Berdan’s Sharpshooters Firing Demonstration at Antietam

As promised in Tuesday’s post – here are the rest of our photos of Berdan’s Sharpshooters from last weekend at Antietam National Battlefield. These photos are all from the firing demonstration that took place behind the visitor center.

The demonstration began with some history about the Sharpshooters and explanations of the differences between the uniforms and weapons of the sharpshooters and infantry men. David Rider – 1st Sergeant of Company C 2nd Regiment explained that it took sharpshooters only four steps to load their breech loading rifles – while infantry took twelve steps to load their muzzle loading rifles. Members of the company then demonstrated how sharpshooters and infantrymen loaded and fired their weapons standing, kneeling and in a prone position. The sharpshooter was done with all three of his shots at about the time the infantryman was firing his first shot.

Here are two photos of the sharpshooter loading and firing his rifle in the prone position. There were only than twelve seconds between the time I took the first and second photos.

I have just one photo to share of the infantry man loading his muzzle loading rifle. I think the photo tells you everything you need to know about how difficult this had to have been in the middle of a battle.

Soldiers literally had to lie on their backs and put their gun between their legs to load their rifles in a prone position!

The second firing demonstration illustrated how the sharpshooters advanced and retreated during a battle. They would start out in a line – with several yards between soldiers. Then they would alternate advancing and covering the other soldiers from enemy fire. So while one was advancing and firing, his neighbor would be reloading and preparing to advance. This was a very different method of advancing than the line of soldiers marching forward with guns and bayonets used by the infantry.

The firing demonstrations lasted less than half an hour but during that time we learned an awful lot about how the Union sharpshooter regiments functioned during the Civil War. If you ever get a chance to see a demonstrations like this at one of the National Parks – be sure to check it out.

Finally, we have a few more portraits of the members of Berdan’s Sharpshooters.

This reenactor is wearing an infantryman’s uniform and carrying a muzzle loading rifle.

In this next photo, you can see the backpack carried by the sharpshooters. It was made of leather, with the fur left on it. The pack was curved so that it fit better against the wearers back.

Berdan’s Sharpshooters Firing Demonstration at Antietam

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