A collection of bedtime stories - or sharpshooter & sniper tales

Cowards lead the way!

Well, kinda-sorta to the rear where safety is in flight. :p Here's an incident from the Late Great Unpleasantry Between States or the Mother of American Family Feuds that illustrates the necessity of removing leadership. Enjoy.

"The enemy was steadily advancing on the line of Rodes, and at the distance of 100 yards menaced a charge. An officer, mounted on a white horse in front, was impetuously urging them onward.

"The potent incitation was manifest to Major Hobson, and in the crisis, he felt the necessity of removing the officer. He at once selected skilled riflemen to 'pick him off.' This was unerringly done, and at his fall the enemy hesitated, were checked, and the fortunes of the day changed.

"Subsequently, and not long before the battle of Sharpsburg (some comment having been made on the sacrifice of the gallant officer), states Colonel Hobson, an officer from General Jackson came to him with 'compliments of General Jackson' and the message: 'Tell Major Hobson I want the brave officers of the enemy killed off. Their death insures our success. Cowards are never in the front; they skulk or flee!'"

And that is our Bedtime Story of the week.
 
Dedicated to Maj. Boothby & the gang at U no where in VA.

Instructions. Like today, you go through school, get your certificate and then you're off. Not quite. You're only qualified to begin your apprenticeship and when you go into the field, you learn under a more senior and experienced man. That's how it's done today and how it's done then. Here's an observation from a Corn-fed General who evesdropped on two sharpshooters.

During the Atlanta campaign the General was sitting in a clump of laurel on the north face of a mountain, out beyond the bounds of his own lines, sweeping with a glass the lines and camps of Sherman's army, which were spread out before him upon the plain below. He had been deeply absorbed and was suddenly startled by hearing conversation in a low tone comparatively near him. He sat absolutely still and peered about, until, to his great relief, he saw two gray-brown figures stretched out side by side on the leaves but a little distance from him (my note: observe the camouflage effect as well as stillness which prevents detection). One was a grizzled, fire-seamed veteran, and the other a beardless youth, and the elder addressed the younger, in substance, as follows:

"'Now, Charley, when you ain't in a fight, but just shootin' so; of course you ought to get a fellow off by himself, before you let fly. If it's clothes, why, of course, you choose a fellow your own size; but if it's shoes you want, you just pick out the very littlest weevil-eaten chap you can find. Your feet would slide 'round in the shoes of a Yankee as big as you are like they was in flat boats. Why, no longer ago than last evening I had drawn a bead on a fine, great big buck of a fellow, but just as I was about to drop him I looked around and found I didn't have no shoes. So I let him pass, and pretty soon here come along a little cuss of an officer, and' - raising his right foot, as the old general did his, by the way of a vivid recital and illustration - 'there's the boots.'"
 
A member was told that conicals could hit at 1,000 yards distance. Well, yes they could - sometimes. Most minie balls were good for 500 yards and thereafter weren't terribly accurate. One that seemed to stand out more than the others was the English Enfield. Hits have been recorded at 1,000 yards distance but it was very few who could achieve it and sometimes it was pure luck. The British Whitworth was a different matter; but we won't discuss that any further right now. The following bedtime story involves a long range hit.

"We camped about a mile back from the Rebels' works in a piece of timber. The ground in front was a little higher so we couldn't see the works, but could hear the firing. There was a nice creek a few rods behind the camp in a deep gulch, with a fine white sand bottom, and water about two inches deep. One day I went down there to scour my gun barrel. I went by where one of the Company D boys was shaving one of the other boys. I had gone about an hour, and when I got back the one that was doing the shaving was buried. A ball had come from the front and killed him instantly. He never spoke, but fell backwards on his back and held the razor in his uhand until told to let go. I couldn't believe or realize it when they told me. That was the only bullet that came in this camp, and he, like Turner, didn't know he was hit."

Death by sharpshooter or a stray bullet? We'll never know.

Gang, I'm going to Washington D. C. on April 7th and won't be back until April 15th. I won't be online to post any new bedtime stories but if any of you have any to share, please do so. Thanks and have fun. Be safe.
 
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DC for a week Gary? I can but offer commiserations!! :p

Been good reading all these snippets - a fascinating insight.

I have a 2 band musketoon - Parker Hale repro of the Enfield. A 530 (or so) grain Minnie sure as heck is accurate out to 200 yds - never stretched further than that. Of course, rather short barrel on this rifle but - always has impressed me what it can do. I think some while ago, I may have posted a pic of my Minnies ... I cast these with a thinner skirt for better obturation - and they must spin pretty well because of apparent accuracy factor.

Safe trip. :)
 
O Captain, my captain...

Hi, I'm back and most of my time was at the National Archives. Didn't get everything I wanted, but that's what happens when you start expanding the scope of your search. Besides Washington, one battlefield (Monocacy) and Quantico was visited. Met some interesting people and even saw some local sites in the town I was staying in (Alexandria).

While on the flight back, the stewardess asked what book I was reading. She asked because her boyfriend is a Marine at Quantico. When she mentioned Quantico, I told her that I visited someone there on this trip. Anyhow, this week's snippet is dedicated to Molly and her USMC boyfriend.

A captain of one of the Confederate companies was standing by his ment at the fence, just across one field, west from the Thomas house. Firing was going on from both sides. The captain saw a Union soldier standing down by the small stream that flows through the Thomas lawn, aim at him and fire. The bullet whizzed by close. A reloading and a re-aiming and a refiring. This time the bullet tipped a piece of the captain's ear. With his sword he touched a man of his company who was known to be an expert marksman. The Union soldier, again reloading his gun, was pointed out to this marksman, and the result of the two preceding shots briefly told to him. It was now a question of seconds. The expert rested his gun on a fence rail, aimed carefully and fired. The riflemen by the rivulet dropped his gun, threw up his hands and fell, but how seriously wounded he was is not known."
 
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OK, progress report. This last trip to the National Archives resolved one mystery that had been bugging me. You'll see it in Appendix III. Additionally I'm going to modify a few places to include some info on individuals that I've found at the National Archives but for the most part, the manuscript is in the readers' hands. When they're done, I submit to the editor - again. I want it done this year.
 
Commentary on sharpshooting and siege warfare

Trench warfare is nothing new and Washington used it at Yorktown against Cornwallis. It was used to great extent during the siege of Petersburg during the Late Great Pleansantry Between States (or the Mother of American Family Feuds). Here's an excerpt I'd like to share with you:

"The original intent of such 'works' is to afford protection against regular attack by the full battle oine of the opposite side, advancing out of their works to attack yours. This, of course, everyone understands... The constant wearing feature of 'the lines' is sharpshooting, which never ceases as long as there is light enough to see how to shoot; unless the skrimishers or sharpshooters of the two sides proclaim, or in some way begin, a temporary truce, as I have known them to do. I have also known them to give explicit warning of the expiration of such a truce.

"Sharpshooting, at best, however, is a fearful thing. The regular sharpshooter often seemed to me little better than a human tiger lying in wait for blood. His rifle is frequently trained and made fast bearing upon a particular spot, - for example, where the head of a gunner must of necessity appear when sighting his piece, - and the instant that object appears, as it were, 'darkens the hole,' crash goes a bullet through his brain..."

Doesn't it remind you of the "murder incorporated" comment about our snipers in 'Nam?
 
"There were, I think, three men detailed from the Seventh to perform some special duty at the front [sharpshooting]. One of them was a natural born clown, and wore a brown felt hat, which he had by some means obtained, the crown of which he had stretched in a conical shape, an imitation of a very tall 'fool's cap.' The three were sitting on the ground under an awning that covered some light artillery, near the marsh, eating their supper, when the Johnnies sent a ten-inch Columbiad shell over from Fort Johnson; just before reaching our works the fuse-plug blew out, preventing the explosion of the shell, and while it was yet smoking it struck the top of the breastworks that protected the light artillery pieces, plowed through and rollwed between the men, who, with their backs to the enemy, were enjoying their supper, as only a soldier can, and covered their hardtack with sand, tipped over their coffee, and stopped on the oppostie side of the ditch about eight feet away from them and a few yards short of where I was sitting. For a few seconds they were a terrified looking set of men and seeme dimmovably fixed, but soon saw that the smoke did not come from a burning fuse, and then the clown exclaimed in a moderate way, his eyes still standing out like peeled onions, while his hair had raised his hat several inches higher above his red, sun-browned face, 'Some, dam yer, smoke. I don't care half as much about getting scared as I do about losing my coffee, and then, if that shell had gone six inches to the right or left one of us wouldn't have wanted any more supper, for it would have taken his appetite away.'"
 
John Gibbon v. Nez Perce

We all know the story of how Chief Joseph fought a running retreat towards Canada. With his handful of warriors, he defeated successive Union commanders including Mother of All American Family Feuds (Civil War) Gen. John Gibbon. Here's an account of one such battle:

“The soldiers poured into camp, firing into the tepees, and, in the gray light, shooting indiscriminately everything that moved. Naked warriors, with only their rifles and cartridge-belts, ran into the willows and to the prairie knolls overlooking the camp and instantly from these positions of vantage opened a telling fire... In every other Indian battle which I have considered such a surprise meant a crushing defeat for the Indians and the destruction of the camp. Not so in this instance... Instead of a victory Gibbon found that he was fighting for life. The Indian riflemen - and these Indians could shoot straighter than any on the continent - were decimating his men.†It is little wonder that Chief Joseph said, “When an Indian fights, he only shoots to kill; but soldiers shoot at random.â€

It is lessons like this along with the awareness that marksmanship was needed that encouraged the Post Civil War US Army to have shooting competitions and to award medals to the best shots.
 
Rifleman v. artillery

Here's another snippet from the past. While it would be rare for snipers to take out modern artillery (heck of a long stalk to get behind lines and it's easier to call in an air-strike), the same can be done against crew served weapons today.

It would surprise you could you see the tricks resorted to by our sharpshooters to get in range of some particular rebel gun, so as to pick off the gunners. Sometimes they will get a short thick log of wood & by laying flat behind it wile rolling it forward keep themselves covered from the rebel rifles untill they gain the coveted position. Then by a free use of the bayonets & hands they will in a few hours get down so as to be out of sight even when standing. They can load without exposing their arms or hands & if a good sharpshooter gets into his hole in the place he wants, woe be to the rebel who dares show himself around that gun. There are now three or four of the rebel guns which are thus rendered useless to them by day as it is sure death to anyone to show himself near them. They can only fire them by night, & that is pretty much all guess work & not very safe work either for our riflemen have the range & can send their bullets pretty close even in the dark.â€

Leaving for the Oregon Gun Maker's fair on Friday & won't be back until Monday PM. Be good and if you have a bedtime story of your own to share, please do.
 
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Interesting Link

Readers of this thread may find this link to a muzzleloading forum interesting. The particular thread concerns the technology that evolved up to the time of the Mother of American Family Feuds. Click on the link: Technology marches forward

Sorry. :eek: You may have to register to read it. Opps.
 
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Humanity at Gettysburg

Soldiers may have been brutalized in battle, but once the enemy was captured or wounded, their humanity was shown. Such is the case of this incident at Gettysburg:

“The skirmishers on both sides lay very close to the ground, making the most economical use of any little depression, of a fence-rail or two from the fence thrown down during the night or day before, or, as in many cases relying on the doubtful shelter of their knapsacks which they unslung and pushed out before them. Little groups were gradually and spontaneously formed along the line, and these groups acted together firing by volley into any puff of white smoke that would be thrust out by the enemy, with fair chance in this way that one bullet at least of the volley would count. Midway between the contending lines was a solitary tree that in peaceful days had given its shade to the harvest hands at their nooning. Early in the morning some Confederate sharpshooters had crawled out to this tree, where they lay at its roots and were able to reckon their game with every shot. So destructive, in fact, did their fire become that the wildest imprecations were shouted at them by the Federals, and threats were made that if taken they would get no quarter. All at once there came a lull in the firing at this part of the line. A Confederate was seen to rise up from the base of the tree and advance toward the Federals with his hands raised. Shots were fired at him, but there was curiousity at his approach, and the word was “wait till we see what he wants to do.” Some thought he had a mind to desert and encouraged him with shouts of ‘Come over, Johnny! We won’t fire.’
“But if the Confederate spoke, what he said could not be heard over the din of the cannonading and musketry, then growing heavy and continuous as the day wore on. Forward he came still, and all eyes were now strained to see what it could be that he meant to do. There can be no truce on a battlefield till the battle is lost or won... Suddenly the Confederate dropped upon the grass and for an instant was lost to the sight. It was thught he had been hit. But only for an instant for a thrill of enthusiasm passed through the Federals, murmurs of admiration were heard, and then a cheer, as hearty as if given in a charge, burst forth from their throats, and the cheer, repeated and increased in volume, proved that unselfish, noble actions are possible, and that there are noble hearts to appreciate and to respond.
“The Confederate sharpshooter, who had been doing his best to destroy his antagonists, had seen in front of him a wounded federal lying helpless on the ground between the lines and begging in his agonizing thirst for a drink, and, at the almost certain risk of his own life, had gone forward to give some comfort to his distressed enemy. This it was that caused the federal cheer and for a few moments checked the work of death in that neighborhood. When the sharpshooter had performed his act of mercy he hastened back to the tree and with a warning cry of ‘Down Yanks; we’re going to fire’ the little unpremeditated truce was ended and was soon forgotten in the grand events that followed almost immediately after.
“The next day the Fourth of July - a heap of Confederates was found under that tree. Whether the hero of the day before was one of the ghastly dead will probably never be known.”
 
Response to inquiry at another website

Here's a question that popped up in the Civil War forum of http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com

"I did some Civil War reenacting about 10 years ago as a Union infantryman. Now I've spent tons on F&I gear but I just can't let go of my interest in the Civil War. I live in Southeast Missouri where countless skirmishes took place among the wooded hills and farms. I have ancestors who fought for both sides in the so called Missouri Militias. I figure some of these outfits were rather rag tag compared to their eastern counterparts but the war was different west of the Mississippi River. Weapons were more diverse as well and I've seen reenactment sights that claim that a LGP Rifle with a brass telescopic sight is a fair enough representation of a type of sharpshooter's tool of the trade. I know that some used 30 pound fat barreled target rifles and the Sharps of course but I need some backup from some of you that could confirm that my GPR with a brass scope would be reasonable. Weren't some outfits required to supply their own rifle? I've had the scope for over a decade and I want to put it to use in this way. I don't have time to reenact Civil War at this time but I want to have an acceptable gun to shoot at the range and just pretend if just for the history of it all. Sorry this is so long winded."

And here's the response:

"As to issuance, the Official Records has a report that (los Federales) listed 2,707 common sportmans' rifles in the inventory. There were also some telescope arms in inventory and Berdan's Sharpshooters sent to Washington for ten of them. How these guns came to be in the US inventory is unknown.

Now, regarding the men carrying their own into battle, that did happen. Two companies of Berdan's Sharp Shooters and part of a third did. Despite being promised bounty money for bringing their own guns, the bounty was never authorized by the War Department so no bounty was ever paid. Most of the men sent their guns home after the Yorktown Campaign. Both companies of Andrew's Sharp Shooters also had target guns (and not all target guns had a telescope attached to it). Brady Michigan Sharpshooters (attached to the 16th Michigan Vol. Inf.) had some lighter target guns that were telescope equipped.

In the Midwest, there were some, but they were more rare than in the East. I do have evidence that target guns were used (not just by Birges Western Sharp Shooters/14th Missouri/66th Illinois) by soldiers in regular units. I think it's a matter of (1) being a very good shot thus qualifying as a marksman/sharpshooter; (2) bringing your own gun. There's an account of one Federal soldier who withdrew at Franklin because he had exhausted his ammunition and had to cast some more.

The Corn-feds had three sources for telescope rifles. First, they imported them from neutral England. Second, they used existing stock (brought their own). Third, they made some (the arsenal in Georgia had about a dozen scopes which they intended to attach to sharpshooter rifles). I would hazard to say that if you were a good shot and brought your own, you could play sharpshooter. There's a Corn-fed gun with "HCP" on a silver plate at Gettysburg. It was claimed to have been found at Devil's Den. It wasn't until a few years ago that HCP was traced to a soldier in the 1st Texas (and the 1st Texas was at Devil's Den). That's as private of a gun as you can get."
 
more from the same thread


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I guess it's about time to burst the bubble about one of the cherished myths of Civil War arms,namely the guns used by sharpshooters especially Confederates.The tendency has been to classify many civilian guns other than regularly issued rifled/smoothbore muskets as being guns used by sharpshooters The truth is that no round ball guns will have the range and accuracy of the major weapons used by both sides,namely the long Enfield and Springfield rifle muskets and the Enfield Musketoon.Since these three arms are the cream of the crop so to speak and were regular issued arms, they will be the only guns discussed.

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Concur. Prussian tests with both trained and untrained men showed the limit of the smoothbore gun. Even for ranges of 200 yards, because the groups were so large, it would have to be a platoon volley fire for any chance of success. There's no way a smoothbore gun can compete against a minie rifle.



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It becomes painfully obvious that these as issued arms were extremely superior to round ball weapons and thus there was no reason to consider the civilian and other round ball weapons for sharpshooting.


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Concur. However, remember that the term "sporting arm" encompasses all sorts of non-military firearms including target guns and, to use period venacular, telescope rifles. I believe it was these and not the round ball smoothbore or even the venerated Pennsylvania Long Rifle that crept into US inventory.



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Some of the other arms could have and may have been used for that purpose but with the Enfields and Springfields available in large numbers,it would have made very little sense to use anyting else let alone a round ball arm especially when the issue musket was equipped with a telescopic sight. Remember too that in Picket's charge the Confederates were taking concentrated rifle fire at at least 400 yards and maybe more. Yet the myth persists. "Confederate Long Arms and Pistols" by Hill and Anthony at PP. 126-127 illustrates a "Murdoch Morrison Sharpshooter Rifle" in .38 cal.It is a half stock country rifle from the mid 19th century and the authors infer that it was used for sharpshooting. As stated above by Weller,range and accuracy were almost non existent above 200 yards with a ball of such small caliber.I do not deny that many civilian rifles of this type saw service but generally only till the soldier could get a fine Enfield, Springfield,Richmond,or Fayetteville rifled musket.
Tom Patton
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Concur. Again, round ball guns won't carry that far with certainty - especially smaller caliber round ball rifles. That round ball rifles have been used at distances greater than 200 yards in the past would not suggest that they would be preferred over the Springfield or Enfield. The Enfield did become the choice weapon of the Confederate sharpshooter (light infantryman type sharpshooter) in both the Army of Tennessee and the Army of Northern Virginia. If a small bore round ball rifle was found, it was brought along as a measure of expediency by irregulars. Remember that Ned Robert's Uncle Alvaro brought home a small bore rifle that was a battlefield pick up.

Lest we forget though, the heavy barrel target guns that were not general issue and were civilian arms. Second Berdan Sharp Shooter Wyman White mentions using one with 4 inches of powder to harass Corn-feds at a mile's distance.

Thank you Tom Patton for your insights on this matter.
 
Link to Sir Harry Smith's Memoirs

Harry who? Sir Harry Smith of the 95th, Rifle Brigade. Sir Harry rose to the rank of General and served with the 95th in Spain as well as at New Orleans (where Andy Jackson whupped the British). He was known by other members of the Rifle Brigade including Kincaid, Costello, Simmons, et al. While Sir Harry is largely unknown today, a town named in honor of his wife, Juanita Smith still exists: Ladysmith in South Africa (until they change the name). It's the love story of the Regiment & Smith stole Juanita from Kincaid. Anyhow, it took me enough time just to find and buy a copy of his autobiography. Now it's on-line. I cite Sir Harry several times in my own work but if you want to read it for yourself, click here
 
Ever have that feeling you're being watched?

This was written by a Berdan Sharpshooter. “The woods look as quiet and peaceful as a farmer’s kitchen [at home]. But while you gaze on those groves in front, a hundred eyes are gazing on you with tiger like ferocity. You feel that a powerful glass is critically scanning your every move. The woods swarm with foes more crafty, subtle and cruel than the Mingo, and soon comes the deadly minie, with its devilish singing, and happy are you if you hear it, for unless it passes you will never hear it in this world...”

Lesson: See, but don't be seen.
 
Riflemen at New Orleans

No one here believes the now discredited hysterian, Michael Bellesiles, who received an award for his fictional work that he passed off temporarily as hystery until the evidence he cited was proven to be fabricated, as a credible source for our hystery. Well, according to Mike, we really didn't have riflemen at the Battle of New Orleans. Well, here's a little talk that was given some time after the battle when it was still fresh in the minds of the men who fought there:

“The havoc made at New Orleans, near the close of the last war, leaves no doubt on this subject. I have been told of a case, of two riflemen there, who shot at the same officer, and each claimed him - one said that he shot to hit him under the left eye; the other that he shot at his head; he was found to have been shot just under the left eye, and also in the head; so that he would have been killed by either... I have been told, further, that, after the battle, a bet of a supper was made between the officers of two rifle corps from Georgia and Tennessee, of six shots aside, an hundred yards; that they shot at a paper on the mouth of a musket that the Tennesseans shot their six balls into the musket, on which the Georgians gave up the bet.”

BTW, go to Germans jus wanna have fun - The King's German Legion if you would like to read about Germans who fought for the English Crown during the Napoleonic time. Anecdotal, but fun tidbit from the dustbin of hystery.
 
The following is what one Confederate officer reported at the last battle of the Seven Days Battle (Peninsula Campaign, 1862):

“The enemy now retreated to Malvern Hill and here made a determined stand. This was a most formidable position commanding the open, level ground for a mile in the front, and protected by a sluggish and difficult stream on our left. Our command took position on a neighboring ridge on the left where we suffered much from the enemy’s artillery which dominated our position, from which, however, we could see the entire field. We saw the charge of D. H. Hill, Huger and Magruder across this open field. The formidable position of the Federals with his hundred pieces of artillery and heavy lines of infantry made such an advance appear as a forlorn hope, but the gallantry displayed was splendid. Shot, shell, grape and cannister poured into these brave troops was horrible to behold; but they never flinched nor wavered, but pressed forward until recalled. Many dead and wounded were on the field. Well posted sharpshooters with guns of longer range than ours were annoying and damaging. Our men were thus picked off here and there with remarkable regularity... t is said and oft times really seemed to be so, ‘that fortune favors the brave’ and these soldiers were brave. A moment later a minnie ball well spent in its force struck a soldier in the forehead, but did not penetrate the skin. He jestingly remarked that they came near getting him that time, and while thus joking, he fell and expired, concussion caused death.”

The sharpshooter were Berdan Sharpshooters who were posted far in advance of the Union line of battle. By now they had exchanged their Colt Model 1855 Revolving Rifles for the famous Sharps rifle.
 
Scene from the Seige of Petersburg

If you're ever at Richmond, Virginia, take time to visit the Petersburg National Battlefield Park. It's where the Battle of the Crater (depicted in the movie, Cold Mountain) was fought as well as the Battle of Fort Steadman (where the Corn-feds attempted to break the Seige) and numerous other memorable battles. The Seige Museum in Petersburg is worth visiting too and they have a Confederate revolving cannon (think of it as a cannon with a big revolver cylinder) displayed there. Anyhow, my work concentrates on the little wars that were annoying and oftentimes deadly:

“Cooks and officers’ servants going back and forth get picked off, and we have generally between twenty and forty each day wounded in this way by sharpshooters, besides those killed.” There was one Confederate sharpshooter who persistently annoyed the 17th Maine: “The line of works we are building bid fair to extend all the way to Richmond, if our men aren’t all picked off by sharpshooters first. Several men inside the works were killed, while the pickets, who were much nearer the foe, were unmolested. There seemed to be a fatality lurking in certain spots along our line and no one could tell just where the missiles came from, except that it was from above every time. It was decided that this must be stopped. Accordingly, one of our “independents” was invited to reconnoiter the spot. He betook himself a short distance to the rear and watched. It wasn’t long before Mr. Reb made his whereabouts known, but he was so covered with leaves that no eye could discern him. Our sharpshooter drew a bead on him and something dropped, that something being a six-foot n***** whose weight wasn’t less than 300 pounds. This put an end to the firing and we soon commenced trading instead.”

Right now I've finished modifying my text after feedback from one reader. I'm still waiting for two more readers to get back to me. The introduction by a noted gunwriter/author has been done as well as the foreword by another noted individual. I'm selecting maps and trying to get more photos for it right now. I want it done this year as it's taken so long. :uhoh:
 
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Gary, I'm interested in your book. Could you please be sure to post the details of where I can get it when it comes out?

I've been following this thread since the beginning, and I have to say that I've enjoyed it immensely.

-John
 
Guys, I'm blushing...

OK, here's a tidbit from the past. During the Battle of Deep Bottom, the Union Army of the James (Benjamin "Beast" Butler) attempted to distract Lee with a probe from north of the James River towards Richmond. In the typical Butler manner (he was a better attorney and politician than a military leader), they didn't get far and were pinned down. The Yankees then had a taste of their southern brethen's marksmanship:

"While we were on the rising ground in the open field, a rebel sharpshooter took a position in a pine tree top in our front, and every time he fired his rifle a man was sure to fall inside our lines. His place of concealment was soon discovered by the little puffs of smoke that were seen to rise from each discharge of his piece. A section of light artillery was at once brought to bear on the tree, when he was seen to beat a hasty retreat."

Lesson: Fire only one shot from your hide, then skedaddle or [for those old enough to remember "Moose must die," I give you the bullwinkle choice] It is better to give than to receive. :p
 
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On the first day of Gettysburg

Hats off regardless of your sympathy. On this day, July 1st, brave men from both sides met upon the field of battle and some would never see the sun again. In honor of those men and of all men who fought at Gettysburg, I give you a snippet from the first day of Gettysburg.

The two armies collided at Gettysburg when the Federal cavalry under Brig. Gen. John Buford encountered Pettigrew’s brigade, Heth’s Division, A. P. Hill’s Corps four miles west of town. Buford’s men were hard pressed and he sent for reinforcements.
First to arrive in Gettysburg to reinforce Buford was General John F. Reynold’s I Corps. Reynolds immediately sent his 1st Division (Gen. James Wadsworth) along with the 2nd Maine Battery (Capt. James Hall) to reinforce Buford and when a new Confederate threat arose south of the Chambersburg road, he personally led the Iron Brigade (of Wadsworth’s Division) forward to stem the Confederate approach. Rushing down towards Herbst Woods, they startled the Confederates who had just crossed Willoughby Run. The Confederates fired a volley. As Reynolds turned to look for other reinforcements, a bullet struck him behind his left ear. According to one Union account: “Reynolds was, of course, a shining mark to the enemy’s sharpshooters. He had taken his troops into a heavy growth of timber on the slope of a hill-side, and, under their regimental and brigade commanders, the men did their work well and promptly. Returning to join the expected divisions, he was struck by a Minnie ball, fired by a sharpshooter hidden in the branches of a tree a[l]most overhead, and killed at once..”

Whether Reynolds was shot by a sharpshooter or hit by a stray bullet is subject of dispute. It has also been said that the bullet was fired from McPherson’s barn which is about 1,500 yards away.
 
I have a Sharps carbine bullet and a round of iron grapeshot that were found by a farmer on the battlefield over a half-century ago when my family visited Gettysburg shortly after World War Two.

I wonder what stories they might tell ...
 
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