonels saddle roll, but will pick it up on the third highlight phase.

So there we are, next up it's time to make these chaps pop and come alive with a third and final colour choice.

British Line Infantry Painting Tutorial - Part One

So, as promised, a series of posts to illustrate the way I go about painting British line infantry, in the form of a tutorial as with the previous post on French line infantry. 

http://jjwargames.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/french-line-infantry-painting-tutorial_10.html

Both these types are liable to form the bulk of any Peninsular War collection and so will probably be the most useful reference. As with the French tutorial I will capture the information in a more user friendly PDF for download at the end.

First thing to say is that I am illustrating a Buff faced battalion here, which in common with most similarly faced regiments would tend to have buff coloured turn-backs and additionally cross-belts and trousers, particularly for parade or best wear. I am of the opinion that campaign conditions would have probably caused trousers to become the normal "hotch potch" arrangement, but that cross-belts would have more likely to have been buff than the more common white seen worn by other facing colour regiments. I will provide alternative colour arrangements for regiments with white accoutrements as we go.

The next thing to say is I like to experiment with different ideas and colours, and for this work I picked up one of the new Humbrol acrylic matt black to try out against my trusty Vallejo. I have been away for a week and thinking I had prepared the black ready to use noticed the glossiness on drying.

Humbrol black needs a really thorough stirring to overcome this tendency and explains a slight sheen on some of the models prior to me spotting it and rectifying the problem. I will deal with it as we go and I don't think it is a major problem and needless to say it will be back to Vallejo for me in future.

So the first of the three stages requires a block painting job and the models illustrate the basic colours so applied. The code is VJ = Vallejo, CD = Coat d'Arms, H = Humbrol, CT = Citadel

The battalion I am working on is the 61st Foot with buff facings and silver lace. My principle reference for the uniform details is Franklin's "British Napoleonic Uniforms".

Most of the colour choices should be fairly obvious and so I have not duplicated them across all the pictures, save to say that British drums tended to have a panel on the front in the battalion facing colour with an appropriate coat of arms, with the rest of the drum in a varnished wood. Thus I have done my drum with the mid stone to the front and chocolate brown to the rear parts with a dark grey applied to the chords.

Note this stage is a basic block painting step and thus I have not picked out certain straps, lace and buttons with a base shade yet, preferring to leave them until after highlighting the bulk of the uniform. I just prefer doing it that way.

Again I am experimenting with different ideas, one of which is to prepare my horses using the Citadel washes to see if I can achieve a lighter shading overall.

So if I was working on a non buff faced regiment, turn-backs and belts would be Vallejo buff for the base coat.

So there we have the basics done, and next I will apply the first highlight colours. If you have any questions on the work, just drop me a comment.

3rd "Prince of Wales" Regiment of Dragoon Guards

In 1685 the Earl of Plymouth raised a troop of Cuirassiers in response to the Monmouth Rebellion. See my post from December 2014, covering the rebellion and Battle of Sedgemoor. 

http://jjwargames.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/a-day-out-in-sunny-somerset-battle-of.html

In a previous post I covered the history of the 4th Queen's Own Dragoons that could trace their history back to the Monmouth Rebellion.

4th Queens Own Regiment of Dragoons

Unlike the 4th Dragoons which had been raised in support of the Duke of Monmouth's ill fated expedition, the Earl of Plymouth's regiment was part of King James' army sent to suppress the rebellion, and following the fall of King James in 1688 was merged with other units to form the 4th Regiment of Horse in the new army of King William III.

Thomas Windsor Hickman - 1st Earl of Plymouth 1627 -1687
Gainsborough Old Hall 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/thomas-windsor-hickman-c-16271687-1st-earl-of-plymouth-104782

The regiment saw active service during the War of Spanish Succession in Europe serving under the Duke of Marlborough. The various actions are a a roll call of the Duke's victories; Schellenburg, Blenheim, Ramilles, Oudenarde and Malplaquet.

Following the end of the war, the next thirty years were comparatively quiet and saw the the regiment
converted to Dragoon Guards, as the 3rd Dragoon Guards in 1741 and accorded the title of  "Prince of Wales Regiment of Dragoon Guards" in 1765.

The regiment landed at Lisbon  between the 22nd and 27th of April 1809 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Sir Granby Thomas Calcraft and were re-acquainted with the successors of their old foes from 1685, the 4th Queens Own Dragoons in the new British Heavy Cavalry brigade under Major General Henry Fane.

The brigade and the regiment took its first steps on to the stage that was the Peninsular War when it marched into the Tagus Valley in the summer of 1809 to see action if somewhat limited when it formed part of Sir Arthur Wellesley's cavalry reserve at the Battle of Talavera. The 3rd Dragoon Guards would go on to become a veteran regiment in the Peninsular War and would see service at Talavera, Albuera, and Vittoria and would join the British army in Belgium after Waterloo.

3rd Dragoon Guards Trooper circa 1811
by Bryan Fosten

All British heavy cavalry, through out the Napoleonic wars were armed with the 1796 pattern heavy cavalry sabre.

The 1796 Heavy Cavalry Sabre - note the hatchet tip to the blade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1796_Heavy_Cavalry_Sword

This weapon has been described as a poor design, certainly when compared with the Light Cavalry pattern of the same year designed by the great cavalry leader General Le Marchant.

All British cavalry were trained to use the cut with infantry and on first contact with cavalry, really only using the point when enemy cavalry turned, presenting their backs. The sabre was a devastating weapon to be cut with but was less likely to kill than when using the point, as was French practise.

The hatchet end of the blade designed to encourage the cut was unusable as a point to kill and some soldiers, like Sergeant Ewart of the Scots Greys, made field modifications by having the farrier grind the weapon to a point.

My 3rd Dragoon Guards are composed of figures from AB

Major General Henry Fane with the Heavy Cavalry Brigade - 4th Dragoons and 3rd Dragoon Guards

http://www.nam.ac.uk/research/famous-units/3rd-dragoon-guards-prince-wales
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Dragoon_Guards
http://matej16.deviantart.com/art/Soldiers-of-the-3rd-Regiment-of-Dragoon-Guards-351719332

Other sources used in this post

Wellington's Military Machine - Philip J Haythornthwaite

So the with the British heavy cavalry done, I just have two battalions of line infantry, some artillery limbers and a few general officers to do to complete Wellesley's British army. However the next few months will see the start of work on the twenty four battalions of French line infantry, and the seven battalions of Spanish infantry from Bassecourt's Division.

So next unit up is the first battalion, 24e Regiment de Ligne, the senior line regiment in General Ruffin's division.

4th "Queen's Own" Regiment of Dragoons

The 4th "Queen's Own" Dragoons could trace their history back to 1685 and the Monmouth Rebellion, the first campaign of a series that could be grouped together as the Jacobite Wars in Britain that culminated with the the last battle fought on British soil at Culloden in 1746.

I covered the details of the Monmouth Rebellion and the Battle of Sedgemoor in my post from December 2014.

http://jjwargames.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/a-day-out-in-sunny-somerset-battle-of.html

The 4th Dragoons therefore have a link to the South West of England where they were raised and merged with other troops raised in Bradford as a single regiment of dragoons named, Princess Anne of Denmark's Regiment of Dragoons, in honour of Princess Anne, daughter of King James II.

The regiment fought in Portugal and Spain during the War of Spanish Succession, was back at home during the Jacobite risings of 1715 and was present at Dettingen in 1743, the last time a British monarch, King George II, personally led his troops.

Battle of Dettingen

Returning to home duties in 1748 the regiment gained its rank of forth in the listings in 1751 and gained its prefix "Queen's Own" in 1788 after Queen Charlotte, King George III's wife.

Queen Charlotte 1744 - 1818

The 4th Dragoons were landed between the 22nd and 27th of April 1809 at Lisbon and were brigaded with the more senior 3rd Dragoon Guards under Major General Henry Fane forming the first British Heavy Cavalry brigade in the Peninsular War.

Their commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Lord Robert Edward Henry Somerset who would go on to command a cavalry brigade in the Peninsula and the Household Cavalry Brigade at Waterloo.

The dress of British Heavy Cavalry and the 4th Dragoons in particular as illustrated by Histofig 

http://empire.histofig.com/Les-troupes-anglaises.html#

Like their French counterparts, the British heavy cavalry spent the Battle of Talavera held as an exploitation/covering force, moving from the British centre to the left flank to cover threatened areas. The casualties of three men killed and nine wounded indicate that they were drawn close enough to the action in the latter sector, when Anson's brigade charged the French squares in the northern valley.

This rather modest start to their participation in the war doesn't give any hint to the pivotal role they would have in shifting the moral ascendancy British cavalry would achieve over their French opposite numbers as the war progressed. On the 25th May 1811, at a little hamlet called Usagre, they were in the lead of the charge of General Lumley's cavalry force that completely surprised and ambushed the French cavalry rearguard, under the very experienced but very shocked General Latour Maubourg, following the Battle of Albuera. Things would never quiet be the same following this action and we have it and others to look forward to in future posts.

The 4th Dragoons would go on to become a veteran Peninsula regiment serving at Talavera, Busaco, Albuera, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees and Toulouse.

British heavy cavalry regiments were subject to regulations on horse colours, although I take the view that peace time regulations soon gave way to campaign reality and regiments involved in a war as long the Peninsular campaign would have struggled to keep to them. That said I'm sure, given the choice, commanders would attempt to apply the regulations and with newly arrived regiments such as the 4th Dragoons would probably have been equipped accordingly.

The other peculiarity with British cavalry, in general, was the docking of tails (nag-tailed), although the heavy regiments may well have moved away from that style during this period. The Household Regiments didn't dock and it seems that other heavy regiments might have followed suit. The docked tail certainly became a recognition peculiarity that helped to distinguish British cavalry at distance from their French counterparts particularly after the 1812 uniform changes that introduced shakos and helmets very much like the French style.

13th Light Dragoon illustrating the docked tail

So the General Orders for horse colours issued on the 10th August 1799 from Horse Guards has been my guide, with the caveats mentioned above. Note the direction that trumpeters were not to be mounted on greys.

"GENERAL ORDERS.

The heavy cavalry, with the exception of the two regiments of Life Guards and Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, are to be mounted on nag-tailed horses. 

• The First, or King's Regiment of Dragoon Guards; the First, or Royal Regiment of Dragoons; the Third, or King's Own Regiment of Dragoons, are to be mounted on black nag-tailed horses.
• The Second, or Queen's Regiment of Dragoon Guards, are to be mounted on nag-tailed horses of the colours of bay and brown.
• The Second, or Royal North British Regiment of Dragoons, are to be mounted on nag-tailed grey horses.
• All other regiments of heavy cavalry on the British establishment are to be mounted on nag-tailed horses of the colours of bay, brown, and chestnut.
• The custom of mounting trumpeters on grey horses is to be discontinued, and they are in future to be mounted on horses of the colour or colours prescribed for the regiments to which they belong.

Harvey Calvert,

Adjutant-General.
Horse Guards

10th August, 1799."

My 4th Dragoons are composed of figures from the AB range, appropriately mounted on browns, chestnut and bay horses.

http://www.nam.ac.uk/research/famous-units/4th-queens-own-hussars

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Britain/Cavalry/Regiments/c_4thDragoon.html

http://www.napoleon-series.org/index.html

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Britain/Cavalry/Wellington'sCavalry/c_4thDragoons.html

Other sources used in this post
Wellington's Military Machine - Philip J Haythornthwaite
British Napoleonic Uniforms - C.E. Franklin
Osprey, Wellington's Heavy Cavalry - Bryan Fosten

2nd Battalion 48th(Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot - The Heroes of Talavera

I first featured the 48th Foot in my post about the 1st Battalion, back in January last year, where you can find out about the history of the regiment and an overview of its service in the Peninsular War.
http://jjwargames.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/48th-foot-northamptonshire-regiment.html

With the completion of the 2/48th, I thought it would be interesting to look at the fighting that occurred on their part of the Talavera battlefield with the first attack of the day. The principle source used for this account is from Talavera - Wellington's First Victory in Spain by Andrew W. Field, an excellent book on the battle.

The two battalions of the 48th were at the centre of General Hill's deployment of his 2nd Division atop the Cerro de Medellin, with Brigadier General Richard Stewart's Brigade (29th, 1st Detachments, 1/48th) on the left front of the hill and Major General Christopher Tilson's Brigade (2/48th 2/66th, 1/3rd) on the right front. This after surviving the abortive night attack by Ruffin's division, where both battalions suffered minimal casualties 1/48th eight men and 2/48th three men.

General Hill's 2nd Division can be seen holding the top of the Cerro de Medellin

At 5 am a single signal gun fired from the Cerro de Cascajal initiating a tremendous artillery barrage of over fifty French cannon as Marshal Victor's I Corps Grand Battery opened up on on the Medellin opposite. The order was given to the troops to drop back behind the ridge line and lie down.

A witness described how
"they served their guns in an infinitely better style than at Vimeiro: their shells were thrown with precision, and did considerable execution."

Oman reckons this barrage went on for about forty-five minutes before the French assault columns of General Ruffin's division commenced their attack on the Medellin, as they tried to do what they failed to do the night before.

Because they had pulled back and with all the artillery smoke hanging in the air, the British heard the French advance before they saw it. The sound of French drums beating the attack through a veil of smoke, with that of the firing as the two skirmish screens came ever closer, fighting for advantage, must have been very disconcerting to the newer men.

As the heads of the columns approached within 100 yards of the ridge line, Hill gave his battalions the order to stand up and advance so they looked down on the advancing French. The six battalions delivered a shattering volley that brought the columns to a standstill, as the front ranks fell in disordered heaps and the following ranks hesitated.

Ensign Clarke of the 2/66th on the right of the 2/48th described his battalion's actions
"Our orders were to lie down behind the ridge until the enemy's column had reached the top, then to rise, deliver a volley, and charge. I was sent to the summit by the commanding officer to let him know where the enemy were and returned with the intelligence that a strong column was only fifty yards off. The volley was delivered and we rushed on them with the bayonet. At first they appeared as if they would stand the charge, but when we closed they wavered, and then they turned and ran down the hill in the wildest confusion." 

Meanwhile on the left flank of the Medellin, Wellesley ordered Stewart's brigade to charge, with a participant recording,
"on we went, a wall of stout hearts and bristling steel. The enemy did not fancy such close quarters, and the moment our rush began they went to the right-about. The principal portion broke and fled, though some brave fellows occasionally faced about and gave us an irregular fire."

The momentum of charging down such a steep slope and the adrenalin of success took all six of Hill's battalions down the hill to the Portina Brook. Some of the more enthusiastic fellows even crossed the stream and started up the slopes of the Cascajal, until coming under fire from French artillery and reserves under General Villatte.

A French account of the attack has Colonel Jamin commanding the 24eme de Ligne, shouting
"Au revoir Messieurs les Anglais" as he retired with his survivors, and receiving a mocking reply from a British officer of "Au revoir Monsieur le Colonel; au revoir messieurs!"

The French committed 4,900 men to this attack against the 3,700 British troops. They suffered heavy losses with Oman calculating the number to be about 1,300 casualties. However the British did not get off lightly suffering 750 casualties including the wounded Lieutenant Colonel Muter of the 3rd Foot who would die the next day of his wounds.

The 2/48th started the day with 567 men but would end it with 68 fewer, with 12 killed, 55 wounded and 1 missing.

My 2/48th are composed of figures from the Xan range of British infantry with the mounted officer and ensigns from AB. The Colours are from GMB Flags.

The other principle source consulted for this post was the Napoleon Series.
http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Britain/Infantry/WellingtonsRegiments/c_48thFoot.html

The completion of the 2/48th, just leaves, the two battalions (1/61st and 2/83rd) of Cameron's brigade of the 1st Division to do, the two heavy cavalry regiments (3rd Dragoon Guards, 4th Dragoons), some additional artillery limbers and about half a dozen general officers to finish Wellesley's army. However the next posts will concentrate on the Spanish division of General Portago and the first scenario, Casa de Salinas.