A Sniper's story..
- Thread starter 5fish
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The Rifleman, The Life of Hunter Tim Murphy by John Brick. Sniper Tim Murphy killed General Simon Frazier at 100, 200 or 400 yards 20 feet up a tree at the Battle of Saratoga. The book is at the Rochester Library in Rochester NY. From the records of the families at the Hawkeye/Bridgehead facility.
5fish
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5fish
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The word Sniper...
en.wikipedia.org
The name sniper comes from the verb to snipe, which originated in the 1770s among soldiers in British India in reference to shooting snipes,[2][3] a wader that was considered an extremely challenging game bird for hunters due to its alertness, camouflaging color and erratic flight behavior. Snipe hunters therefore needed to be stealthy in addition to being good trackers and marksmen.[2][3] In the 18th century, letters sent home by English officers in India referred to a day's rough shooting as "going sniping",[2] as it took a skilled flintlock sportsman a lot of patience and endurance to wing-shoot a snipe in flight.[2] Accomplishing such a shot was regarded as exceptional. During the late 18th century, the term snipe shooting was simplified to sniping. This evolved to the agent noun sniper, first appearing by the 1820s.[3] The term sniper became commonplace in the First World War.[
Sniper - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
The name sniper comes from the verb to snipe, which originated in the 1770s among soldiers in British India in reference to shooting snipes,[2][3] a wader that was considered an extremely challenging game bird for hunters due to its alertness, camouflaging color and erratic flight behavior. Snipe hunters therefore needed to be stealthy in addition to being good trackers and marksmen.[2][3] In the 18th century, letters sent home by English officers in India referred to a day's rough shooting as "going sniping",[2] as it took a skilled flintlock sportsman a lot of patience and endurance to wing-shoot a snipe in flight.[2] Accomplishing such a shot was regarded as exceptional. During the late 18th century, the term snipe shooting was simplified to sniping. This evolved to the agent noun sniper, first appearing by the 1820s.[3] The term sniper became commonplace in the First World War.[
5fish
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,General Philip Sheridan was indeed present at and spoke at the funeral of John Sutter (of Sutter's Mill fame) in Lititz, Pennsylvania, indicating a level of acquaintance or respect, though the exact depth of their "friendship" isn't detailed in the snippets, but their connection is confirmed by Sheridan's attendance alongside figures like Mark Twain and Gen. John C. Fremont.
- Where: Lititz, Pennsylvania.
5fish
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Here is a Union Sniper regiment...
For fifteen years before the Civil War, Hiram Berdan was one of this country's leading marksmen. When Fort Sumter was fired upon, Berdan developed a plan to form a unique regiment made up of the country's best marksmen. Because of Berdan's political connections, he had little difficulty in getting his idea approved by the War Department. By July 1861, his idea had become a reality, and he was appointed the Colonel of the 1st Regiment United States Sharp Shooters.
The one requirement for a recruit was:
“No man would be enlisted who could not put ten bullets in succession within five inches from the center at a distance of six hundred feet from a rest or three hundred feet off hand.”
With a Sharps Rifle New Model 1859 that was issued to Berdan’s Sharpshooters available September 8th in our Premiere Firearms Auction, it seems only right that we get to know the elite fighting men that carried these rifles. The arms used by the legendary Berdan Sharpshooters units of the Civil War have long been desirable to collectors thanks to their use in several well-known battles, their impact on battlefield strategy, and the admirable performance of the men who carried them.
Their uniforms... @jgoodguy uniforms green...
americanhistory.si.edu
Physical Description
Jacket of army wool dyed a distinctive green color. Green wool forage cap with leather trim. Frock coat of green wool with brass buttons were later replaced with hard, black rubber buttons to prevent reflection from the light.
historyandancestry.wordpress.com
The uniform portrayals in these books paint the uniform in a color quite similar to that of the throwback Eagles uniforms (as I am a strong Philadelphia Eagles fan, this comes to mind right away). Very neon-green-ish with a high amount of yellow hue thrown into the green to make it brighter. Unfortunately, the black and white photos from the period do not give one any definitive example.
For fifteen years before the Civil War, Hiram Berdan was one of this country's leading marksmen. When Fort Sumter was fired upon, Berdan developed a plan to form a unique regiment made up of the country's best marksmen. Because of Berdan's political connections, he had little difficulty in getting his idea approved by the War Department. By July 1861, his idea had become a reality, and he was appointed the Colonel of the 1st Regiment United States Sharp Shooters.
Berdan's United States Sharpshooters in the American Civil War
Berdan's United States Sharpshooters in the American Civil War, with linke to unit histories of the two Sharpshooter regiments.
civilwarintheeast.com
The one requirement for a recruit was:
“No man would be enlisted who could not put ten bullets in succession within five inches from the center at a distance of six hundred feet from a rest or three hundred feet off hand.”
With a Sharps Rifle New Model 1859 that was issued to Berdan’s Sharpshooters available September 8th in our Premiere Firearms Auction, it seems only right that we get to know the elite fighting men that carried these rifles. The arms used by the legendary Berdan Sharpshooters units of the Civil War have long been desirable to collectors thanks to their use in several well-known battles, their impact on battlefield strategy, and the admirable performance of the men who carried them.
Their uniforms... @jgoodguy uniforms green...
Berdan Sharpshooter Uniform
Physical DescriptionJacket of army wool dyed a distinctive green color. Green wool forage cap with leather trim.
americanhistory.si.edu
Physical Description
Jacket of army wool dyed a distinctive green color. Green wool forage cap with leather trim. Frock coat of green wool with brass buttons were later replaced with hard, black rubber buttons to prevent reflection from the light.
The Berdan’s Sharpshooter Uniform
As a followup to my last post (Reenacting: A Personal (Hi)Story), I wanted to take some time to discuss the rigorous nature of authentically portraying a private of 2nd United States Sharpshooters …
historyandancestry.wordpress.com
The uniform portrayals in these books paint the uniform in a color quite similar to that of the throwback Eagles uniforms (as I am a strong Philadelphia Eagles fan, this comes to mind right away). Very neon-green-ish with a high amount of yellow hue thrown into the green to make it brighter. Unfortunately, the black and white photos from the period do not give one any definitive example.
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