Saturday 21 January 2012

"Tipped with a line of steel"


During the Crimean War, the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders formed part of the Highland Brigade that distinguished itself throughout the campaign.   However it was at Balaclava that the regiment won immortal fame when, under the command of Sir Colin Campbell, it formed line in two ranks and repelled a charge of Russian cavalry.  Campbell is reported to have said, "There is no retreat from here, men. You must die where you stand." Never has a regimental motto, 'Sans Peur', (without fear) been more appropriate as the men stood firm against the thunderous advance of the advancing Hussars.


It was the London Times correspondent, William H. Russell who wrote that he could see nothing between the charging Russians and the British except "the thin red streak, tipped with a line of steel". Russell was of course referring to the 93rd Highlanders; they were the only unit standing between the Russian cavalry and an unprepared and disorganised British camp.  British Army tactics of the time would have dictated that  the infantry stand four deep to present a rolling volley of fire.  Furthermore, to have received  a cavalry charge in the open they would normally form into a square to protect themselves; cavalry could easily break a line of infantry!  Why was it then that Sir Colin Campbell stretched his men into only two thin ranks? 



Shortly before the charge the Highlanders were coming under artillery fire; clearly  the best form of defence for this would be an extended line and not huddled together in a square!  In fact rather than surrender a tactically advantageous position Campbell had had the Highlanders lay face down below the crest of the hill effectively making them invisible.

Forming square.

Campbell was an experienced soldier and undoubtedly would have realised the importance of his position; he would have been  fully aware of the need to spread as far as possible in a bid to cover more ground, protect the camp and present more firepower per volley.  Although there are conflicting reports it is believed that the 93rd fired three volleys, the first at such a range that it had little effect.  The second and third, however, delivered such withering fire that the Russian Hussars checked and ultimately turned, breaking off the charge.  So elated where the Highlanders that some began to mount the famed Highland counterattack only to be met by a fierce Campbell roaring, "Ninety-third, Ninety-third , damn all that eagerness!"

On the march.

Throughout the project I was becoming more and more acutely aware that I had been naive in basing the miniatures as individuals.  This was simply a lack of experience and understanding on my behalf.  Now a little older and potentially wiser I’ve constructed the following dynamic movement trays that allow me to place the miniatures in whatever alignment suits their use best.  I can take very little credit for the idea, which I have appropriated from a wonderful posting on the ‘Gentlemen’s Wargames Parlour’ that can be found here.

From this ...
to this!
A huge thank you to James at 'Oshiro Model Terrain' who sorted me out with laser-cut Perspex rings to my specification.
Interesting fact: The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (now known of 5 Scots) are the only infantry regiment in the British Army to have "Balaclava" in their list of battle honours.


It is only right and proper to acknowledge the painting that has in turn inspired the miniatures that are posted here.  Robert Gibb was an Edinburgh born artist, who in 1881, created one of the finest military paintings of the nineteenth century; certainly in my humble opinion anyway! ‘The Thin Red Line’, was inspired by Alexander Kinglake's account of the 93rd Highlanders at Balaclava in his book ‘The Invasion of the Crimea’.   It is alleged that Gibb had taken a walking holiday in the English Peak District during which time he was reading Kinglake's book.  One afternoon while out walking near Haddon Hall, he glanced up to a slight rise and imagined that he saw a line of burly highlanders, "all plaided and plumed in their tartan array."  On his return to his lodgings, Gibb sketched out his mental image and the rest, as they say, was history.


21 comments:

  1. Fantastic looking unit. A good read as well Its nice to read the history on what miniature is founded.

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  2. Lovely movement tray Michael. They make a mighty looking unit.

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  3. What a fantastic post. Love the history. Adds great significance to the figures. I think you and I are vary similar, Michael, in that we get our inspiration from our reading.

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    1. That is very kind of you Mark. You are absolutely right in so much as the literature, poetry and painting is as much a thrill to research as painting the miniatures themselves. I am very flattered by your kind words.

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  4. Very nice work and background info!

    Christopher

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  5. Now thats what I call a thin red line. The painting and basing is wonderful. Where did you get the flags from?

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    1. Thanks Pete, the colours are paper flags by Adolfo Ramos but I picked them up with the characters via Northstar Miniatures. Before I stuck them together I wrapped a little foil around the standard which allowed me to bend and position them as I liked.

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  6. Michael - great pics and history. The paint jobs are amazing!

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  7. Superb looking Highlanders! Best, Dean

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    1. Thank you Dean, and a splendid blog you have too. Will be following with interest.

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  8. Lovely looking unit. Having some Scots ancestry I have always had a soft spot for the Highland units. I must admit I tend to base 28s individually as I find them easier to store and transport.

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    1. Thank you Al, I think the problem was ultimately the lipped base as they take up so much space. Fine for skirmish games but when one needs troops packed together in tight ranks they become a little unwieldy. That said I still like the look of the lipped base, it just seems to give the miniature a more finished look.

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    2. I tend to use 20mm square bases for troops I will want to use in ranks as well as individually and then pop them in a movement tray of the appropriate size. But I do have some figures mounted on 25mm circular bases (washers or 2ps) and also have some movement trays for them.

      I know what you mean about the lipped bases - they look great for display purposes particularly - and set of your painting very nicely.

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  9. Gentlemen, thank you all for your very kind words. It really shouldn't have taken so long to have completed but as this blog will testify and I am very easily distracted!

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  10. Wonderfull painted figures!

    Greetings
    Peter
    http://peterscave.blogspot.com/

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  11. Very informative post which is just the icing on the cake. The painting, flags and bases make this a superb looking unit. I also base my figures individually on coins and then use movement trays from warbase.com I like the option of doing small skirmish games with individual based figures or using those movement trays for the bigger games. Great blog BTW.

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  12. Great idea with the basing,I think I have seen the painting of the thin red line in the museum in Glasgow great piece!!

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  13. Nice Post Michael, enjoyed it. Lovely base too, thx for the info...

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  14. I saw the painting in Glasgow , and bought a copy which hangs above the painting table. You have done a great job recreating it .. well done

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