PENNSYLVANIA
COMPANY “C” 2ND. REGIMENT
BERDAN’S UNITED STATES SHARPSHOOTERS

IMPORTANT POINTS YOU SHOULD REMEMBER TO MENTION WHEN GIVING A TALK ABOUT THE BERDAN SHARPSHOOTERS.

1. Pronounce and spell out the word “BERDAN” Sharpshooter.
2. There were two Green uniformed regiments in Federal service. It was not all Blue and Gray.
3. We are not the Irish Brigade or the Green Mountain Boys.
4. Each applicant had to pass a shooting test given in his home town using the applicants own personal rifle. Shooting at a rest two hundred yards, Ten shots in a ten inch circle no misses. Shooting offhand one hundred yards, ten shots in a ten inch circle with no misses.
5. Each successful applicant was already an outstanding, deadly marksman.
6. Because of the national make up of the two regiments. Example—each company was from a different state (name the states in the 2nd Regt.) The companies were not mustered in as State Volunteers but as US. Regulars. Both regiments represented the loyal Northern states.
7. Special issue of Dark Green uniforms for camouflage.
8. Special issued a Prussian style hair covered Knapsack with tin three piece cooking kit attached. Both were made by Tiffany’s of New York for $3.50.
9. Training taught them to never expose themselves recklessly and waste no ammunition for the sake of shooting.
10. First issued Colt 5 shot Revolving Rifle 56 Caliber. In May (1st Regt.) & June (2nd Regt.) of 1862 issued the Sharps Rifle firing 7 rounds per minute compared to 3 for a muzzle loading rifle.
11. Sharps Rifle cost $35.50 each. Springfield Rifle cost $2.50 each.
12. Combat tactics were like modern day infantry, fight as individual or small group of individuals.
13. Sharpshooters always in demand for their shooting skills, suffered many causalities because of their frequent service.
14. 1st Regiment mustered out November 1864 & 2nd Regiment February of 1865.
15. We are not called Sharpshooters because we use Sharps Rfles. The term Sharpshooters comes from the German “Scharfschutz “. European armies used Sharpshooters generations before the Sharps Rifle was invented or Christian Sharps the inventor was born.
16. If you are giving a talk at Richmond, Antietam or Gettysburg. you should limit your talk about the Sharpshooters to that location. An example would be If You are at Antietam, do not go beyond September of 1862 in explaining about the Sharpshooter service. You can talk about the 1st Regt. during the Peninsular Campaign with McClellen or the 2nd Regt. in Northern Virginia under McDowell and Pope.

The above is intended only as a guide and need not be used in the order given. You can add or even subtract some of these points yet.... you must carefully consider those removed.

Art. Buker 10-29-90