Confederate Sharpshooters

[ES1861]

Gentlemen,

I need info on sniper sights which were used on rifle muskets during the Civil War. There were probably many different styles both optic and non optic peep hole sights. Does anybody have any idea on what they were like?


All help appreciated,

Eric Seppälä

[Johan Steele]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

I think you'll find that the majority of Sharpshooters both North & South used standard iron sites. For instance, as I understand it, the majority of Sharps Rifles used by the USSS used standard ladder sites. While some used the brass scopes that are so over represented in the mainstream community they were expensive and fragile and thus quite rare on the CW battlefield. I'm not certain how common Vernier & Creedmore sites were; I'm not certain how available they were.

At least one Regiment of Ohio Sharpshooters carried standard Spencer Rifles. And did just fine w/ them... in fact proving to be succesful "assassin hunters" in the skirmish role.

The Whitworth & Kerr rifles of CSA use were quite scarce and only the best shooters used them. The standard Whitworth also used a ladder site. The majority of CSA Sharpshooters carried standard Enfield's. I've recently seen an original Whitworth that had been "sporterized" at some point of it's lifetime and was told that it was really no more accurate at 400 yds than a standard Enfield, it came into it's own at longer ranges. The owner said that he had often hit a man sized target center mass at better than 1000 yards.

What you may be thinking of are the variety of "American Rifles." Having seen one last weekend that had been used/owned by a member of 2nd USSS who settled in Iowa I was truly startled by the size and weight of the weapon. It was likely close to thirty pounds and massive. It was a beautiful weapon w/ a very intricate vernier rear site and hooded front site. This would not have been a weapon used in skirmishing or combat except for in fixed fighting from fortifications. The condition of the rifle proved to me that if it was legitimate it had never seen active campaign... I wouldn't want to do a route march w/ that monster. I have my suspicions about the authenticity of it's lineage... though it was a beautiful piece.

Most Sharpshooters were little more than professional skirmishers. As issued iron sites on an Enfield or Sharps are more than adequate for battlefield skirmishing & Sharpshooting which would rarely if ever exceed four hundred yards. The reputation & treatment as "assasins & murderers" that many Sharpshooters received was bad enough that I think few would have wished to draw more attention to themselves than neccesary in the event they were captured.

[LWhite64]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

Well there were really only two types of scopes that were used during the war, and neither of them on Rifled Muskets. There was the long type scope that was fited on many target/bench rifles, these were very heavy weapons, weighing between 20 to 50 lbs. Then there was the Davidson scope used on the Whitworth Rifles, the Davidson was 14 inches in length and fited on the side of the Whitworth.

Lee

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

Here is a picture of an original target rifle that was used by US Sharpshooters on the York/James Peninsula in 1862. It currently resides in the collection of the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, VA.



This site is optical and is of the first pattern that Lee is referring to. It is an excellent example and anyone interested in sharpshooting should pay a visit to that museum as they have that target rifle, a CS-id'd Whitworth, a Colt Revolving rifle with Berdan's provenance, and several Sharps rifles with at least one having belonged to Hiram Berdan himself.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

Gentlemen,

I need info on sniper sights which were used on rifle muskets during the Civil War. There were probably many different styles both optic and non optic peep hole sights. Does anybody have any idea on what they were like?


All help appreciated,

Eric Seppälä

In his short story "One of the Missing," Ambrose Bierce describes the weapon of his protagonist, the "scout" Jerome Searing, as "an ordinary 'Springfield,' but fitted with a globe sight and hair-trigger." It's an interesting detail, and not really necessary to the story, so I've always assumed its veracity.

You can read the whole story here: http://www.classicreader.com/read.ph...6/bookid.1160/

[kemper_rifles]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

Speaking for Confederate sharpshooting, as Mr. Steele pointed out, the majority used standard Enfields. Whitworths were usually awarded in limited numbers to only the best of shots. You might want to check out "Lee's Sharpshooters", by Major W.S. Dunlop. It was published in 1889. The author was an officer in the sharpshooter battalion of McGowan's brigade, ANV circa 1864.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

From "The Civil War Diary of Wyman S. White, First Sergeant, Co. F 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters," edited by Russel White.

Sgt. White was using a "telescope rifle" around June 1864, as he was detailed for sharpshooting duty while the rest of his regiment stayed in the works. He noted that he had to get the rifle from the baggage wagons and leave his Sharps in the target rifle box.

To pick up on pg. 248 in White's memoirs, "At that time I was using a telescope breech loading rifle that weighed thirty pounds and someone came to use and wanted me to try my rifle on the man they could not hit or silence. I went and as soon as I brought my rifle's telescope to bear on the mystery, I saw that it was the body of a dead rebel lashed up to a tree and a live rebel Sharpshooter was behind the tree doing his best to pick off the Yankees that were sending bullets into his dead comrade hung up beside the tree that covered him."

Throughout the summer 1864 period, Sgt. White notes using the special breechloading scoped rifle, in all cases being sent out by himself to silence rebel artillery batteries or sharpshooters along the lines near the 2nd Corps. In one occasion Sgt. White was trying to get across a corn field so he could hit a rebel battery on a far hill, and he met an Indian sharpshooter. White told the Indian his problem and the Indian then said, "make self corn," before cutting stalks and placing them in his uniform and equipment. Sgt. White and the Indian, disguised in this camoflague, crawled across the field and achieved their desired cover on the other side before driving off the rebel battery.

Appendix 1 in Sgt. White's memoirs is as follows:

"THE TELESCOPIC SIGHTED SHARPSHOOTER RIFLE.
There was in use, a very heavy rifle, with a telescopic sight, used for special sharpshooting. There were not many of these rifles but they were assigned to those soldiers considered to be the best shots. The soldier had a special wooden case for the rifle. When the unit moved, he had to take the rifle to the case at the wagon train and put the rifle in it, for transportation. The rifle weighed 34 pounds. When he put away the telescopic sighted rifle, he took up his Sharps rifle again and moved with the troops until a special duty required the use of the large long range rifle again.

The charge for loaded the telescopic rifle was four inches of black powder, a good flannel wad, a lead bullet and weighed an ounce or more than an ounce that was wedged into the grooves of the rifling inside by use of a false muzzle. When fire from the percussion cap hit the charge, it would send the bullet more than a mile and do good execution. The rifle fired greater distances and more accurately than the Sharps Rifles were capable of doing.

In the book "Berdan's U.S. Sharpshooters in the Army of the Potomac, 1861-1865," the author, C.A. Stevens, explains in an incident in the First Regiment, the high regard in which those using such rifles were held. "Harrison's Creek, June 16th, 1864. One of the first men shot on taking this position was James Heath, of Michigan, who carried a 34 pound telescopic rifle, the heaviest in the regiment, and which, as he went down, fell with a heavy blow in the middle of the road. The rifle was immediately turned over to James Ragin, of Wisconsin, who was sent to the rear by Captain Wilson, to put it through repair before attempting to use it. The giving of these telescopic rifles, but a few of which were now carried at this period of service, was in the nature of a mark of honor, as the sharpshooter thus armed was considered an independent character, used only for special services, with the privilege of going to any part of the line where in his own judgement he could do the most good. It is therefore sufficient in naming the men carrying these ponderdous rifles, to show that they were among our most trusted and best shots." It is to be noted that at the Battle of Burnside's Mine, 30th July, 1864, Ragin was wounded in the left arm. The rifle was then assigned to Frederick H. Johnson of Company B. He was from New York City.

In the foregoing manuscript, it will be noted that Wyman S. White had been assigned one of these telescopic rifles and had used it for an extended period of time with, according to him, quite excellent results. It will also be noted that he operated at times as an independent marksman in various parts of the line where he thought he could do the most good."

Now, there is quite a large breech-loading SHARPS target rifle in Gettysburg that looks appealing...perhaps it is the same style as used by Sgt. White in 1864? Aside from that and many other unknown origin target rifles I've seen many identified USSS-used rifles, all of which have scopes mounted on top. Some known varieties used by the U.S. Sharpshooters are Bristlen-Morges (similar to the Waadtlander, a beautiful Swiss-made match-rifle), James, Billinghurst, and Morgan. Early in the war, before the Colt-Root Revolving Rifles were issued, the men carried their own personal rifles which they brought from home, and those were probably a staggering variety, each one tuned to individual tastes.

There is another account in White's memoirs where he noted that notched sticks were tied together and set up in front of the rifles and used as "rough" ladder sights. The men messed with the hand-made sights until they found a suitable range, then all of the men opened up at the target...they did not wound or kill anyone but the bullets falling around the ground scared the rebels away.

Oh yeah, the chaplain of the 2nd U.S.S.S., Lorenzo Barber, carried his own personal scoped target rifle into some skirmishes. Barber was wounded shortly after ranging some rebel works....in doing so he found a wild pig running in front of the works, shot at the pig until he killed it to find the range, and as he announced what the range was he was shot.

Brian White

[country rifle]

sights

Fellow Enthusiasts,

You will have a hard time finding "rifle muskets" with anything but standard sights. Rifle muskets were in use by all sorts of marksmen both North & South and those weapons had standard sights. Too many fellows feel that they have to have a "Sharpshooter Rifle" in order to portray a sharpshooter since that is the weapon all sharpshooters carried. This is a mistake many have made.

As stated earlier it appears that telescopic sights were not as common as the other types of sights available which may have been due to cost and durability concerns. This is not to say that telescopic sights were rare because that would be incorrect as well.

When speaking of specialty weapons such as hand crafted target rifles, country rifles, hunting rifles and bench rifles, then you do find the more exotic types of sights such as globe and telescopic.

However, for every unit of Sharpshooters you find carrying weapons with special sights you will also find those armed with standard sights. For instance the men of the Western Sharpshooters(aka 14th MO, 66th IL) were issued plains style rifles equipped with rear ladder sights and blade front sights. Men of the 1st Regiment Michigan Sharpshooters carried Springfields although there is some evidence which points to a special type. Men of the 64th IL(Yates SS) started out with Mississippis.

As a general rule I would avoid trying to equip any standard "rifle musket" with any sort of non-standard sight. Many folks have gone a little far and have placed telescopic sights on Springfields, Enfields and Sharps which is possible but not very probable. To date I have not found any evidence that Springfields, Enfields or Sharps rifles were fitted with telescopic sights.

If you have your heart set on having a rifle with some sort of special sight then you will need to look towards the purchase of a civilian style weapon. No, not a CVA or any of those other modern style contraptions but one which is more true to form of the weapons of the period. There are some current commercial models available but very few.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Robert Leinweber
Independent Company Sharpshooters

[FedOfficer]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

While we're talking sharpshooter stuff, does anyone know when the range finding device that worked by placing a string between the teeth, then extending the brass frame until the string was tight and then sliding a bar down the frame until it was the height of the man you were looking at was invented? It had a graduated scale along the side of the brass frame and the range was indicated by where the sliding bar was on the frame. Was it used in the CW? Any first hand accounts? I know I've read of an account somewhere, but can't remember the details or war.

Dixie Gun Works lists a heavy barrel civilian type target rifle, European, I think Swiss. Is this close to what the heavy barrelled sharpshooter guns were?

Rick Rachal

[marlin teat]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

While we're talking sharpshooter stuff, does anyone know when the range finding device that worked by placing a string between the teeth, then extending the brass frame until the string was tight and then sliding a bar down the frame until it was the height of the man you were looking at was invented? It had a graduated scale along the side of the brass frame and the range was indicated by where the sliding bar was on the frame. Was it used in the CW? Any first hand accounts? I know I've read of an account somewhere, but can't remember the details or war.

Dixie Gun Works lists a heavy barrel civilian type target rifle, European, I think Swiss. Is this close to what the heavy barrelled sharpshooter guns were?

Rick Rachal

The range finding device is called a stadia and variants on it have been around as there have been weapons that shot projectiles. I have read of crude stadia fashioned from notched sticks and string.

According to most of the accounts that I have read, the ability to judge distance unaided was one of the main qualifications for true sharpshooter status and was one of the skills most worked on.

Just me, but I wouldn't bother with a stadia. Just something else to carry and loose.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

Mr. Teat makes a good point.

A brass stadia can make a nice conversation piece with spectators. Also, Tim O'Neill's staff notes on the CWLHI site include instructions for making a crude stadia from a pencil and string, which is also kind of neat. But neither have much practical value, nor did they at the time, as we read in this excerpt from one of my favorite bedside browsing books, Scott's Military Dictionary:

"STADIA. A very simple aid in estimating distances, consists of a small stick, held vertically in the hand at arm's length, and bringing the top of a man's head in line with the top of the stick, noting where a line from the eye of the observer to the feet of the man cuts the stick, or stadia, as it is called. To graduate the stadia, a man of the ordinary height of a foot-soldier, say 5 ft. 8 in., is placed at a known distance, say 50 yards; and the distance on the stick covered by him when it is held at arm's length is marked and divided into 8 equal parts. If the distance is now increased, until the man covers only one of these divisions, we know he is at a distance equal to 50 yds. X 8 = 400 yards. This instrument is not very accurate, except for short distances. A much more accurate stadia is constructed by making use of a metal plate, having a slit in it in the form of an isosceles triangle, the base of which, held at a certain distance from the edge, subtends a man, -(5 ft. 8 in.) say at the distance of 100 yards. A slider, ab, (Fig. 215,) moves along the triangle, being always parallel to the base, AB, and the length of it comprised between the two FIG. 215. sides of the triangle, represents the height of men at different distances, which are marked in yards on the side of the triangle, above or below, according as the object looked at is a foot soldier or horse man. In order to keep the stadia always at the same distance from the eye, a string is attached to the slider, the opposite end having a knot tied in it, which is held between the teeth while using the instrument, which is held in the right hand, the slider being moved with the left-hand finger. The string should always be kept stretched when the instrument is used, and the line AB in a vertical position. It must be graduated experimentally, by noting the positions in which the slider a b represents the height of the object. The instrument used is not, however, reliable. Its uncertainty increases in an equal ratio with the distance of the object observed. At the extreme ranges it is quite useless. At the school for firing at Vincennes, therefore, they rely entirely on the eye alone for the judgment of distances, and great pains by careful practice and instruction is taken to perfect that judgment. A simple instrument by which distances can be determined is, therefore, still a great desideratum. The prismatic teliometer of M. Porro, of the Sardinian army, is however the best measurer of distances that has been yet invented. It is described in Wilcox's Rifle Practice."

There's a link to Scott's Dictionary on the Drill Network site, which I heartily recommend.

Also, Kautz's Customs of Service for NCOs and Soldiers contains practical tips for estimating range without mechanical aids, which a sharpshooter would more likely know.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

Hallo Kameraden!

IMHO, stadia sights for riflemen are a very good training tool, but the "Skill set" of a shootist lies with his ability:

1. to know the peformance behavior of his weapon
2. to accurately determine distance/range over open and broken ground
3. to determine and adjust to wind conditions
4. to determine and adjust to light conditions

To be overly brief, as originally envisioned by Hiram Berdan- the U.S. Sharpshooters were to have been a corps of Sharps M1853 "Sporting Rifle" armed, to use the period-incorrect term, "snipers."
However, that, for the most part, never happened and the Sharpshooters became mostly skirmishers and scouts.

Initially, potential recruits were encouraged to show up for the "shooting trials" with their own preferred, and accustomed to, target rifles- for which they were to be paid a $60 bounty when accepted and mustered in (never paid).
U.S. Ordnance chief James Ripley did not want to pay for the Shaprs target rifles, and thought the M1861 Springfield would be best. Beran agreed, but later admitted to PA Governor Curtin that he saw the M1861's as a temporary measure until the breechloaders could be obtained).

Regarding sights, Berdan wrote on September 25, 1861:

"In my judgment, the best sights for this service are the plain, open types, consisitng of a notch sight (on the barrel), a silver pin at the muzzle, and a windage globe sight at the breech. The open sight would be convenient in obscure places, while the globe sight would be used with good light."

By and large, and at the risk of making too broad a sweeping statement- the "target rifles" were designated for the few best shots in each company and stored in their boxes until a special "sniping" (to use the modern term) need or "assignment" came up.

The state of Ohio did not "kick into" the 1st and 2nd U.S.S.S., but rather raised its own 10 independent companies of sharp-shooters. (Oddly enough, Berdan had tried the Spencer rifle- which malfunctioned and burned his face during a trial- so Sharps moved up the list otherwise "Berdan's" might have been a Spencer rifle-armed unit.)

IMHO, I believe some of this "sharpshooter hobby lore" (with historicaly documented cases so noted as exceptions) can be traced back to a fictional 1920's article in CENTURY magazine where a Union "sniper" kills a Confederate general from over a mile off.
This was reborn, I believe on TV on "The Man and the Challenge" series around 1959-1960 in time for the Civil War Centennial. (And still circulates around some campfires today...Plus I was standing next to some Berdan's at Antietam 135 as they were educating the public as to how the six inch long Sharps bullet in the Sharps Rifle could hit targets at 1800 yards.)

As a result, it has been moved from fiction to history, and have a part to play in so-called farb and so- called mainstream "Berdan" overuse of incorrect
Italian "Hawkin/Hawken" rifle clones as well as brass telescoped versions of the same.

The U.S. actually dabbled in "sniper sights."

The first versions of the U.S. M1855 Rifles, the two brass mounted versions,
with the long nosecap had their "implement box" (patchbox) mortised for a screw on, "Figure Eight" front sight.
This consisted of a large bottom half of the "eight" that slipped over the muzzle. Its smaller top half contianed cross wire.

I once built an early (1857-1858) brass mounted and browned barrelled M1855 rifle with such a sight attachment. For shooting, I found the "figure eight front sight" to be next to worthless. (As did the Ordnance folks, who dropped it in 1859.)

I own an original "James" style target .45 rifle, dated 1865 and made by O. B. Vandenburgh in Findlay, Ohio with a 2X brass long "scope." (See the above picture.)

Period telescopic sights are often 1X, 2X, or at best 4X- which does not "do too much" for reaching out and touching someone (in the modern context).

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt
Company "C," 7th Independent Company Ohio Volunteer Sharpshooters
Company "A," 1st U.S.S.S. (LH) Mess

[country rifle]

Repro Stadias & Range Estimation

Rick,

REPRO STADIAS
The boys with Company G, 1st USSS of the NSSA out of Wisconsin are reproducing and selling very nice copies of the brass stadias. I as well as many of my fellow riflemen own one. It makes a nice conversation piece to display to the public but not very practical under combat conditions. According to the period manuals the stadia was more of a status symbol or an item of ornamentation than a relaible means bt which to estimate distance. To date I have not found any first hand accounts regarding the use of a stadia in combat by Sharpshooters.

Drop me an email and I will give you a contact for the stadias.
rkl@casscomm.com

RANGE ESTIMATION
As stated correctly by others the ability to accurately estimate distances is crucial to the success of a rifleman. This ability should not rest on the use of an instrument such as the stadia. Instead it should be a skill developed by each rifleman without dependence upon an instrument. Musketry manuals of the 1860's give basic information on how to estimate distances through the identification of details visible upon a target at various distances. Atmospheric conditions are also discussed such as background and elevation. Interestingly the manuals of the 1890's have an additional form of range estimation using the speed of sound.

Having said all of this it is still neat to have a repro stadia as part of a display.

RIFLES
Since I have not seen the rifle you are speaking of for sale at Dixie I cannot comment on whether or not it is proper. The best advice I can give is to view as many photos of period target/sporting rifles so you can get a feel for what one looks like. Hands on inspection of originals is even better. After a while you will be able to identify the details which make a weapon look like it is of the period. Details to look for will include types of sights, shape of the stock, bolster design, style of trigger guard and lock plate style. Additionally, the type of rifle you want to carry can and should also reflect what part of the country you are from as well as what unit you portray. Probably the best way to go is to obtain a sporting rifle with simple sights of period design which will work for any theater of operations.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Rob Leinweber
Independent Company Sharpshooters

[FedOfficer]

Stadias

Thanks for the great replies.

Rick Rachal

[Secede1863]

Re: Sniper sights on rifle muskets

I have a quick question;

Someone I know from my first unit, a "farb" unit, has a standard Enfield rifle with a very long metal "scope" the scope is stainless steel (I know that is wrong...) and is completely hollow, and besides the fact it jigles and cannot come off, it does nothing. Is this correct? Please inform if so. If questions about it please ask Ill tell you what I know about his gun.

Your Pard