I have a book that is based on the diary of a Confederate sniper and his shooting skills. Even covers his equipment. These Civil War snipers could show the modern sniper a thing or two.
The shots they made with such rudimentary scope mounted rifles and tang mounted rifles would be tough shots with today�s modern equipment.
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"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups." Anonymous
"Self-reliance, free thinking, and wealth is anathema to both the power of the State and the Church." Derby Dude
don't dispute that kaintucks....and yankees as well...took scalps in that war. also routinely executed British troops captured fighting with Indian allies.
but the Battle of New Orleans, as you would imagine, is a big deal here and that's a story I would think would have shown up in the sources....particularly English ones, to show what bad people the Americans were. no such stories exist in the museum or in any of the many accounts by locals of the fighting.
but most of the American troops didn't have rifles....the regulars, 7th US and Marines had smoothbores, as did most of the New Orleans militia. Beale's Rifles were the only US regulars with rifles. and the British had 500 riflemen of their own.
Jackson's artillery is conceded by virtually all accounts to have done the majority of the execution on the British, despite the American pride in their long rifles.
I at first sought to agree with you on the issue of scalp-taking Steve, but then I got to thinking. In the War Between the States, there is little doubt that Capt. William "Bloody Bill" Anderson and his men took scalps from the Yankees. Whereas the patience of Capt. Anderson and his charges had been sorely tried by the barbarities of the Yankee horde, upon their own loved ones, should not the Kentuckians have been in the same mode after nearly constant warfare since the Revolution? This mostly at the hands of Indians and instigated by the British. The Scotch-Irish were just more peoples of the isles displaced by the Royalty. They were used in the old country, as a hedge against invasion and then encouraged to come to America when their purpose was no longer by the British nobility.
Of course many here today think that militia cannot stand against regulars.
Great music. From "The Last of the Mohicans" I believe. One of my favorite movies. Most of my family is Scotch, Irish and English, a little Welch thrown in as well. Thanks for the music.
Mart
Last edited by mart; 05/25/12.
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." Robert E. Howard
I at first sought to agree with you on the issue of scalp-taking Steve, but then I got to thinking. In the War Between the States, there is little doubt that Capt. William "Bloody Bill" Anderson and his men took scalps from the Yankees. Whereas the patience of Capt. Anderson and his charges had been sorely tried by the barbarities of the Yankee horde, upon their own loved ones, should not the Kentuckians have been in the same mode after nearly constant warfare since the Revolution? This mostly at the hands of Indians and instigated by the British. The Scotch-Irish were just more peoples of the isles displaced by the Royalty. They were used in the old country, as a hedge against invasion and then encouraged to come to America when their purpose was no longer by the British nobility.
Of course many here today think that militia cannot stand against regulars.
1)not saying they didn't take scalps, just saying I've never seen any mention of it before, and I'm surrounded by sources and museums about that battle. something that flashy I would think would have been noted by multiple sources, but Bristoe's is the first I've seen. would like to see more.
2)the qualitative difference between militia and regulars is geometrically greater now than it was in 1815....even assuming militia have their rifles in order, sufficient matching ammo, and somehow get the word where to show up, they lack all the things that make our armed forces so lethal.....like armor, artillery, close air support, satellite and drone surveillance, C3I...secure commo, universal night vision, medevac capability, a logistics chain to keep them fed and supplied with beans, bacon, bullets and bandages, and most importantly lots of training and combat experience.....you'd very quickly be reduced to IEDs and the like.
Proudly representing oil companies, defense contractors, and firearms manufacturers since 1980. Because merchants of death need lawyers, too.
Fiddle, bagpipes and drums sound really good to me......English, Irish, and Scot, all from my Mothers side.....Jacobs and Linns.
If you like that, you might enjoy these guys: "Tartanic". Not as cute (to me, at least) as the girl fiddler, but they are very, very talented and they put on a fantastic show.
I at first sought to agree with you on the issue of scalp-taking Steve, but then I got to thinking. In the War Between the States, there is little doubt that Capt. William "Bloody Bill" Anderson and his men took scalps from the Yankees. Whereas the patience of Capt. Anderson and his charges had been sorely tried by the barbarities of the Yankee horde, upon their own loved ones, should not the Kentuckians have been in the same mode after nearly constant warfare since the Revolution? This mostly at the hands of Indians and instigated by the British. The Scotch-Irish were just more peoples of the isles displaced by the Royalty. They were used in the old country, as a hedge against invasion and then encouraged to come to America when their purpose was no longer by the British nobility.
Of course many here today think that militia cannot stand against regulars.
1)not saying they didn't take scalps, just saying I've never seen any mention of it before, and I'm surrounded by sources and museums about that battle. something that flashy I would think would have been noted by multiple sources, but Bristoe's is the first I've seen. would like to see more.
2)the qualitative difference between militia and regulars is geometrically greater now than it was in 1815....even assuming militia have their rifles in order, sufficient matching ammo, and somehow get the word where to show up, they lack all the things that make our armed forces so lethal.....like armor, artillery, close air support, satellite and drone surveillance, C3I...secure commo, universal night vision, medevac capability, a logistics chain to keep them fed and supplied with beans, bacon, bullets and bandages, and most importantly lots of training and combat experience.....you'd very quickly be reduced to IEDs and the like.
IOW, technology. Our government has unlimited resources produced by us, to fund endless expenditures on technology and its development.
I agree that there would seem to be more mention made of it if it was conducted (scalp taking) on much of any scale.
The Brits never accepted the fact of losing the revolution. The Brits had the notion that there never was a deceisive battle. They were out maneuvered and were itching to get back in it. Thus, the war of 1812. Ole Hickory , after a hard time putting up his defeses in New Orleans, finally gave them what they needed, a good whipping. Much of interest written on this battle. An advance Brit party almost got by the plantations and into position to do much damage ,but were discovered at last moment, if memory serves me................. Cisco
Mart...yeah. Last of the Mohicans.....good movie and love the music. I had thought that " The Gael " may have been an old tune and was surprised to find that it was a new composition.
Derby...have you read Jack Hinsons One Man War ? Outstanding book and a true marksman with an ax to grind. I will check out the Bodhran.
Doc...thanks for those links...good music, huh?
Any of you guys read Herbert W McBrides book,,,A Rifleman Went To War.....he talks of when the Highlanders were brought up to the front lines with the pipes playing and how he loved the sound of the pipes.
On June 29, 1775, shortly after the start of the American Revolutionary War, Timothy Murphy and his brother John enlisted in the Northumberland County Riflemen, specifically Captain John Lowdon's Company. Their unit saw action in the Siege of Boston, the Battle of Long Island, and "skirmishing in Westchester".[1] After this, Murphy was promoted to the rank of sergeant in the Continental Army's 12th Pennsylvania Regiment and fought at the battles of Trenton and Princeton. Murphy was an "expert marksman", defined as being "able to hit a seven inch target at 250 yards".[1] In July 1777 this skill led to Murphy joining Daniel Morgan's newly formed "Sharpshooter Corps".
Later that year, he was selected as one of 500 handpicked riflemen to go with General Daniel Morgan to Upstate New York to help stop General John Burgoyne and the British Army. As the battles around Saratoga raged, the British, having been pushed back, were being rallied by Brigadier General Simon Fraser. Benedict Arnold rode up to General Morgan, pointed at Fraser and told Morgan the man was worth a regiment. Morgan called on Murphy and said: "That gallant officer is General Fraser. I admire him, but it is necessary that he should die, do your duty." Murphy climbed a nearby tree, took careful aim at the extreme distance of 300 yards, and fired four times. The first shot was a close miss, the second grazed the General's horse, and with the third, Fraser tumbled from his horse, shot through the stomach. General Fraser died that night. British Senior officer Sir Francis Clerke, General Burgoyne's chief aide-de-camp, galloped onto the field with a message. Murphy's fourth shot killed him instantly. Murphy also fought at the battle of the Middle Fort in 1780.[1]
I grew up on a farm outside of Sunbury Pennsylvania, Northumberland County, not far from where Murphy hailed. He was an inspiration to a farm lad armed with a Marlin Mountie in search of a woodchuck. More than a few spit-patched balls were also sent on their way in his honor. - Captain -
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"When democracy turns to tyranny, the armed citizenry still gets to vote!"
Mart...yeah. Last of the Mohicans.....good movie and love the music. I had thought that " The Gael " may have been an old tune and was surprised to find that it was a new composition.
Derby...have you read Jack Hinsons One Man War ? Outstanding book and a true marksman with an ax to grind. I will check out the Bodhran.
Doc...thanks for those links...good music, huh?
Any of you guys read Herbert W McBrides book,,,A Rifleman Went To War.....he talks of when the Highlanders were brought up to the front lines with the pipes playing and how he loved the sound of the pipes.
That book, " A Rifleman Went To War" is a crock of crap and not worth wasting your time to read.
McBride, made statements in the book that are falsehoods and he was also a bloody drunkard and a disgrace to the King's uniform.
Before, anyone decides to comment on this, I will just say that my knowledge of the situation is based on the fact that the O.C. of the C.E.F. battalion in which McBride served, the 21st. Batt., Fourth Brigade, Second Canadian Infantry Division, Lt. Col. William St. Pierre Hughes, was a close relative of mine and one of his junior officers, whom I never met, but, have a photo of was Lt. Donald Norbert McCallum, my maternal grandfather.
Hughes, a superb shot and highly respected officer, later a Brigadier, was the younger brother of the legendary Major-General Sir Samuel Hughes, D.S.O, the man who more than any other got Canada's C.E.F. up and running and sent The First Canadian Infantry Division, known as "The Pride and Honour of the British Army" into France in early 1915.
McBride, was "cashiered" for various offences, after Hughes had given him more leeway than a Canadian officer would have received and his behavior and false claims in the book are simply contemptible. Canada, lost almost 250.000 combat casualties in "The Great War",from a total national population of 7.5 million and damned few of them disgraced themselves, so, I have no respect for McBride and his self-serving book.
speaking of the battle of New Orleans, here's a battlefield pickup, belongs to a silversmith and antique gunsmith buddy, a nifty little blunderbus....Stanton lock, by M W Beadle....brass barrel and furniture, late 1700s gun. no martial markings....these were popular for private purchase by naval and Marine officers.
this one is a battlefield pickup from Chalmette....apparently dropped by a British officer. it was picked up, apparently by a slave or free person of color, and remained the property of a colored family in St. Bernard parish ever since. they would apparently pawn and redeem it when they needed money, and took it with them when they hauled ass in Katrina, pawned it in Baton Rouge and never redeemed it. it is in wonderful shape....broken and repaired stock but otherwise pristine....the brass holds up well in our humid climate. could only take this crappy camera phone pic, but this is a really cool piece of history, and it has been fired by the new owner....bore, without the bell, is about 12 gauge.
Proudly representing oil companies, defense contractors, and firearms manufacturers since 1980. Because merchants of death need lawyers, too.
Fiddle, bagpipes and drums sound really good to me......English, Irish, and Scot, all from my Mothers side.....Jacobs and Linns.
If you like that, you might enjoy these guys: "Tartanic". Not as cute (to me, at least) as the girl fiddler, but they are very, very talented and they put on a fantastic show.
![[Linked Image]](http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/Woodsman1956/Black%20Powder/old20overall20cabin.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p151/Steve_NO/blunderbus.jpg)
