The memoirs were first published in book form in 1962 but have long been unavailable. Rare admissions by civil war soldiers in their private letters reveal that they intentionally shot at individual enemy soldiers or killed them willfully, confirming that such behavior was commonplace on the battlefield, especially after 1863. I wonder if the civil war general reference in this thread is to major general john sedgewick union. There are many books on the us sharpshooters during the civil war ranging from very basic to very indepth. Though similar in overall pattern, these civil war reports vary remarkably in detail. In the pantheon of civil war literature, few soldiers are as poorly understood as sharpshooters and skirmishers. Marksmen through the ages as well as many articles for magazines such as muzzle blasts, muzzle loader, the gettysburg magazine, the skirmish line, crossfire. Feb 04, 2018 there are many books on the us sharpshooters during the civil war ranging from very basic to very indepth. Notable sharpshooter units of the civil war included the 1st and 2nd united states volunteer sharpshooter regiment usvsr, composed of companies provided by numerous primarily eastern union states. Many of the sharpshooters were killed in the major battles of the civil war, antietam sharpsburg, fredericksburg, gettysburg, spotsylvania, and vicksburg to name a few. A montage of several of gardners photos included the sharpshooter photographs, titled a sharpshooters last sleep. Ivan always wanted to be in the war, but something has changed in him. We would like to thank all for their support whilst we transition to virtual operations. Most historians will find byrds description of confederate sharpshooter battalions to be the most useful part of this book.
Must have books on sharpshooters in the american civil war. Sep 30, 1996 a gripping and thoughtprovoking work that is unlike any civil war novel previously written, sharpshooter takes us into the mind of one of the war s veterans as he attempts, years after the conflict, to reconstruct his experiences and to find some measure of meaning in them. They received advanced instruction in marksmanship, estimating range, skirmish tactics and many other skills. Ive heard quite a few different distances listed as the distance of the shot, none really well documented. These highly trained marksmen served in a frontline role and, due to the technological developments of the 1850s, were equipped with weapons that could guarantee greater accuracy over increased range than traditional muskets. Naturally, some confederate sharpshooters hid theirs and brought them home instead of surrendering them at the wars end, but the whitworths presence in the civil war was generally slight to begin with. This video focuses more on confederate sharpshooters. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. This innovative rifle was designed by sir joseph whitworth, a famed british engineer and inventor.
Civil war sharpshooter, the whitworth rifle collectors. To qualify each man had to be able to place ten shots with a rifle of his choice in a circle of 10 inches in diameter from 200 yards. Ray the blackfords of fredericksburg and lynchburg could make a strong, perhaps unimpeachable, case for deserving designation as the most fertile literary family in the confederate states. Sharpshooters in the army of the potomac by stevens morningside reprint, the civil war diary of wyman white edited by russell white and the small but useful sharpshooters of the american civil war by osprey. The whitworth rifle was, arguably, the first longrange sniper rifle in military history.
American civil war books the sharpshooter battalions of. First sergeant, company f 2nd united states sharpshooters. A gripping and thoughtprovoking work that is unlike any civil war novel previously written, sharpshooter takes us into the mind of one of the war s veterans as he attempts, years after the conflict, to reconstruct his experiences and to find some measure of meaning in them. This edition, with a new foreword by the noted civil war historian herman hattaway, will introduce this compelling story to a new generation of readers. After the war, he returned to marietta where he lived out the rest of his days. These were the first and second regiments of united states sharpshooters, very much celebrated and publicized units in their time, though almost completely forgotten today. Who was the best sharpshooter in the american civil war.
These described a sharpshooter who had died a slow death and who had spent his final moments thinking of his family. The 1st and 2nd united states sharpshooters were the elite of the union army. Civil war battles and resulted in far more deaths than scholars have previously accounted for. Picketing, skirmishing, and sharpshooting essential civil. Using materials from the national archives, the sta. Ivan goes into the marines while his friends go into different parts of the military. American civil war 186165 combat yee, gary, shumate, johnny on. Nov, 2005 shock troops of the confederacy the sharpshooter battalions of the army of northern virginia book cover sharpshooter badge private james branscomb co.
Sharpshooting rifles of the american civil war osprey. Confederate scout and sharpshooter berry greenwood ben. Today, examples of civil war used whitworths are exceedingly scarce. Free pdf sharpshooting rifles of the american civil war. Ripleys book on vermont riflemen in the civil war is another excellent first hand account. The true story behind the gettysburg sharpshooter pieces of. First sergeant wyman white of company f, 2nd united states.
American civil war 186165 combat book 41 english edition ebook. American civil war 1861 65 combat by gary yee and johnny shumate jun 18, 2019 4. Mar 30, 2014 fred is also very interested in civil war sharpshooters, and is the author of shock troops of the confederacy. The photographs became two of the most famous of the civil war, but for over 100 years historians did not question the captions gardner wrote for them in his photographic sketch book of the civil war. The book has the history of the men both union and confederate, the weapons they used often personal rifles that were nongovernment issue, the regiments they composed of, and the targets deadly toll of officers and enlisted during battles, skirmishes. Picketing, skirmishing, and sharpshooting essential. This video is part of the american battlefield trusts in4 video series, which presents short videos on basic civil war topics. Soldiers who were able to shoot targets at long distances were considered to be sharpshooters. Benson, for example, tells of using a captured spencer repeating carbine late in the war at petersburg but also admits he had to discard it after he ran out of ammunition. Join us as we explore sharpshooter weapons used during the war with. Sedgewick was killed by a sharpshooter at spotsylvania courthouse in 1864 by a sharpshooter. The queen of england even used the whitworth rifle with good results. The first meeting of the british national rifle association was held at wimbledon in 1860. This fictional civil war memoir by madden the suicides wife shows how a plain tale, skillfully told, can carry more meaning than ornate plot contrivances and fancy ruminations.
The 1st united states sharpshooters were an infantry regiment that served in the union army during the american civil war. Confederate sharpshooters rifles american civil war forums. American civil war books sharpshooter the selected. Berdans sharpshooters civil war history discussion. What i came up with was a story about a very personal war.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new. The diary and the letters contained herein is a testament to his time as a soldier during the civil war. The 1st regiment michigan volunteer sharpshooters was an infantry regiment that served in the union army during the american civil war. To do this, i began to ask myself a lot of what if questions such as what if the south had tried to assassinate general grant. An active member in the civil war community, he is the author of sharpshooters 17501900. A prolific correspondent, his remarkably complete set of letters spans most of the war and provide a unique opportunity for the modern reader to see the conflict in virginia through the eyes of someone who lived it. Major plasters book is the history of these elite sharpshooters during the civil war. The 1st regiment michigan volunteer sharpshooters was an infantry regiment that served in the union army during the american civil war service.
Apr 12, 2020 sharpshooters wore camo and hefted stateoftheart rifles with longer, flatter trajectory the greenclad soldiers waited patiently in the shadows of the pennsylvania woods. Fred is also very interested in civil war sharpshooters, and is the author of shock troops of the confederacy. Sharpshooting in the civil war civil war books civil war shooting mark keefe rifles. He is the author of over 30 books in the field of american military history, and was named a. Posts may contain affiliate links, meaning cwba might get a commission from purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. Civil war sniper rifle dealt death to yankees the sniper concealed himself in dense foliage on a bluff high above the tennessee river, waiting for the union patrol below to draw closer. The sharpshooters new civil war books, this one tells. Sharpshooting rifles of the american civil war osprey publishing. Subscribe to tocwoc a civil war blogs feed via rss or email to receive instant updates.
White never missed an engagement in which the 2nd united states sharpshooters fought, with the exceptions of south mountain september 14, 1862 and antietam september 17, 1862. Naturally, some confederate sharpshooters hid theirs and brought them home instead of surrendering them at the war s end, but the whitworths presence in the civil war was generally slight to begin with. The most famous indian unit in the union army was company k of the 1st michigan sharpshooters and was the largest allindian regiment in the union army east of the mississippi river. Badly cut up at antietam, sharpshooters have striking story. Her interest in the subject, she explained, partly resulted from the convergence of several areas of interest. These men were much more than just sharpshooters, but in effect, specialized and for the civil war highly trained troops.
Company k of the american indians and the civil war. The very best memoir is the civil war diary of wyman white. At the outset of the american civil war, the union armys sharpshooters were initially equipped with the m1855 colt revolving rifle, but it was prone to malfunction. Sep 23, 2006 fred is also very interested in civil war sharpshooters, and is the author of shock troops of the confederacy. American civil war 186165 combat book 41 english edition.
It has been published and is now called the civil war of wyman white. Whitehall gives an inside look at items typically found in an officers tent and gives advice and suggestions for your impression. A modest land and slaveowner of scotchirish descent, hinson voted for secession from the union in both the february and june, 1861 elections. When the american civil war broke out in 1861 both confederate and union experts decided that specialized sharpshooter units should be formed. For more information on civil war reenacting and berdan.
When the american civil war commenced in 1861, both confederate and union officials decided that specialized sharpshooter units should be formed. Civil war sharpshooters confederate sharpshooter union. Most wanted sniper of the civil war jack hinson youtube. The second united states sharpshooters in the civil war. I have sharpshooter by wiley sword that gives some good information on the usss. Although set during the civil war, david maddens latest novel really takes place in the terrain of the mind. But as the diary and letters indicate, the war was not the end all of his life. During battle, the mission of the sharpshooter was to kill enemy targets of importance i. Few realize the impact of the civil war sharpshooter. I wanted to write a civil war novel that was different from others that have mainly been dramas set against the backdrop of the war. A civil war novel paperback november 1, 2007 by david healey author.
The sharpshooter battalions of the army of northern virginia. Sharpshooters of the american civil war 186165 book. Generally, debate among scholars of civil war tactics has. Berdans sharpshooters at gettysburg civil war trust. Achetez et telechargez ebook union sharpshooter vs confederate sharpshooter. Sniping, or sharpshooting, was a recognized psychological weapon at the outset of the civil war. These highly trained marksmen served in a frontline role and, due to the technological developments of the 1850s. Instead, the norths sharpshooters preferred the sharps rifle, an innovative bree. Recent studies of civil war tactics focus their attention on the importance of rifled muskets and the persistence of linear combat. Other than in museums and choice private collections, not many exist. The regiment consisted of 146 men, 9 of whom were anishnaabek, the indigenous people of the great lakes. Lees army of northern virginia organized sharpshooter battalions. Feb 06, 2018 most wanted sniper of the civil war jack hinson.
Today, examples of civil warused whitworths are exceedingly scarce. In contrast, sam refers to his company h commander, captain feild, using a sevenshooting rifle during the wars first winter, which is highly unlikely. Memoirs of a confederate scout and sharpshooter check price on amazon description. A montage of several of gardners photos included the sharpshooter photographs, titled a sharpshooter s last sleep. She has long enjoyed the victorian era in the united states, both before and after the civil war. Sharpshooters of the american civil war 186165 by philip. The 2nd united states sharpshooters was a sharpshooter regiment that served in the union army during the american civil war.
Confederate scout and sharpshooter berry greenwood benson witnessed the first shot fired on fort sumter, retreated with lees army to its surrender at appomattox courthouse, and missed little of the action in between. Berdan of new york, authorized to raise a regiment of sharpshooters for federal service, began recruiting competitions in the summer of 1861. The first shot was fired by queen victoria, from a whitworth rifle on a machine rest, at 400 yards, and struck the bullseye at 1 14 inches from its centre. American civil war books shock troops of the confederacy. One sharpshooter, having watched with frustration as a group. Video contains a varying array of those books for more information on civil war. Sharpshooters of the american civil war 186165 osprey publishing. William greens letters from a sharpshooter is valuable for one thing.
This book is beneficial to ones understanding of the us sharpshooters in the civil war but must also be accompanied by other books on the same subject to give the reader a greater understanding of the men and the dynamics around the best that the army of the potomac had to offer in the civil war. Review union sharpshooter versus confederate sharpshooter. Oct 26, 2016 most historians will find byrds description of confederate sharpshooter battalions to be the most useful part of this book. Sharpshooters of the american civil war 186165 osprey. During the civil war there were two green uniformed regiments in service of the union army. Eugene blackford was an aristocratic young virginian who served throughout the civil war and wrote about much of what he saw. American civil war sharpshooters weapons and warfare. Volunteers, is an american civil war living history group based in. Tales of civil war marksmen have long been mythologized in the popular imagination of the conflict. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. The men, their guns, their story, and sharpshooters.
The modern sharpshooter appeared in central europe around 1700 the term comes from the german scharfschutzen, so the book begins with a look at how european armies employed both light infantry and sharpshooters through the napoleonic wars and the mexican war in america to the minie revolution in firearms just prior to the civil war. Jun 20, 20 the photographs became two of the most famous of the civil war, but for over 100 years historians did not question the captions gardner wrote for them in his photographic sketch book of the civil war. The sharpshooters knew that being captured was not an option and they would be shot by the enemy rather than the option of surrendering. Civil war chief of sharpshooters hiram berdan book. As a freshly minted sharpshooter, simmons participated in the bloody engagements at chancellorsville and gettysburg, the siege of chattanooga, and the failed assault on fort sanders knoxville in november 1863. Stephen walsh this book examines the recruitment, training, tactics, and deployment of sharpshooters from both union and confederate forces. Yees book is a wellorganized and informative summary of the ways sharpshooters and snipers in particular impacted the civil war battlefield and developed a combat effectiveness vastly disproportionate to the tiny numbers employed. The sharpshooters new civil war books, this one tells the story of the elite soldiers of the south share article in shock troops of the confederacy author fred ray narrates the development of the army of northern virginias sharpshooter battalions and their tactical use on the battlefield.
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