Monday 13 April 2020

146th New York

Over the years I have built four American Civil War armies.
  • In the early to mid-1970s I had a large Airfix 1/72nd collection
  • In the late-1970s to early 1980s I had a huge 15mm collection.
  • In the early 1990s I built up a very small 25mm Dixon collection
  • In the early 2000s I built up a large 28mm collection, to which I have been adding recently 
In all but the most recent collection I deliberately avoided specialist units such as the Iron Brigade, the Stonewall Brigade, Hood’s Texans or zouaves for that matter. Then when I saw that the Battle in a Box set that I bought a couple of months contained 24 zouave figures, the die was cast that I had to do a couple of units.

The first unit, the 5th New York was posted a week ago (link), but the unit presented here, the 146th New York, is perhaps my favourite American Civil War zouave unit because its uniform is modeled on that of the Tirallieurs Algériens, my favourite unit from the French Second Empire. Strangely the history of this regiment was deeply intertwined with the 5th New York to such an extent that the two regiments could never appear in the same order of battle.


Mustered in October 1862, the regiment was alternatively known as the 5th Oneida Regiment or the Halleck Infantry. It did not enter service in a zouave uniform and in the standard New York State uniform served at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. After the latter battle the remnants of the 5th New York were merged with the 146th and the regiment adopted a zouave uniform in June 1863. The regiment went on to fight at Gettysburg, where as a part of Weed’s Brigade it helped defend Little Round Top.



Further honours followed at Williamsport, the Wilderness (where they were all but decimated in Saunders Field), Spotsylvania, North Anna, Totopotomy Creek, Cold Harbour, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, White Oak Ridge, Hatcher's Run and Appomattox.


The regiment was mustered out of service on 16 July 1865.

16 comments:

  1. You were right when you said these guys have a very snazzy uniform Mark

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very nicely done Mark and you are right, lighter blues are probably one of the most satisfying colours to use. Perhaps it's something to do with the coverage? I remember you talking about your 15mm collection, but I don't remember you ever having brought it out at the AWC.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am sure I must have games with this collection at the AWC once or twice.

      Delete
  3. 146th NY is one of my favorites as well. Striking uniform that is perfectly executed by your steady hand. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jonathan. Once the lockdown lifts I will be able to base these properly.

      Delete
  4. A lovely unit and an interesting history too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Nathan. I never knew the connection to the 5th NY though.

      Delete
  5. When fighting the Civil War one has to have zouaves its compulsory.Lovely job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Robbie. I used to think the opposite, but am now considering adding a couple more units.

      Delete
  6. A lovely unit Mark...
    It has a particularly nice combination of colours...

    All the best. Aly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Aly. Light blue and yellow always look good, but add a splash of red and you have something spectacular. I can hardly wait until lockdown is over and I can get some proper basing material to finish these guys properly.

      Delete
  7. Mark I have these guys sitting on my desk in front of me too. Except not as finished as yours :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You will enjoy them. How is the lockdown going foe you in a rural NZ?

      Delete
  8. Lovely looking zouaves! Delightful uniform well executed!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete