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The Palmetto Sharpshooters is a group of American Civil War re-enactors from South Carolina who portray the elite Confederate and Union Sharpshooters of various units. We are a progressive/campaign unit with the mission to be as accurate and authentic as possible. Soldiers of the Palmetto Sharpshooters attend various re-enactments, living histories, immersion and campaign events, and marches. Sharpshooters are quick moving soldiers on campaign without many conveniences. Soldiers in the Palmetto Sharpshooters carry only what they can fit in their knapsacks, haver sacks, or bed rolls and are often busy scouting, mapping, digging trenches, picketting, and skirmishing. Being a sharpshooter can be pysically demanding We portray various units including McGowan's (SC) Brigade Sharpshooters C.S.A., 64th Illinois Sharpshooters "Yates' Sharpshooters" U.S.A., 1st Michigan Sharpshooters U.S.A., and 1st Georgia Battalion Sharpshooters C.S.A. Our impression all depends on event location, scenario, and historical accuracy. The unit attends events all over the South and are in good standing with the Palmetto Battalion- the reenactor organization of South Carolina; and the Georgia Volunteer Battalion as well as many other reenacting organizations all over the country. |
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"One has to think of the famous last words of General Sedgewick at Spotsylvania regarding Confederate sharpshooters, 'Don't worry boys, they could not hit an elephant at that distance!' No sooner had Sedgewick spoken than a bullet from a Reb's .45-caliber Whitworth rifle ripped into his left cheek, killing him instantly." |
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Sharpshooters specialized in what was known as petite guerre, which was picketing, scouting, and skirmishing. In some cases, a sharpshooter was a precision marksman similar to modern snipers, and other times he was a member of an elite unit of light infantrymen.
While stationary in camp, sharpshooters acted as pickets and thus protected the army from surprise attacks by the enemy. During battle they would act as skirmishers during the attack or retreat of the brigade. Typically thrown in advance 1-400 yards of the main infantry brigade in an open skirmish order to harass the enemy line, to observe his movements, drive his skirmishers back, and to kill off officer's. Sharpshooters acted as advance and rear guards as well. They can screen the advance and give the brigade time to deploy. While in retreat, sharpshooters can keep the enemy Cavalry and Infantry at bay. As flank guards, sharpshooters protected the flanks from surprise attacks by the enemy.
The sharpshooters were also deployed as seperate tactical units and were capable of hard fighting rather than just warning or guarding or screening movements. They were often assigned missions for scouting and reconnaissance purposes. |
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Copyright 2008,2009; Palmetto Sharpshooters; Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved |
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