CS sharpshooters

[smokey]

Hello
I have been thinking of portraying a sharpshooter. My only problem is, is that I cannot find anything on CSA sharpshooters? Can anyone help. I am looking for what they might have worn, what they carried with them, what type of musket they carried, etc...
Any help would be helpfull
Andy

[TobiasJones]

Andy,

Check out the book called "Shocktroops of the Confederacy: The Sharpshooter Battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia" by Fred L. Ray. It is printed by CFS Press. It is a good book with a lot of information. You can find it if you follow the link to the website: http://www.cfspress.com/sharpshooters/. The website also has a little different info/pics that I didn't see in the book.

I also found a couple of reenactors links you might want to look at. The first is Lee's Sharpshooters : http://leessharpshooters.com/. I have worked with them before a couple years ago when I worked at a museum. They seemed to have their stuff together. The other site is: http://www.georgiasharpshooters.org/. I don't know much about them but I like what I have seen on the website.

I'm sure others can provide more information, but that will get you started.

Evan O'Dell

[marcaverill]

Here's an older thread that may help you some too: http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/sh...=sharpshooters

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Well...first I'd start with research, research, research:

Berry Benson's Civil War Book: Memoirs of a Confederate Scout & Sharpshooter. Berry Benson

DIARY OF A CONFEDERATE SHARPSHOOTER: THE LIFE OF JAMES CONRAD PETERS. JACK L. DICKINSON, JAMES CONRAD PETERS

Georgia Sharpshooter: the Civil War Diary & Letters of William Rhadamanthus Montgomery. Montgomery, William R. ; Montgomery, George

30th Battalion Virginia Sharpshooters . West, Michael

Stock Photo Lee's Sharpshooters; or, the Forefront of Battle. Dunlop, Maj. W.S.

As far as the reenactment/Living Historian Group, Lee's Sharpshooters they are a fine group of men dedicated to learning the tools/trade of the Confederate Sharpshooter. Next weekend (August 22-23, 2009), they will be conducting a program for the Richmond National Battlefield Park at the Cold Harbour Unit.

Paul B.

[GaWildcat]

Andy,

Check out the book called "Shocktroops of the Confederacy: The Sharpshooter Battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia" by Fred L. Ray. It is printed by CFS Press. It is a good book with a lot of information. You can find it if you follow the link to the website: http://www.cfspress.com/sharpshooters/. The website also has a little different info/pics that I didn't see in the book.

I also found a couple of reenactors links you might want to look at. The first is Lee's Sharpshooters : http://leessharpshooters.com/. I have worked with them before a couple years ago when I worked at a museum. They seemed to have their stuff together. The other site is: http://www.georgiasharpshooters.org/. I don't know much about them but I like what I have seen on the website.

I'm sure others can provide more information, but that will get you started.

Evan O'Dell

Evan,

Thanks for the plug! And thank you for your comments on our website, really means alot.

We're a young organization, only founded in 2005 and are starting to grow pretty good.. we had a motto, were small, but were mighty!

We try really hard to get the AoT sharpshooter impression down right, as far as the organized battalions of sharpshooters.. we drill constantly on Skirmish drill, and its paying off..

Andy, shoot me PM with your email, and Ill send you what we have..

[smokey]

Thanks to everyone so far. I know and have been told to always do tons of research and read before doing something in this hobby to make sure its done correct or as close as possible.
Thanks again

[Colonel Dave]

I can sure understand why you cannot find much about Confederate Sharpshooters. Why, when I googled that title, I only came up with


1,100,000 entries.

Gee, what a rare entity with little information available.

[skamikaze]

What impression will you be doing? Are you joining a unit of sharpshooters? there were very few during the war and the "lone gunman" impression is not correct.

Once you find a Sharpshooter unit to base your impression off of, the rest is just research on what they wore and carried and where they saw action.

[CameronsHighlander]

I never thought the Confederate Sharpshooters got the Credit they deserved Reynolds at Gettysburg, Sedgewick at Spotsylvania, and Lincoln nearly at Fort Stevens.

[GaWildcat]

I would agree with Eric. Even the Sharpshooters that were equipped with the Whitworth and Kerr rifles, did operate as part of a company. In the West , Cleburnes company of sharpshooters, had the highest percentage of Whitworths and Kerr Rifles; 20 of the former and 10 of the later [1]. Even they operated together. But it must be understood that these weapons were in very short supply, and the vast majority of CS Sharpshooters were skirmish companies. Berdan's in the East were also more skimishers, and really only used special rifles at Yorktown, IIRC.

Adam, as i stated in my email, the "independant sharpshooter" will, on the reenactment field, but looked at as a nuisance and disregarded by your 'enemy'
and will be very frustrating, as well as not being wholly accurate as Eric said. As you said, research is everything. Hit the books.. all of the ones suggested are superb, and you may also look at

Sharpshooters of the American Civil War by Osprey.. There are some errors, and its a quick read, and not overly in depth, but gives a quick overview of the topic, as well as listing some of the CS Sharpshooter battalions. FWIW, Georgia fielded four battalions, 1st, 2nd, & 4th operated with the AoT, while the 3rd was with the ANV

[1] Decision In The West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864 Albert Castel, p109