Monday, July 7, 2008

Testing Confederate Mettle: The Battle of Parsley Flats

(I know, I know...it isn't the first or the fifteenth. This must all just be a dream.)

The pastoral nature of my herb garden was rent asunder this afternoon as mounted titans in blues and gray clashed amongst my parsley sprouts.  Fortunate was I to have had my camera at the ready.

These images do paltry justice to the actual carnage witnessed by the delicate eyes of this humbled  observer.

The melee was difficult to follow - so swirling was the action, so disquieting the scenes - however, both sides retired from the field in an apparent draw. Although the forces of Lincoln and freedom had the advantage in numbers of troopers, the sons of nullification and the second American Revolution had riders of superior anatomy and animation.

The ranks of the yanks were overly bloated with Imex figures, rigidly refusing to fire forward but, instead, always firing off to the side, oftentimes into their own confused comrades. The Federals were further burdened with BMC/Americana recruits, so poorly cast and in such non-martial poses as to do little to cause Rebel morale to waver one whit.

The saucy sojourners of the Southern States  were fortunate this time to have forwarded so many fine mounted Italeri men  to this fight, bringing not only superior horsemanship to the affair but sculpting and animation that would cause even the sternest of New England maidens to swoon in doubt of her cause.

The day was saved for the Unionists by a stalwart and steadfast guidon bearer, dragooned from the ranks of Toy Soldiers of San Diego's infantry and provided with minimal modifications to allow him to join in the contest astride rather than afoot.

Huzzah for our side!

Just prior to the clash of arms.


A dauntles Dixieman dashes for the union flank...

to deliver an unsportsmanlike coup de grace to a downed down-easterner.

Though, truth be told, Unionist scoundrels also perpetrated heinous acts of the lowest sort.

Note: Identities are obscured in the service of decency and in consideration of the delicacy  of any ladies who may cast their disbelieving glances in this direction.

Shortly after this image was captured the fight came to an abrupt end as both sides retired in the obscuring and sheltering dust, to meet, I am quite certain, again!


As shall we.

Mannie