Book Review: Thunderbolt to the Rebels: The United States Sharpshooters in the Civil War
Thunderbolt to the Rebels: The United States Sharpshooters in the Civil War. By Darin Wipperman. Essex, Connecticut: Stackpole Books, 2025. Hardcover, 362 pp. $34.95.
Reviewed by John G. Selby
Readers of the Emerging Civil War series are undoubtedly familiar with William Fox’s list of “300 Fighting Regiments.” Two famous regiments that made the list were the 1st and 2nd United States Sharpshooters (USSS). Known for their fighting spirit and distinctive green uniforms, what separated the 18 volunteer companies from other state volunteer companies was the requirement of marksmanship with a rifle: successful applicants had to shoot 10 consecutive shots within 5 inches of the center of a target from 200 yards. Over 2,000 young men would pass this test and serve in the USSS in its four years of existence.
Contemporary interest in snipers has prompted many to assume that the Civil War sharpshooters were the progenitors of today’s sniper. As Civil War author Darin Wipperman argues in his new book on the USSS, the men were used as snipers—some of the time. But most of the time the companies were used as regular infantry, albeit with a recognition of their higher value as skirmishers. Furnished with the breech-loading Sharps rifle in the spring of 1862, the USSS fought in nearly every major engagement in the eastern theater, save First Manassas and the Appomattox Campaign. A “central moment” (270) in their history came at Chancellorsville, when they assisted in the capture of the 23rd Georgia and fought valiantly against General J. E. B. Stuart’s assault on May 3, 1863. The deadliest period for the USSS was the opening month of the Overland Campaign. Continuously fighting in each of the major battles, the USSS accumulated “one third” (270) of all its combat deaths in May 1864. Unable to replenish the ranks depleted by illness, wounds, transfers, resignations, and deaths, some companies of the 1st USSS mustered out when their 3-year enlistments expired in August-September 1864. The remaining companies soldiered on until March 1865, when they were officially dissolved.
Wipperman’s detailed account of the combat experiences of the USSS complements and in some cases supersedes earlier works by Roy Marcott and Charles A. Stevens (an officer in Company G, 1st USSS). Wipperman scoured the archives for information on hundreds of men who served in the regiments, and nearly every paragraph in the book offers a quotation from one of the soldiers. Readers who enjoy reading the exact words of the soldiers will find this book very reminiscent of Noah Andre Trudeau’s 3-volume series on the last year of the war. Additionally, Wipperman grounds his analysis in a thorough use of over 200 secondary sources. Finally, he offers sensible interpretations concerning the underutilization of these outstanding marksmen. None of their commanding generals sought to use them solely as skirmishers, snipers, or small reconnaissance teams. Instead, they were attached to brigades and divisions the same as other volunteer units and were rarely used for their special skill. Furthermore, the founder of the USSS, Hiram Berdan, proved to be a great promoter but a poor leader and administrator (he left the Army in 1864). Lastly, most states had at least one “crack” regiment known for its marksmanship and martial prowess, thus minimizing the uniqueness of the USSS.
Overall, in just under 300 pages Wipperman has written a lively account of the men and their combat experiences in the USSS. With detailed endnotes, dozens of photographs, and excellent maps by the ever-reliable cartographer Hal Jespersen, Darin Wipperman has produced a well-written book that should grace the shelves of every Civil War enthusiast.
John G. Selby is a Professor Emeritus of history at Roanoke College and the former holder of the John R. Turbyfill Chair in History. A Civil War scholar, Selby wrote: Meade the Price of Command, 1863-1865; Virginians at War: The Civil War Experiences of Seven Young Confederates; and coedited Civil War Talks: Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard and His Fellow Veterans.
