Fellow Sharpshooters

Bob Carlson, a member of the American Society of Arms Collectors, presented a in-depth overview of the men, tactics and weapons used by Sharpshooters, both North and South, during the Civil War.

An avid collector himself, Carlson provided photographs of a wide variety of sharpshooter arms from his personal collection. Carlson has a particular affinity for Eastern target rifles, aka the “heavies”. Among his prized rifles are those made by John Brown & Sons (for the New Hampshire Company of Sharpshooters), whose shop also served as its recruiting station. Other famous gunsmiths that produced sharpshooter rifles were George O. Leonard and D.H. Hillard (New Hampshire), Morgan James and G.H. Ferris (Utica, New York).

Carlson notes gunsmith Charles D. Randell (of Bangor, Maine) made rifles for the First Company Maine Sharpshooters. Carlson believes they were for Company D 2nd USSS. However, after I reviewed the correspondence between former USSS officer, Jacob McClure and Governor Fessenden , I believe Randall’s rifles were designated for McClure’s new command; 1st Battalion Maine Sharpshooters. Captain McClure shared the opinion that sharpshooters armed with telescope mounted target rifles would be a “force multiplier” for Petersburg’s trench warfare. Eventually, McClure’s six company battalion was attached to the 3rd Brigade-1st Division-5th AC. However, due to time constraints, limited materials and labor, it is highly unlikely Randall produced sufficient target rifles to arm all of McClure’s recruits.

Carlson’s most prized artifacts originally belonged to Captain J. Saunders of the First Company of Massachusetts Sharpshooters. Carlson is pictured posting with Saunders engraved 1860 Colt Army revolver and telescope in front of 15th Massachusetts Infantry’s ‘Wounded Lion’ monument at Antietam’s West Woods; where Saunders with 35 of his fellow Andrews Sharpshooters were killed or wounded in a matter of minutes.

Carlson provides a breakdown of the .56 caliber Colt-Root repeating rifle that was issued to Berdan’s Sharpshooters (afterwards the Colts went west, to arm Phil Sheridan’s 2nd Michigan cavalry). Carlson provides a photo of a USSS Colt that was excavated from the Yorktown battlefield. He covers the USSS weapons from the Hall breechloaders issued for guard duty at Camp of Instruction, the Colt Root repeating rifle, and the New Model “Berdan Contract” 1859. Carlson owns an original Sharps with the initials “JAB” that he has traced to Private Jesse A. Baker of Co. K 1st Regt. This section of the article features photos and paintings (Don Troiani) of Berdan Sharpshooters.

Mr. Carlson’s proceeds to showcase the wide range of technologically advanced weapons, and the soldiers (North and South) that wielded them, with deadly effect on the battlefield.

Here is the link:
https://americansocietyofarmscollectors.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2013-B107-Sharpshooter-Weapons-in-the-American-Civ.pdf

Bill Skillman
Berdan Sharpshooters Survivors Association