Spanish Captain of Artillery

Hello everyone!

Another quickie for y'all: a Spanish artillery officer (a capitán of the Real Cuerpo de Artilleria) to command a battery of guns which I started with my Spanish artillery limber last year.

(Remember to click on the pictures for bigger versions.)

"I don't care if the oxen are frightened, soldier; the guns go that way!"

This is one of the two mounted figures that came with the big lot of AWI figures I bought last year, mounted on a Naismith horse (taken from a French lancer, with the cantle bag removed).  I’m not sure on who makes the figure. The horse is rather ugly, with a long neck and slightly bowed back, but I think it’s perfect for a Spanish Artillery officer’s mount, as good horseflesh would have undoubtedly gone to someone of nobility: perhaps to one of those fools in the cavalry!

The uniform is the regulation 1808 artillery officer’s uniform: dark blue coat and breeches, with red collars, cuffs, and lapel piping, brass buttons and black boots. The cocked hat is laced in gold, with a red plume. I had to spitball on the horse furniture (I guess no one out there in all of the Internet is really all that interested in the proper colors of Spanish artillery officer’s saddle blankets –sigh-), so I approximated based on a picture of a French artillery officer. French and Spanish artillery uniforms are nearly identical, so I said "screw it, it's hereby justified."  I gave our gallant captain white hair, making him either a) old and seasoned or b) old-fashioned and wearing a white powdered wig. Either would do for a Don, I think.

I’m working on the rest of the Spanish battery right now. I’ve got one gun and crew 95% done, and I haven’t started on the other yet. It shouldn’t take too long to have the full battery complete.

Questions comments and criticisms are always welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for looking!

All the best,

Chuck