B of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters in March 1863. He would go on to become the regimental commissary sergeant on October 15, 1861, then be commissioned second lieutenant of Co. Frank Whipple tied with Duesler with a 42-5/8". Duesler was elected captain when the company organized in Detroit but resigned his commission in October 1861. Ben Duesler of Hillsdale was next, scoring a 42-5/8". Charles Button scored third best with a 39-3/4" score he made it only a few months before being discharged for disability. C of Berdan's and would be the only man of the ten who joined the regiment who would serve his entire three term enlistment, despite being wounded during the Wilderness. The second best shot belonged to Cyrus Wilcox of Adams he scored a 33-1/2". Sherman of nearby Jonesville whose score was 28 7/8"- over ten shots, he averaged less than 3" off the mark! But despite being the best shot, Sherman elected to not join the regiment and records show he never enlisted in the Civil War. As time passed, the distinctive green coats and trousers gave way to standard army issue blue, but the green caps remained and gave the celebrated unit a distinct identity amongst the Army of the Potomac. During the Peninsula campaign, Company C from Michigan was armed with a mix of target rifles and rifles equipped with globe sights. "Each member has the privilege of furnishing himself with a rifle (for which he is allowed $60) or, if he prefers, the government will furnish him one when he is sworn into service," the Hillsdale Standard reported.īerdan's Sharpshooters in action with their Sharps' rifles. Deputy Sheriff Benjamin Duesler of Hillsdale arranged the shoot and eventually eleven men of the vicinity met the requirement to join Berdan's regiment. After each shot, measurement would be made of how far the bullet was from the bullseye and then those scores tabulated. They needed to average within 5 inches on both targets over their ten shots. The men were given ten shots at 10" diameter targets both 200 yards out and 100 yards out. In Hillsdale, Michigan, several dozen men from the area convened at the county fairgrounds on Monday, July 30, 1861. It was proposed that the state of Michigan would supply one of the companies of this regiment.Īcross the state, men interested in joining Berdan's sharpshooters had to prove themselves worthy, so shooting trials were held throughout the state. Berdan's requirement for his sharpshooter regiment was that the aspiring soldier had to average hitting within 5 inches on a bulls-eye at 200 yards. volunteers, with one catch: only the best shots in the land need apply. One of the more intriguing options for service had been proposed by Hiram Berdan who had secured permission to raise of a regiment of U.S. Men throughout the state were opening recruiting offices to answer Lincoln's call for 300,000 men for three years to put down the Rebellion. It was the dog days of the summer of 1861 news was just filtering back to Michigan that the Union army had been defeated at Bull Run.
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