Damned Red Legged Devils!

Hi All
The 14th Regiment New York State Militia (also called the 14th Brooklyn) was a volunteer militia regiment from the City of Brooklyn, New York. It has always been a unit that has interested me. Firstly because of its damn fine uniform. It looks more like a 'Chasseur' uniform than a 'Zouave', (hence their other nick name of 'Brooklyn Chasseurs'). The other reason was of their involvement at 1st Bull Run where they picked up their nick name Red Legged Devils.

 
In the Civil War, the regiment was made up of a majority of abolitionists from the Brooklyn area. It was led first by Colonel Alfred M. Wood and later by Colonel Edward Brush Fowler. The 14th Brooklyn was involved in heavy fighting, including most major engagements of the Eastern theatre. Their engagements included the First and Second Battles of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House. During the war, the men of the 14th Brooklyn were well known by both armies and throughout the country for their hard drill, hard fighting, and constant refusal to stand down from a fight. During their three years of service they never withdrew from battle in unorderly fashion.

 
The 14th Brooklyn received its nickname, the "Red Legged Devils", during the First Battle of Bull Run. Referring to the regiment's colourful red trousers as the regiment repeatedly charged up Henry House Hill, Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson yelled to his men:
 "Hold on boys! Here come those red legged devils again!"

 
On 7 December 1861, the State of New York officially changed the regiment's designation to the 84th New York Volunteer Infantry (and its unit histories are sometimes found under this designation). But at the unit's request and because of the fame attained by the unit at First Bull Run, the United States Army continued to refer to it as the 14th.
In the early part of the war, when the 14th Brooklyn was in General Walter Phelps' brigade, the brigade was named "Iron Brigade". It would later to become known as the "Eastern Iron Brigade" after John Gibbon's Black Hat Brigade was given the name "Western Iron Brigade". At the conclusion of the war, all members of the "Eastern" or "First" Iron Brigade were given medals for their service within the Iron Brigade

BELOW: The Regiment in Line. 

My version  of the 14th Brooklyn is made up of PERRY MINIATURES (Coded ACW64 and 65)because at the time I was unaware of any manufacturer that made this specific Regiment. I've since discovered SASH AND SABER (S&S) and FORGOTTEN AND GLORIOUS (FG MiniZ) do in fact produce this Regiment in 28mm metal.
So, I purchased a Regimental pack from FG MiniZ on a preorder deal they were running, (they had not actually produced them but were in the process of doing so at the time).
NOW I have the 14th Brooklyn in both PERRY and FG MiniZ form, although I have not painted the FG Miniz version yet.

 The PERRY version was painted by FERNANDO ENTERPRISE to their COLLECTOR Standard. I'm pretty pleased with the results. FE does a great job at an excellent price in my opinion. I have not finish them yet. I still need to dry brush the bases, add flock and grass tuffs and obviously I need to add both National and Regimental Flags.

 The FG MiniZ boys I will paint myself. They are a more accurate representation of the 14th Brooklyn than the PERRYs as the have the 'knots' on their shoulders.

 BELOW: A 'Side By Side' comparison of the FG MiniZ and PERRY miniatures. Both manufacturers have produced beautiful figures I think.

As you can see the FG MiniZ are sculpted in a very dynamic 'Advancing at Right Shoulder Shift'. There was no flash at all on the FG MiniZ sculpts and the flag Staffs fitted neatly into the Sergeants hands without any drilling required at all!!!
The FG MiniZ also produce casualties and a nice mounted officer. There is a drummer AND bugler available in addition to a nifty Ammunition Carrying party of two figures, (See Below)

The 14th Brooklyn is an interesting and colourful unit. They saw plenty of action and I'm glad I've got them in my collection.
OH!!! And I cant leave without mentioning a FANTASTIC Podcast that is a MUST for those of you interested in the American Civil War:
The CIVIL WAR (1861-1865: A HISTORY PODCAST

 It's EXTREAMLY informative and entertaining.
I highly recommend a listen.