Whitworth Sharpshooters were the Confederates' answer to the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

sharpshooter regiments, and they used the British

Whitworth rifle The Whitworth rifle was an English-made percussion rifle used in the latter half of the 19th century. A single-shot muzzleloader with excellent long-range accuracy for its era, especially when used with a telescopic sight, the Whitworth rifle ...

. These men accompanied regular

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

men and their occupation was usually eliminating Union artillery gun crews.

Whitworth rifle

The Whitworth rifle proved to be an accurate and deadly instrument. Its most remembered act was on May 9, 1864 at the

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 186 ...

, where Union General

John Sedgwick John Sedgwick (September 13, 1813 – May 9, 1864) was a military officer and Union Army general during the American Civil War. He was wounded three times at the Battle of Antietam while leading his division in an unsuccessful assault against Co ...

urged his men to leave a ditch in which they lay in order to cover from the Confederate snipers hidden 800 to 1000 yards away. According to

Martin T. McMahon Martin Thomas McMahon (March 21, 1838 – April 21, 1906) was an American jurist and a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He was awarded the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at ...

, Brevet Major-General, U.S.V. hief-of-Staff, Sixth Corps he and General Sedgwick were walking along the line when he

edgwick Edgwick is a residential area of Coventry, West Midlands, England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the ...

noticed a soldier dodging a near-passing bullet, and said to him "What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you. I'm ashamed of you, dodging that way. They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance." Seconds later he fell forward with a bullet hole below his left eye.

Notes

References

Military units and formations of the Confederate States Army Sharpshooter units and formations of the American Civil War {{AmericanCivilWar-unit-stub