Sharpshooter: Hiram Berdan, His Famous Sharpshooters and their Sharps Rifles by Wiley Sword

Table of Contents

No unit of the Union Army carried more mystique during the Civil War than Berdan's Sharpshooters, officially known as the 1st and 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters. These picked men were almost as famous for their off-duty exploits as they were for their battle-field successes, and quickly earned the nickname "Green Coats" because of their distinctive uniforms. Their founder, Col. Hiram Berdan, was just as flamboyant as his men, and the story of how he raised and armed this famous unit makes for fascinating reading. Drawing heavily from first-hand accounts and original documents, the author gives us an intimate and detailed account of one of our country's very first "Special Forces."

This detailed dissertation on the Berdan Sharpshooters and their favorite weapon gives the reader some interesting information on this famous regiment. Details include serial numbering of the various weapons, years of production, etc. An interesting read for the reenactor, Civil War history buff, collector or hobbiest!

24 b&w photos/illustrations