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CSA or USA--better soldiers?  Rate Topic 
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 Posted: Wed Nov 19th, 2008 02:27 am
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CleburneFan
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Very good question, Pam. I'm particularly fond of Berdan's Sharpshooters, but was there a superior regiment of sharpshooters, maybe even in the Confederacy?

What's in a name, Shakespeare asked. Maybe Berdan's Sharpshooters just has a special ring to it that helps one remember. Maybe if it had been, say Schottenbushich Slausenheimrichski's Sharpshooters, we wouldn't even know about them today.:D

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 Posted: Wed Nov 19th, 2008 02:35 am
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Doc C
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Don't think Greenes brigade on culps hill had a monicker. IMO, vincents brigade pales in comparison, especially with what the 137th PA did.

Doc C

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 Posted: Wed Nov 19th, 2008 09:01 pm
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ole
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The 1st Brigade in the 2nd Division of the 9th Corps was a terrific fighting unit."
A speculative example, Coly, but the 1st Brigde of the 1st Division of the 1st Corps wasn't always the Iron Brigade, nor was it the last. So Iron Brigade it is.

ole

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 Posted: Wed Nov 19th, 2008 09:26 pm
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ole
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Very good question, Pam. I'm particularly fond of Berdan's Sharpshooters, but was there a superior regiment of sharpshooters, maybe even in the Confederacy?

To my knowledge, Berdan's Regiments were the only regimental-size collection of sharpshooters on either side. It soon became a more efficient distribution to have a few designated hitters in each company rather than have an entire regiment of them.

But it's difficult to make a generalization because the decision on the deployment and use of the sharpshooter depended heavily on the regimental and brigade commanders, so you see a wide variety of ways of employing them.

To get into Berdan's units, you had to pass a marksmanship test; and you got a special uniform. In other units, it quickly came to the attention of the Company Captain and through him to the Regiment's Colonel when a man or three showed particular skill.

There are many sharpshooter types and stories about them, but there surely are members whose knowledge exceeds mine.

ole

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 Posted: Wed Nov 19th, 2008 11:55 pm
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Captain Crow
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I think ole's new picture is better than his ol' one.........

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 Posted: Thu Nov 20th, 2008 01:38 am
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Dixie Girl
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Captain Crow wrote: I think ole's new picture is better than his ol' one.........
yeah i agree with that, Ole looks like a very likable, friendly man in this one, he didnt look so friendly in the other one

Last edited on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 01:39 am by Dixie Girl



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War Means Fighting And Fighting Means Killing - N. B. Forrest When war does come, my advice is to draw the sword and throw away the scabbard." Stonewall Jackson
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 Posted: Thu Nov 20th, 2008 02:44 am
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The Iron Duke
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The First Missouri brigade didn't have a nickname and they very well may have been the best brigade in the whole Confederacy.



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 Posted: Thu Nov 20th, 2008 03:37 am
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Johan Steele
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I can't think of many better than the Missori Brigade Iron Duke.

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 Posted: Thu Nov 20th, 2008 01:47 pm
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calcav1
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Ole,
I know of one other regimental sized group of sharpshooters though they did not get the press of Berdan's boys in green.
Birge's Western Sharpshooters, the "Squirell Tails", a.k.a. 14th Missouri, a.k.a. 66th Illinois Sharpshooters, a.k.a. Western Sharpshooters.
http://www.michiganinthewar.org/westhist.htm

Arkansas had several battalions of sharpshooters but never a full regiment.

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 Posted: Thu Nov 20th, 2008 03:44 pm
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ole
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Thanks for that, calcav. Birge's Western Sharpshooters completely slid under my radar. Did they wear spiffy green uniforms? Or any special designation?

Ole

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 Posted: Thu Nov 20th, 2008 03:52 pm
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The Iron Duke
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Hazen's boys were pretty tough too.



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 Posted: Thu Nov 20th, 2008 03:52 pm
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calcav1
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Apparently the only thing which set them apart was the squirrel tail afixed to their hats. The tail was supposed to be a visible proof of each man's marksmanship. The guys that were bad shots were forced to wear the broad side of a barn on their kepis.

Tom

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 Posted: Thu Nov 20th, 2008 08:00 pm
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The Iron Duke
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Although I prefer the western theatre I feel that Edward Cross's 5th New Hampshire needs to be mentioned. Outstanding regiment.



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"Cleburne is here!" meant that all was well. -Daniel Harvey Hill
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 Posted: Thu Nov 20th, 2008 10:48 pm
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Doc C
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Cross's entire brigade did a stand up job on Houcks ridge and the wheatfield. Great story of him changing from his usual red bandana during battle to the black one which indicated his premonition of death. Also when speaking to Hancock prior to going into the wheatfield he also mentions that he would not survive the fight.

Doc C

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