1st and 2nd Regiments United States Sharpshooters-Berdan's Sharpshooters

Brief History
The 1st and 2nd Regiments United States Sharpshooters-Berdan's Sharpshooters were organized August 1861 to March 1862. They were mustered in 29 November 1861. The 1st and 2nd regiments were consolidated on 31 December 1864. The 2nd Regiment was discontinued 20 Feb 1865.

For a history of this unit see the Civil War Archive Website.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Company B - Many men from Ingham County - see Roster

Company C - Many men from Hillsdale County, Lenawee County, and Calhoun County - see Roster

Company I - Many men Montcalm County and Ionia County - see Roster

Company K - Many men from Wayne County - see Roster

Unassigned- Many men from various Counties - see Roster

See Rosters, as there were men from many different Counties in these Companies

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Michigan in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Michigan in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Michigan, and how to find them. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Marcot, Roy M. U.S. "Sharpshooters: Berdan's Civil War Elite" (Mechanicsburg, MA: Stackpole Books, 2007). Digital copy at Google Books. Other Libraries


 * Berdan's Sharpshooters. History, officers and photos of the sharpshooters.


 * Stevens, C. A. Berdan's United States Sharpshooters in the Army of the Potomac, 1861-1865. St. Paul, Minn: Price-McGill Co, 1892. Digital copy at google books, Internetarchives.  Other Libraries