Confederate Camel

[Kurt G]

Douglas was the mascot of Company A , 43rd Mississippi at Vicksburg . Left over from the U.S. military's camel experiment in the Southwest , Douglas was apparently a bit cantankerous and frightened the horses . Sometimes used to carry band instruments , he met his demise from Union gunfire.
This is a 54mm (1/32nd scale) camel left over from a nativity scene I did many years ago . Painted in acrylics .

 

[DixieRifles]

Wow! Very nice. And from an old nativity scene?
Long ago, I wanted to make a scene with a Buffalo but there is no model of one. Most kits, etc., of horses are even very bad.

 

[rebel brit]

Excellent work, really like what you've done with this. Is the figure a Latorre with the rifle replaced with a pitchfork.
Here's a pic of Douglas's grave I took at Vicksburg.

 

[donna]

This is so nice. I have some camels from nativity scenes. I have a Buffalo. Got when took trip out west.

 

[Montbrun]

My GF has a horse farm, and we've had a couple of camels over the years. From experience in the middle east, I know that most camels have a less than friendly disposition, however, the ones that we have had, because they were born and raised in the US, were a lot better.

 

[GwilymT]

Douglas has to go down as one of the favorite regimental mascots/pets of the war! He's right up there with Old Abe the eagle and Marse Robert's chicken. I myself have a particular soft spot for Sallie

Now if only Lincoln would have accepted those elephants from the King of Siam!

 

[GwilymT]

Douglas was the mascot of Company A , 43rd Mississippi at Vicksburg . Left over from the U.S. military's camel experiment in the Southwest , Douglas was apparently a bit cantankerous and frightened the horses . Sometimes used to carry band instruments , he met his demise from Union gunfire.
This is a 54mm (1/32nd scale) camel left over from a nativity scene I did many years ago . Painted in acrylics .

View attachment 376119

View attachment 376120

Amazing work. Well done.

 

[Kurt G]

Wow! Very nice. And from an old nativity scene?
Long ago, I wanted to make a scene with a Buffalo but there is no model of one. Most kits, etc., of horses are even very bad.

Le Meridiana makes some very nice buffaloes in 1/32nd scale . You would have to order them from overseas. El Greco miniatures in the UK carry Le Meridiana . I've never ordered from them before . You are right about horses . There are a few decent ones out there , but not that many .

 

[Kurt G]

Excellent work, really like what you've done with this. Is the figure a Latorre with the rifle replaced with a pitchfork.
Here's a pic of Douglas's grave I took at Vicksburg.
View attachment 376136

I really don't know who made the figure . As my collection of figures grew I used to put them in zip lock bags with just the cover art to save room . It might be El Viejo Dragon or Beneito . I bought it a long time ago but while going through my older figures I re-discovered my oldest unpainted figure , one I bought in 1969!! Yes , I just removed the cartridge and cap box and replaced the rifle .

 

[lupaglupa]

Poor Douglas. He was shot by a sniper, which always seemed cruel to me. The figurine is great!

 

[donna]

I have always liked camels. I have several stuffed animals that are camels. My favorite is one our daughter gave me. It was from the Louisville Zoo. I actually named him Douglas. I know strange but I have huge stuffed animal collection.

 

[Pollaco]

Dromedary, that's a one hump right? I read there were both one hump and two humped camels and a cross bred or two in the original "batch" of camels.I've also read that after Douglas was dispatched (eaten) there was an industry on carving rings and such from his bones.

 

[lupaglupa]

There's a whole book about the attempt to bring camels to the US for military use - it's quite interesting! The Last Camel Charge by Forrest Bryant Johnson.

 

[Pollaco]

I live about 100 mile from the old seaport of Indianola, Texas. It's no longer there, several hurricanes saw to that.I find the history behind this once thriving seaport fascinating. It was the drop off point for the journey to San Antonio, Many famous people traveled through this town including Robert E. Lee. This was the town where the army brought in and unloaded the camels for Jefferson Davis' Camel Corp. 34 camels were unloaded in Indianola on May 14, 1856. On Feburary 10, 1857 a second herd of 41 camels was unloaded at this port. They were then driven to Camp Verde, Texas to join the first batch. 5 from the first herd had died , so the Army now had 70 camels. The Corps was disbanded due to the war. Looks like Douglas came from one of these this batchs of camels as some where sold but I think others were just turned loose. There was possibly a 3rd shipment,I guess because the army had roughly 100 at one time. Douglas just wandered up toward Mississippi. Curious how he crossed the river though.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Wow! Very nice. And from an old nativity scene?
Long ago, I wanted to make a scene with a Buffalo but there is no model of one. Most kits, etc., of horses are even very bad.

That´s a wonderful little diorama. We used to live out west and had a bison in our Nativity scene too. We found him and put him in the tableau again last year. It´s great to see the look on people´s faces right before they say ¨isn´t that a buffalo?¨

 

[Carronade]

Dromedary, that's a one hump right? I read there were both one hump and two humped camels and a cross bred or two in the original "batch" of camels.I've also read that after Douglas was dispatched (eaten) there was an industry on carving rings and such from his bones.

Just remember the capital letters D and B.
Dromedary has one hump.
Bactrian camel has two humps.

 

[Carronade]

That´s a wonderful little diorama. We used to live out west and had a bison in our Nativity scene too. We found him and put him in the tableau again last year. It´s great to see the look on people´s faces right before they say ¨isn´t that a buffalo?¨

Some years ago I was shopping in a Christmas store with a friend who needed a lamb to complete her Nativity scene. You'd think a lamb would be pretty obvious, but they didn't have any. All kinds of other animals, even a Christmas gorilla, but no lamb!

 

[Pat Answer]

Just remember the capital letters D and B.
Dromedary has one hump.
Bactrian camel has two humps.

Nice!

 

[lupaglupa]

Douglas just wandered up toward Mississippi. Curious how he crossed the river though.

If I remember correctly he was a "gift" to one of the officers in the 43rd MS.

 

[Pollaco]

If I remember correctly he was a "gift" to one of the officers in the 43rd MS.

True but where did this gift come from?