2nd United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 2nd United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. From 1861 to January 1863 they were members of the "First Iron Brigade
" also known as the "Iron Brigade of the East".
The 2nd and the 1st U.S. Sharpshooters
were consolidated on December 31, 1864 and the regiment was broken up on February 20, 1865 and the remaining companies distributed as follows:
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. From 1861 to January 1863 they were members of the "First Iron Brigade
Eastern Iron Brigade
The Eastern Iron Brigade or First Iron Brigade was a brigade of infantry that served in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. For much of its service, it was designated as the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps...
" also known as the "Iron Brigade of the East".
Service
The 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters was raised as follows:- Company "A" in MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
on October 5, 1861. - Company "B" in MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
on October 4, 1861. - Company "C" in PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on October 4, 1861. - Company "D" in MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
on November 2, 1861. - Company "E" in VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
on November 9, 1861. - Company "F" in New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
on November 28, 1861. - Company "G" in New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
on December 10, 1861. - Company "H" in VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
on December 31, 1861.
The 2nd and the 1st U.S. Sharpshooters
1st United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment
The 1st United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 1st U.S...
were consolidated on December 31, 1864 and the regiment was broken up on February 20, 1865 and the remaining companies distributed as follows:
- Company "A" transferred to the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment1st Minnesota Volunteer InfantryThe 1st Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was noted in particular for its gallant service and heavy casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg....
. - Company "B" transferred to the 5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry RegimentThe 5th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 5th Michigan Infantry was organized at Detroit, Michigan and mustered into Federal service for a three year enlistment on August 28, 1861.The regiment was...
. - Company "C" transferred to the 105th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
- Company "D" transferred to the 17th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment17th Maine Volunteer Infantry RegimentThe 17th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment was mustered in at Cape Elizabeth, Maine for three year's service on August 18, 1862 and were mustered out on June 10, 1865. Recruits still liable to serve were transferred to 1st Maine Volunteer Heavy Artillery Regiment.-Casualties and total strength:The...
. - Company "F" transferred to the 5th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry5th New Hampshire Volunteer InfantryThe 5th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment has the unfortunate distinction of having sustained the greatest total loss in battles of any infantry or cavalry regiment in the Union Army, with a total of...
. - Company "G" transferred to the 5th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry.
- Company "H" transferred to the 4th Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Total strength and casualties
The regiment suffered 8 officers and 110 enlisted men who were killed in action or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 123 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 250 fatalities.Commanders
- Colonel Hiram BerdanHiram BerdanHiram Berdan was an American engineer, inventor and military officer, world-renowned marksman, and guiding force behind and commanding colonel of the famed United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiments during the American Civil War...
in 1861 - Colonel Henry A V PostHenry A V PostHenry Albertson Van Zo Post was an American engineer, American Civil War army officer, manufacturer and banker.Post was born in New York, NY and educated at to M. Churchill's Military School, at Sing Sing, New York...
from January 1, 1862 to November 16, 1862 - Colonel Hiram Berdan from November 16, 1862 until 1864
See also
- List of United States Volunteer Civil War Units
- 1st United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment1st United States Volunteer Sharpshooter RegimentThe 1st United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 1st U.S...
- Western Sharpshooters Regiment66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry RegimentThe 66th Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment originally known as "Birge's Western Sharpshooters" and later as the "Western Sharpshooters-14th Missouri Volunteers", was a specialized regiment of infantry sharpshooters that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-...
- 1st Regiment Michigan Volunteer Sharpshooters1st Regiment Michigan Volunteer SharpshootersThe 1st Regiment Michigan Volunteer Sharpshooters was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:...