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PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:00 pm 
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Below is the roster of Co. “C”, showing a total of 158 men. Where information was available, I have corrected the spelling of the ages and names (ie; James I. Vandeburg - 21), and added information as to whether they were wounded, killed, disease, or discharged.
My questions are:
1) Does anybody know the final dispositions of the remaining men on the roster? I have almost 100 men unaccounted for.
2) Approximately how many men were on the Company C Roster at the beginning of the Peninsula Campaign? And what was the disposition of those who did not make the trip? I realize disease, especially measles, took a lot of them, but how many I am not sure of.
3) The Regimental History by Stevens lists the original captain as being Benjamin Duesler, who was discharged before the Peninsula Campaign, with Giroux being the captain at the Seven Days Battle. How did that happen? Was Giroux a 1st Sergeant and got promoted rapidly? How did he leapfrog Baker, who was originally a 2nd Lieutenant?
4) In a letter dated September 20th, 1862 by James I. Vandeburg he states: “One captain has resigned and both the lieutenants have been promoted to captains in new regiments from Michigan.
C. A. Stevens lists “Captain” James Baker being wounded at 2nd Bull Run on Aug. 30, ’62, so he was Captain Baker by then.. Did Giroux resign (as indicated), or resign because he was wounded or taken sick, because he was discharged on Oct. 15, ’62?
Vandeburg was away from the Regiment, and in a hospital in Philadelphia, from the middle of August until the middle of September, so he came back to the regiment with these officer changes already in place.
It makes sense Baker was promoted to captain, and it must have been Giroux who resigned. The other Lieutenant must have been Willett who went to the other Michigan Company, but I see no mention of his name in the Regimental History….Unless Stevens has a misprint and the name Captain A. “Milan” Willett, discharged Nov. 1, 1862 is the same man as Floyd A. Willett.
Thanks,
Ed Kunze


Roster
Berdan's 1st Regiment
United States Sharpshooter's
(Note: A full company consisted of 100 enlisted men. The original company “C” had enlisted 158 men. However, with disease in camp, accidents, and men being relocated to other companies, Company “C” probably went on their first Campaign with less than a full compliment of men, and was rapidly reduced from there.- Ed K)
COMPANY "C"

OFFICERS
Rank Name Home County Age
Captain Duesler, Benjamin Hillsdale 39 Discharged 18 Oct, 1861
1st Lieutenant Willett, Floyd A Kalamazoo 27
2nd Lieutenant Baker, James H. Lansing ? Captain - Wounded, Left wrist, Groveton, Aug. 30, ‘62 Wounded – Left Foot –Wapping Heights, July 23, 1863 Discharged? -Captain – March 21, 1864
Enlisted Men
Anderson, Robert B. Ashton, OH 1 22
Armstrong, Almeron D. Hudson 2 37
Axtell, Jehiel Clayton 3 30
Baker, Albert L. Ingham County 4 18
Ball, Oscar M. Hudson 5 23
Ballard, Alonzo Lansing 6 18
Barker, Harvey Wayne 7 22
Barker, Porter W. Nankin 8 25 Chancellorsville – Sgt. – Leg
amputated - mortal
Barnes, William P. Wheatland 9 18
Beach, George Hudson 10 21
Bean, Sidney B. Marshall 11 19
Beebe, Lewis M. Hudson 12 22 Wounded – Locust Grove, Mine Run
Killed – Battle of the Wilderness
Bissell, Leonard Nankin 13 28 Chancellorsville – Corp. – Abdomen -
Mortal
Blakeslee, Eliakim R. Detroit 14 21 Discharged Oct. 7, 1864 – 1st Lt.
Booth, John M. Ingham County 15 21 Captured – Petersburg- Deep Run , 4
Mile Creek
Brewer, Byron Detroit 16 23 1st Sgt. – Wounded – Left side
Chancellorsville – 1st Lieut. – killed –
Cannon ball
Briggs, William N. Calhoun County 17 26
Brookins, Morton C. Calhoun County 18 38
Brown, George R. Hudson 19 25 Chancellorsville - Wounded
Brown, John Jr Wheatland 20 21
Brown, Osmer C. Wheatland 21 23 Gettysburg - missing
Buchanan, William T. Hillsdale County 22 28
Buck, Rolston A. Detroit 23 30
Button, Charles Hillsdale County 24 32
Carter, Benjamin Bronson 25 18
Clark, Gardner B. Kent County 26 26 Lt. – Gettysburg, leg, not serious
Discharged Sept. 9, 1864 - Captain
Cobb, Frank H. Hudson 27 20 Sgt. Wounded and captured 4 months
Battle of Wilderness – Orange Road
Cole, John S. Hudson 28 24 Killed – Chickahominy Swamp –
Peninsula Campaign
Colwell, Calvin C. Hudson 29 32 Gettysburg – leg, broken bone
Colwell, William G. Lenawee 30 18
Cooley, Rupert G. Lenawee 31 18 Catlett Station- prisoner
Cox, Hugh Alpine 32 26
Crammer, John Ingham County 33 18
Crittenden, Carlton P. Wheatland 34 27
Cronkite, William G. Ionia County 35 22 Wounded – Mechanicsville – 7 Days
Battle
Curtis, James Bronson 36 29
Davenport, George W. Hudson 37 19
Delbridge, James B. Genesee County 38 24
Devinney, Elisha L. Calhoun County 39 28
Dillabaugh, James Ingham County 40 21 Chancellorsville - shoulder
Doty, Jacob Hillsdale County 41 25
Doty, Travis T. Hillsdale County 42 24 Gettysburg- slight in hand and arm
Killed – Locust Grove, Mine Run
Doyle, William Ransom 43 30
Dwight, John H. Hudson 44 21
Edgerton, Frank Marshall 45 18 Killed – Hancock’s charge at
Spotsylvania
Edmonds, Andrew J. Marshall 46 32
Edmonds, Edwin E. Marshall 47 21
Ege, Jacob A. Lansing 48 18 Captured – Battle of the Wilderness
Evans, John G.S. Grand Rapids 49 23 Chancellorsville – Sgt.- Killed
Farnsworth, Edwin G. Hudson 50 26 Wounded – Locust Grove, Mine run
Field, Dexter Lisbon 51 19 Chancellorsville – Corp.- leg and hip
Fitch, Norton Lisbon 52 28 2nd Bull Run – Left arm amputated
Fitch, Wellington Lisbon 53 24
Fosdick, Horace Detroit 54 27
Fountain, Jerome H. Hudson 55 21
Fuller, Don Henry Hudson 56 21 Wounded - Gettysburg
Garrison, Henry C. Marshall 57 22
Gilchrist, Henry A. Lansing 58 19 Chancellorsville - Foot
Giroux, Benjamin Middlesex, CN 59 n/a Discharged Oct. 15, 1862
Gorton, Thomas B. Lenawee County 60 29 2nd Bull Run - Wounded
Haberstick, Charles Calhoun County 61 27
Hackett, Henry Lisbon 62 29
Hamilton, Edward B. Ingham County 63 n/a
Harrington, Charles York 64 19
Harrison, Thomas J. Wheatland 65 26
Hartson, William T. Hudson 66 19
Hathaway, William R. Lenawee County 67 43
Head, Truman -alias- California Joe New York City 68 42 Discharged late fall of ’82 – Failing
health and eyesight- Peninsula Camp.
Heath, Henry Calhoun County 69 20
Heath, James Marshall 70 31 Wounded, fatal – Petersburg, Harrison
Creek
Herdman, William J. Ypsilanti 71 18
Higby, Harrison O. Hudson 72 23 Wounded – Mortal - Gettysburg
Hinman, Newall Kent County 73 23
Hood, Henry A. Hudson 74 21 Chancellorsville- killed- Corp.
Humphrey, Henry D. Wheatland 75 21
Humphrey, Thomas B. Wheatland 76 29
Jackson, William Lansing 77 32
Jarvis, Fred Lenawee County 78 18 Chancellorsville - arm
Jennee, Isaac M. Detroit 79 25
Jewell, Albert Hudson 80 21
Johnson, Charles H. Wayne County 81 24 Chancellorsville - Wounded
Keen, Joseph Kalamazoo County 82 26
Kempton, Benjamin F. Hudson 84 23
Kelsey, William Jackson 85 21
Knapp, Miles W. Hudson 86 27
Lake, John Kent County 87 23
Littlefield, Benjamin F. Kent County 88 19 Discharged on October 24, 1862, with a surgeon's certificate of disability for "valvular
disease of the heart." - Later he
reenlisted in the 11th New York
Heavy Artillery on April 27, 1863.
McClain, Rascelas S. Kent County 89 29 Chancellorsville – upper arm,
Wounded – Locust Grove, Mine Run
McNeil, William H. Grand Rapids 90 18
Mann, Frederick Calhoun County 91 27
Maynard, George Wheatland 92 24
Miller, Albert W. Hudson 93 32
Miller, Henry A. Marshall 94 22
Miller, Henry H. Van Buren County 95 20
Moody, Lyman Hampshire, MS 96 19
Murray, James A. Hudson 97 23
Palmer, Oscar Hudson 98 20
Parker, Henry L. Kalamazoo 99 19
Parker, William S. Charlotte 100 23 Chancellorsville - killed
Patterson, Schuyler Ionia 101 20
Pomeroy, William Lenawee County 102 26
Price, John Adrian 103 18 Killed - Chancellorsville
Richardson, Abial D. Detroit 104 17 Wounded – Locust Grove, Mine run
Robinson, Johnson Lansing 105 21 Chancellorsville – slight,
Killed – Cold Harbor
Roosa, Simon Medina 106 34 Wounded – mortal - Gettysburg
Rowlson, Eugene Lenawee County 107 24
Salisbury, James W. Lenawee County 108 36
Sanford, George D. Wayne County 109 39 Lewinsville – Wounded – The first
Sharpshooter wounded in the war
Saxton, Henry Lenawee County 110 25
Schofield, Benjamin D. Marshall 111 34
Schoonover, John Comstock 112 27 2nd Bull Run – Wounded - Mortal
Shattuck, Asa Ingham County 113 20
Shattuck, Daniel W. Ingham County 114 23
Sheldon, George W. Kalamazoo 115 22 Killed – Gettysburg – July 2 – 2nd Lt.
Sheldon, Robert E. Lebanon 116 18
Shipman, Charles E. Lenawee County 117 24
Smith, Josiah N. Lenawee County 118 32
Southworth, Edwin J. Hudson 119 25 Chancellorsville- Corp.- left side
Kelly’s Ford –Leg amputated
Spears, Henry E. Westphalia 120 19
Steele, Stephen Marshall 121 25
Storms, Archibald Hillsdale County 122 19
Straw, William Lenawee County 123 25
Sturdevant, Orson E. Marshall 124 23 7 Days Battle – Died in hospital
Tabor, Eugene M. Kalamazoo 125 22
Ten Eyck, Henry Hudson 126 31 7 Days Battle – Died in Alexandria
hospital
Thompson, William H. Hudson 127 18 Killed – Cold Harbor
Tillapau, Daniel Hudson 128 21 Killed – Hancock’s charge at
Spotsylvania
Tompkins, William J. Kent County 129 24
Townsend, Henry Nankin 130 20 Kelly’s Ford - killed
Van Akin, Simeon Jr Hudson 131 21
Vandeburg, James I. Calhoun County 132 21 Chancellorsville – Shoulder and 2 ribs
Medical Discharge – 4th May, 1864
Van Etten, Peter G. Lansing 133 25 2nd Bull Run - Killed
Walkley, Edwin Detroit 134 27
Walton, Andrew J. Lenawee County 135 33
Walton, Edwin J. Hudson 136 25 Gettysburg - finger
Warner, Jerome Calhoun County 137 30
Watson, Martin A. Flint 138 20 Chancellorsville – missing
Way, James Grand Rapids 139 33 Sgt- Wounded – Battle of York Town
Welch, Joseph Lenawee County 140 22
Whitney, Joel C. Hudson 141 21
Wilcox, Cyrus L. North Adams 142 19 Wounded – Battle of the Wilderness
Williams, Alleine Six Corners 143 17
Williams, Byron E. -or- Hillsdale County 144 18
Williams, Ryan 145
Wilson, Edwin A. Paw Paw 146 26 Chancellorsville – Sgt. - hand, slight
Mustered out Aug. 20, ’64 – 1st Lieut.
Winn, Charles Grand Rapids 147 33
Wirts, Richard H. Hudson 148 23
Wirts, Stiles H. Lenawee County 149 18 Chancellorsville - leg
Wirtz, John R. Lenawee County 150 23 Discharged Feb. 25, 1863- 2nd Lt
Wise, Harmon J. Ypsilanti 151 18 Chancellorsville - killed
Wise, Jacob T. Washtenaw County 152 33
Wiser, John H. Lansing 153 23
Wood, Bishop Hudson 154 22
Wood, Henry A. Hudson 155 21
York, Silas A. Calhoun County 156 40
Youst, Theodore H. Hudson 157 27
Zimmerman, George Moscow 158 26 Disease - Dec. 14, 1861 Washington


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:28 pm 
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The roster of 158 men is pretty much it throughout the war, at least according to my sources; this includes both original enlistees and recruits. The original number in 1861/1862 was noted as being 101 men but only 6 of the original enlistees were still in the company when it mustered out.

According to a letter written by Lt. J. Smith Brown (Co. A 1st, later adjutant) on May 11th, 1862, Companies A and C were detached from the regiment and sent to General Smith upon his request for sharpshooters. In the same letter Smith notes that "we had 155 of our riflemen out" while skirmishing around Fort Magruder. That breaks down to roughly 77 men per company then attached to Gen. Smith's command almost two weeks into May, Company C being half of the force.

Benjamin Duesler was indeed the original captain of Company C, having enlisted on August 21, 1861. He was 39 years old, resided in Hillsdale Co., Michigan, and resigned on October 18th, 1861. I have not been able to find a reason for his resignation, but I do know that during the winter of 1861/1862 Colonel Berdan and Major Rowland were making it VERY hard on junior officers due to a lot of asinine politics and backbiting. The men were in a state of frenzy during this period because their elected officers largely did not know how to train them and they realized that Berdan was trying to back out of his promise of Sharps rifles. Basically, some of the officers sensed that Berdan was a fool and many "jumped ship." If this is Captain Duesler's case I cannot say, but it did happen.

Benjamin Giroux's promotion to Captain of Company C came on the exact day that Duesler's approval for resignation came in. Although I am having a very hard time finding the quote among my papers, it was stated that Giroux was one of the only officers in the regiment who had prior military experience in the militia. Giroux was from Connecticut and in Washington D.C. when he was made captain of Company C. I believe that he was deliberately seeking a commission in the 1st U.S. Sharpshooters and was lucky enough to get it. It was also stated that while "Company L" (Minnesota) was attached for a short time to the 1st Regt., Captains Giroux and Drew (Co. G) were responsible for training them as they were the two most drilled junior officers in the regiment.

This is a chronological command structure of Company C throughout 1861 to late 1862.

Muster-In to Winter 1861:
Captain Benjamin Duesler (resigned)
1st Lieutenant Floyd Willett (promoted adjutant, later resigned)
2nd Lieutenant James Baker (stuck it out)

then....

Winter '61 to Aug. '62:
Captain Benjamin Giroux (resigned)
1st Lt. James Baker (stuck it out)
2nd Lt. Lemuel Saviers (promoted from 1st sgt., never commissioned 2nd Lt., Berdan forced
his resignation)

then....

Aug. '62 to Feb. '63:
Captain James Baker (mustered out 11/63)
1st Lt. Byron Brewer (KIA Chancellorsville)
2nd Lt. John Wirtz (resigned)

There are many more changes and upheavals in Company C due to promotions, resignations, deaths, etc., and I can post more from the mid to late war company at a later time. Photographs of nearly every Company C officer are still around in a combination of private collections, public holdings, and publications.

The thing with the Willetts is weird as two in another company legally changed their names before the war! They show up with the surname "Smith" or "Willett" depending where you look. Floyd Abram Willett was the original 1st Lt. of Company C, was promoted to adjutant and resigned within a few months. Company I had two Willetts, one of which you are referring to. A Milan Willett was the captain of Company I until his resignation in November 1862. His brother James W. Willett was also in Company I and was discharged for disability on November 22nd, 1862. There are photos of them and other Michigan sharpshooters in the US Army Heritage and Education Center.

_________________
Brian White
Wambaugh, White, & Company
http://www.wwandcompany.com
----------------------------------
Randolph Mess, U.S. Sharpshooters


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:17 pm 
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As usual, again I thank you very much for responding to my questions. Your answers do clear some things up. It now makes sense with Giroux making the leap.

Now, hopefully someone has some more information about the disposition of the other men in the company.

And, of course your discussion of the officers only reinstates another question I have had for a long time. How could an officer resign? Did he go home after that?

I can understand a discharge due to a wound or illness, but a resignation is difficult for me to comprehend. Or, did they resign and then were moved to another unit? It would seem to me they were in it for the full three years, as any volunteer in the army.

I have really come to admire Captain Baker. Was his discharge due to the wound in the foot received at Gettysburg?

I am with the understanding a company was 100 men, and I do not understand how they can maintain the same roster of 158 men, even with recruits. They drew rations for only 27 men after Gettysburg. Per Frank Edgerton from a July 11th, 1863 letter: Our Company is pretty small again. We drew Rations for twenty seven men and some of them are not fit for Duty.

And the company had received at least 50 new recruits before that (in September of ’62).

From a letter by James I. Vandeburg:
Washington DC
September 20th, 1862 (1º)

Dear parents

I again write you a few lines to let you know I am alive and well. We was ordered to Philadelphia from where we was guarding the railroad last Monday, and Tuesday night we started for Washington where we arrived the next night.
I found one of our corporals here with about 50 recruits for our company.

The original number in 1861/1862 was noted as being 101 men but only 6 of the original enlistees were still in the company when it mustered out. This is what I mean. The company must have been around 100 men during the campaigns. I am aware only 6 of the original roster mustered out.
Company C’s last commander, Lieut. Edwin Wilson, stated “the overwhelming number of 5 of the original 101 who enlisted August 21, 1861,” were with him at the end of their 3 year service when they mustered out on August 20, 1864.
But, again here is this number of 101, and with the army regulations of around 100 for a company. I do not see the company ever being more than 100 or so when they went on Campaign.
This is why I am asking about the disposition of the other 60 or so.

Order of battle terminology
from the The 162nd New York Volunteer Infantry home page
…remember that most Civil War units in the field were only at anywhere between 20% to 40% of their full strength. Thus, while in theory a company contained 100 men, and would be recruited at that size, by the time they reached the army they'd be down to 60 or so and after the first battle down to 40 or so. The full-strength sizes are given below, so remember to knock them down by 50% or more when reading about units engaged in battles.
I. Infantry.
COMPANY.
The basic unit is the company, commanded by a captain
100 men = 2 platoons = 4 sections = 8 squads
A company has the following officers (commissioned and non-coms):
Captain (1), 1st. Lieut. (1), 2nd. Lieut. (1)
1st Sgt. (1), Sgts. (4) and Corporals (8).
Plus 2 musicians.
When the company was divided into platoons, the captain commanded one and the 1st Lt. the other. There was a sergeant for each section, and a corporal for each squad. The 1st Sgt. "ran" the whole company.

Thanks again,
Ed


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PostPosted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:25 pm 
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Ed,

An officer could resign as long as they had consent from their superior. In the cases of the many officers of the 1st who wished to resign almost immediately upon entering service, they would have to had deferred to Colonel Berdan. Berdan would then go to his superiors who could give him permission to grant the resignation as he saw fit (if the man's reasons were "good enough"). Men resigned for all kinds of reasons; politics, personal reasons, nagging wounds, to take commissions in other regiments, and so on. Once out of the service he was a civilian. In the case of 2nd Lt. Lemuel Saviers of Co. C 1st U.S.S.S., once he was out of the sharpshooters he accepted a commission in the 26th Michigan Infantry and rose in the ranks to become the regiment's colonel by war's end. Other officers just returned to civilian life.

Captain Baker is a pretty interesting character. His dark green uniform coat is in the Smithsonian collection, his engraved silver whiskey flask is on display at the Michigan State Library & Museum in Lansing, and I am aware of some of his personal papers and a Casey's tactics book in an Illinois museum. I could not find mention of Baker receiving a wound at Gettysburg (if it's in Stevens', that is on loan to a friend) but I do know that before he was discharged in November 1863, Henry "Hank" Garrison became captain of Company C.

As far as the roster is concerned, it's only a method of recording precisely who has joined the company throughout their entire service history. It's not representative of the number of men actually in the company at any given time. So if Company C had 27 men in it's ranks after Gettysburg, the other 131 are sick, dead, convalescing, in prison, on detached duty, discharged, resigned, have yet to join the company, etc. When Frank Edgerton notes that the company had 27 men "and some of them are not fit for duty" he is implying that the campaign had sickened and weakened some of the 27 men enough that he thinks they will be sent to hospitals or discharged.

Attrition from marching, exposure to the elements, combat, poor food, poor sanitary conditions, etc. affected every soldier during the war. The Sharpshooters were like everyone else and susceptible to the same privations. Out of food and starving? That piece of salt beef in the road has been run over by wagons and horses, but if I cut the outside off and cook it it will be good. Have a burning thirst? There's a stagnant pond up ahead, no harm done if I have some. Knapsack too heavy and it's hot out? Throw it away, deal with the rain and cold when it comes. This sort of "soldier's attitude" (what some back then called "THRIFTINESS!") and it's consequences whittled away the number of men who were fit or present for duty. The practice of recruiting new regiments instead of recruiting into existing ones also made sure that older veteran regiments were nowhere near an effective fighting force.

I know what you mean about Wilson mentioning the "original 101" men of Company C. I see this term used quite often and it simply refers to the original men who joined when the regiment was organized in 1861. It doesn't account for the recruits. This is a pain when they start talking about who re-enlisted, who resigned, etc. without including the recruits. The Company F 1st U.S.S.S. history is a perfect example of this; Lt. Col. Ripley names every "original 1861 man" and tells the reader where they are going, but he leaves out the names of the men who joined the company after it's inception. It drives me nuts!

_________________
Brian White
Wambaugh, White, & Company
http://www.wwandcompany.com
----------------------------------
Randolph Mess, U.S. Sharpshooters


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:54 am 
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Interesting about "Hank" Garrison. I did not see that in Stevens' book. What ever happened to him?

A final question. Is there any way of find out the roster of the "original 101".
Ed Kunze


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:25 pm 
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Ed,

Garrison returned to his hometown of Homer, MI after the war to ultimately lose his wife, drink heavily, and finally die of exposure in the dead of winter between his house and downtown. I found his grave several years ago in nearly perfect condition (sinking a little though), and a photo of him in uniform can be found in Marcot's book.

_________________
Brian White
Wambaugh, White, & Company
http://www.wwandcompany.com
----------------------------------
Randolph Mess, U.S. Sharpshooters


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:58 pm 
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Typing out the original roster is going to take me forever, but you can go to civilwardata.com and see it if you join up. Membership is only $25 annually and the site provides great access to records, photos, regimental stats and histories, etc..

It takes a while to get used to the site so if you join and are having problems finding what you need, drop me a note!

_________________
Brian White
Wambaugh, White, & Company
http://www.wwandcompany.com
----------------------------------
Randolph Mess, U.S. Sharpshooters


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:30 pm 
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Perfect. Good advice on the web page. I am more than happy to do the research on my own without taking too much of your time. I just needed those helpful hints you gave me, especially about Stevens' book.

As I stated before, I live in Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo Mexico and it is difficult at best for me to get written material here. I had my Mom buy Stevens' book. Once it was delivered to her in California, she sent it to a fly fishing client of mine in Arizona. He then brought it down to me and I got it when I picked him up at the airport.
Again...
thanks a lot
Ed


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 3:08 pm 
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Location: Old Northwest (Michigan)
Fellow Sharpshooters,

I know this a very old thread, and don't know if Ed K. still peruses it for information on Co. 'C'.

Below I have posted the link to the Michigan Adjutant General's 'Brown Books' on the Austin Blair SUVCW website. The 'Brown Books' were published to give an accounting of all Michigan soldiers, cavalry, artillerymen, engineers and sharpshooters who served from the state, or volunteered in surrounding states' regiments (Co. D 66th Illinois-Bierges/Western SS; Merrill's Horse, etc.). The primary impetus was to help the State and Federal officials confirm who were veterans and entitled to pensions. The BB's were published in the early 1900's so veterans who died since the War sometimes have this noted, as well as place of death.

Typically, a BB entry will comprise of: Last name, first; Company letter, regiment, town of origin; enlisment date, muster in/out date, where enlisted, term of service, final regiment (veterans with time to serve and recruits wound up in the 5th MI Veteran Vols. Infantry); where mustered out; promotions, when, KIA, wounds or POW status.

There are 45 volumes; each regiment (infantry/cavalry) or battery had their own 'book'. All of the Michigan Sharpshooters are consolidated in Vol. 44; including the four Michigan USSS companies (C, I, K-1st USSS; B-2nd USSS). Michigan fielded nearly 3000 sharpshooters during the War; a huge number of skilled marksment (nearly 4%) of the 83,000 volunteers who served. It is nice to see that this rare volume is now available for anyone to view online.

Ed was perplexed by the 152 man roll for Co. C. because this number reflects the total compliment of men who served over the +3 years that Co. C was in existence. This is why CW regiments/companies show 30-50% higher numbers than prescribed by Regulations.

Here is the link: http://www.austinblaircamp7.com/brownbook.htm

Bill Skillman
Hudson Squad-USSS


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 4:35 pm 
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Great stuff...thanks for digging it up and sharing with us. I have emailed them to see how I can either log in, or at least get a copy of Company C’s roster. It really answers a lot of questions.
Thanks


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