Confederate Sharpshooter Uniform ?

**Oviedo Minié** · 03-13-2009

I've just receive the Roy Marcot's book about Berdan's Sharpshooters , and taking a look to the green uniforms of these regiments I wonder if there is something similar in the CS side ?? Some special sharpshooter uniform ? Any link or book name about it will be wellcome

Thanks in advance

**Norm Gibson, 4901V** · 03-13-2009

The following is an excellent reference.

Shock Troops of the Confederacy:
The Sharpshooter Battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia
Fred L. Ray

**Oviedo Minié** · 03-14-2009

Really excellent , Norm . I've order a copy.
Thank you very much

**Gary/CO** · 07-11-2009

Goggle Sharpshooters as Prisoners for a short article originally published by The Company of Military Historians. It discusses uniform markings for Confederate sharp shooters.

**riflepit** · 07-11-2009

Another good reference is a period reference "Lee's Sharpshooters" by Major W.S. Dunlop. This tells about the sharpshooters in the ANV. Some of the same material is used in Ray's book but if you are an ANV type person I think it is well worth the read. Written by the commander of the Sharpshooters who was there at the time.

**barrett** · 07-24-2009

One confusing characteristic of the Confederate Sharpshooter Battalions is that they didn't exist on paper as seperate organizations. The men in the SS battalions continued to be carried on the rolls of the regiments from which they were recruited. All of their needs for sustenance and clothing were provided by their original regiment. Thus there were no special sharpshooter uniforms. However, special arm patches were authorized to allow the sharpshooters to move about freely without being challenged as stragglers or deserters. There is very little in the vast body of original Civil War documents about the sharpshooter battalions. You will find some good articles in the Southern Historical Society Papers.
Barrett- 7th Va Infantry N-SSA

**Gary/CO** · 09-15-2009

While it is true that some sharpshooter battalions were ad-hoc and did not appear on a brigade's muster roll, others were permanent organizations.

Jackson raised the First North Carolina Sharp Shooters right before he joined Lee for the Seven Days. Wofford raised the Third Georgia Battalion Sharp Shooters and created it as a separate unit. He was about the only one who did this in the Army of Northern Virginia. The 30th Virginia Battalion Sharp Shooters was originally an artillery unit that, after they had lost all their guns, were converted by the state into a sharp shooter battalion.

All this is discussed in Chapter 7 of my book, Sharpshooters (1750-1900): The Men, Their Guns, Their Story. It is at the printer right now and should be out in five weeks. I have someone working on the website now.