Sharpshooter

Sharpshooter

A military marksman who is often times deployed as a skirmisher. In the Confederate army, the sharpshooters would be deployed ahead of the skirmish line and the line of battle. While some were equipped with target guns, most Civil War sharpshooters served in the classical role of the light infantry. They guarded the flanks while on march, served as vanguard during an advance and as rearguard during a retreat. In battle, they would often precede the line of battle to dominate the terrain and allow their own line of battle to maneuver into a position of advantage.

(Message edited by admin on February 28, 2004)
 
This topic is something I have developed a real interest in after reading Fred Ray's Shock Troops of the Confederacy. This book deals with sharpshooter battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia. Since I am living in the Trans-Miss, I have tried to find more information on sharpshooter activities in that theater. So far I have found some information on some Arkansas infantry regiments with sharpshooter activity as their original activity. Anybody have additional information on Louisiana, Texas sharpshooter units, please share.
 
As far as Confederate troops the Sharps rifles were battlefield pickin's. Gary hit the nail right on as his discussion above states the role of a sharpshooter.

Another book I have read that helped me develop an interest in "sniping" was Jack Henson's One Man War by Tom McKenney. I was a competitive shooter in high school with a local gun club and developed a focus on target shooting where self-control, sportsmanship, and benefiting from excellent coaches. Jack Henson really did the ultimate target shooting experience utilizing field craft skills that allowed him to evade capture by Union troops. Sharpshooters fulfilled the sniper role in small squads using natural cover and using whatever cover was at hand. Any further information will be greatly appreciated.
 
Here's a thread on the 12th Battalion Arkansas Sharpshooters at Vicksburg: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/arkansas-sharpshooters-at-vicksburg.133120/

And a good one on the 3rd Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-lost-battalion-3rd-georgia-sharpshooters.120252/

Mahone's Sharpshooter Battalion: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/mahones-sharpshooter-battalion.135164/

Also did this thread on skirmishing not long ago and sharpshooters were also discussed there: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-art-of-skirmishing.136888/


One Confederate sharpshooter battalion in the Trans-Miss was the 9th Battalion Missouri Sharpshooters (Pindall's) that served in Mosby Parsons' Missouri Brigade, mainly in Arkansas and Louisiana. In the western theater was also the 14th Battalion Louisiana Sharpshooters (Austin's) in Randall Gibson's Louisiana Brigade that served in the Army of Tennessee. I've also heard of the 1st Battalion Texas Sharpshooters, though there isn't much information on that unit.
 
I knew a guy, I actually had college classes with him, who was a sniper in WWII. He even showed me once the 2nd to the last M-1 he was issued. He said he reported in lost in a battle in Germany. It was an extremely mint rifle, and he took his scope home after the war. He used the M-1 to hunt with. He could tell you a few stories.
 
I knew a guy, I actually had college classes with him, who was a sniper in WWII. He even showed me once the 2nd to the last M-1 he was issued. He said he reported in lost in a battle in Germany. It was an extremely mint rifle, and he took his scope home after the war. He used the M-1 to hunt with. He could tell you a few stories.

More details please. He used a M-1C during WW II? Where was he trained as a sniper? What type of scope? M-81 or M-82 or other?
 
Tom - The picture of the Confederate sharpshooter is a very murky one. Fred Ray does an excellent job covering them in the Army of Northern Virginia. In the Trans-Mississippi it was less formal. If you are near a National Battlefield Park site, ask them if they have a copy of my first book Sharpshooters (1750-1900): The Men, Their Guns, Their Story and then ask to read their copy. You will find your answers in Chapter 7 and then Chapter 13. Fort Donelson should have a copy and I know the Thunderbird Museum (45th Infantry Division) in Omaha, Nebraska does.
 
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