Fellow Sharpshooters

Ms. Elaine Clow, librarian for the Boscowan Historical Society, wrote an amazing story of endurance and survival against all odds by Private Charles Pearson Sherperd. Sheperd was one of ten volunteers from Boscawan to serve in the USSS.

Born in 1842, Sheperd came from a family with a long history of military service, extending back to the French and Indian War. His great great grandfather, Daniel Sheperd, with other local men, walked from New Hampshire to Lexington, Massachusetts when the first shots of the American Revolution were fired, and Daniel, wounded. He recovered to serve until independence was secured.

Charles ‘made the string’ and enlisted in the First Company New Hampshire (Company E) Sharp Shooters on August 30, 1861. He went through the Peninsula campaign until July 1, 1862, when on the skirmish line at Malvern Hill, Charles was struck by a ball that passed completely through his body, “letting the daylight through me”. Two comrades helped Sheperd to an aide station (Crew house?) where he was quickly examined and set aside in a row of similarly wounded men.

Combat medicine was still in its infancy, and during triage soldiers with head and abdominal wounds were isolated from those with treatable injuries; Sheperd’s wounds were considered fatal. The only care they received was the Surgeons ordered doses of morphine to sedate and keep the patient comfortable until they passed.

That night a “hot rain fell” to revive Sheperd and restore his strength enough to take up an abandoned musket to use as a crutch and hobble for “God’s country”. After three miles he came upon a wagon driver (who lived across the river from Boscawan) that drove Sheperd to Harrison’s Landing, where he was transferred to a steamer with other wounded men “packed in like sardines”. Lying helpless, Sheperd’s clothes, money and possessions were taken, he never saw them again. After the steamer arrived at Washington, Sheperd recovered consciousness to find himself alone. He crawled ashore where he was discovered by a pair of clerks out for a stroll. They put him on stretcher and carried him to a general hospital, then a church treating officers. After four months, Charles Sheperd had recovered sufficiently to be discharged (disabled ) on October 6, 1862.

Private Sheperd would go on to live a full life until he passed away at the age of 80, on May 1st, 1922. An astounding accomplishment for a Sharpshooter that defied death four times.

Listed below are the other Sharpshooters from Boscawan, New Hampshire:

James W. Bent
Jonas T. Boynton
Edwin H. Chadwick
Daniel Morse
Benjamin Morrison
Henry Pearson
Calvin W. Simmonds
Nathaniel Thurston
James S. Taylor

Here is the link: http://www.boscawenhistoricalsociety.com/boscawen-sharpshooter-shepard/

Bill Skillman
Michigan Companies
Berdan Sharpshooters Survivors Association