Fellow Sharpshooters

The 160th anniversary of the Battle of the Wilderness has just passed and I wanted to present this remarkable video edition of the Civil War Digital Digest. The CWDD was created in 2000 by Will Eichler and Jeremy Bevard. Building on the pioneering literary works of John D. Billings (Hardtack and Coffee) and Bell Wiley (The Life of Billy Yank, and The Life of Johnny Reb), the CWDD brings a rich and comprehensive examination of Union and Confederate arms, equipment, uniforms, and the “how to’s” of soldier life. CWDD expanded their scope to explore the pre-War lives of the citizen-soldiers; their occupations, social life, traditions and a wealth of related information. For living historian volunteers that do “first person” representations, the CWDD is an indispensable resource.

For episode 146, Will Egichler visits the Hudson (Michigan) Museum, to interview retired curator, Hazel Pray Monahan. Hazel relates a chapter of the of U.S. Sharp Shooter, Frank Cobb, whose family was one of the earliest settlers along Bean Creek.

Unable to enlist with his friends in the 4th Michigan Infantry, Cobb enlisted in the First Michigan Company Sharpshooters (Co. C, 1st USSS); arriving at Camp of Instruction in October 1861. The town of Hudson provided 25 men who served in Company C, the largest concentration of Sharpshooters in either regiment.

In the Spring of 1863, Cobb went down to the Rappahannock River to wash his clothes. On the opposite bank were members of the 11th Alabama infantry. The men engaged in friendly banter back and forth, that progressed to trading coffee for tobacco and newspapers. Cobb developed a friendship with three of the Alabamians; William Montgomery, William Saunders and ————-. The four made a pact; should one become injured and fall within the others lines, they agreed to come to their aid.

Cobb and his comrades of Co. C fought through the Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and Fall campaigns of 1863. At the start of the Overland campaign, Cobb was promoted to Third Sargent. On the second day of the Wilderness, Cobb advanced with the USSS skirmish line when a Confederate battle line rose up from camouflaged earthworks and volleyed into them. Cobb was struck in the thigh and fell. Because of the intense firing, his comrades were unable to rescue him. Cobb lay helpless as bullets whizzed back and forth, impacting tree trunks or ploughing the earth beside him.

Night fell and he called out to the Confederates if they could bring him in to their lines. They replied they were under orders not to, as it would bring on a volley from the Yanks. Cobb then asked if the 11th Alabama was nearby. It turned out they were arriving to occupy the earthworks. It was there, in the dark and smoky woods, that Frank Cobb, William Montgomery, William Saunders and —— were reunited. Montgomery and his companions procured a stretcher and carried Cobb their assistant regimental surgeon. who pronounced his wound as mortal. The four men parted, none expecting to see the other alive.

I will let Hazel and Will finish this amazing story “of a friendship formed on the field of strife”. Sadly, Hazel passed away shortly after this interview aired. Among their holdings, the Hudson Museum has Frank Cobb’s cane, Berdan Survivors Medal, war time letters, and photographs of Cobb and Montgomery during the 1893 Gettysburg reunion.

Here is the link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4fzgRHq0PBQ

I owe Hazel a debt of gratitude since our first meeting nearly 30 ago. Hazel generously shared photocopies of the Hudson Gazette that featured letters by Frank Cobb and the Hudson Squad Sharp Shooters. For the annual Bean Creek Festivities, Hazel invited reenactment groups that Hudson citizen-soldiers served. She spearheaded the restoration of the dilapidated Maple Grove Cemetery by creating “cemetery tours”, where her hand picked historians described to visitors “their lives” and Civil War service. The first tour generated over $1,000, and when I arrived the next year to portray Sgt. Edward Southworth, I was amazed at the beautiful transformation.

Bill Skillman
Michigan Companies
Berdan Sharpshooters Survivors Association