Louisiana Tigers, Advancing, No.2, 1861-62

The Louisiana Tigers built their reputation on a paradox: they were among the most ill-disciplined infantry in the Confederate Army in camp, and among the most ferocious in the attack. Major Chatham Roberdeau Wheat — Mexican War veteran, soldier of fortune, lawyer — recruited his 1st Special Battalion Louisiana Infantry in New Orleans in 1861 from dock workers, gamblers, river roughs, and Irish and German immigrants who had little patience for drill but a great deal for a fight. Their Zouave-pattern uniform — red fez, short blue jacket, red flannel shirt, blue-and-white striped trousers tucked into white gaiters — was modeled on French regiments fighting in North Africa, and made them instantly recognizable at First Manassas and the major engagements of 1861-62. Wheat was killed at Gaines's Mill in June 1862, and the Tigers nickname was extended afterward to all of Louisiana's troops in the Army of Northern Virginia.

This figure shows a Tiger in the moment of the charge: musket at low ready, bayonet fixed, mid-stride. Where the firing pose in the same release set shows him taking the shot, this one shows him closing the distance — the second beat in the same advance. He pairs naturally with the other Tigers figures in this release for an early-war attack vignette, or works on his own as a single Tiger pressing forward in the iconic 1861-62 Zouave dress.

1/30 scale (60mm), matte-painted, single figure boxed. Catalog number 31506. As with the rest of the W. Britain modern range, the painting is photographic-quality detail intended to read well in dioramas and display cases.