This Day in History: American Sharp Shooter Hiram Berdan is Born

By Logan Metesh

USA – -(Ammoland.com)- The term “sharpshooter” is commonly used to refer to someone who is a proficient marksman, able to hit what they’re aiming at with ease and precision. While the term takes its name from the rifle invented by Christian Sharps, it was Hiram Berdan who made sharpshooters a force to be reckoned with during the Civil War.

Born on September 6, 1824, Hiram Berdan was a mechanical engineer by trade and also one hell of a marksman.

From 1846 to 1860, he was considered to be the best rifle shooter in the United States. This prominence gained him the attention of General Winfield Scott and President Abraham Lincoln when the Civil War began in 1861.

Scott and Lincoln desired to raise sharpshooter regiments for specialized duty. In order to qualify for placement in one of the companies, prospective soldiers had to prove that they were excellent marksmen by placing ten shots on a 10-inch target at 200 yards with iron sights.

When it came time to place an officer in charge of the regiments, Berdan was a natural choice. …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand