Question about Civil War sniper

[Vincennes]

The current American legion magazine (Dec. 2017, p. 66) reports a new record for distance on a sniper kill. It tells of a Canadian sniper who killed an ISIS fighter in Iraq at a distance of 11,319' !!! The shot took 10 seconds to arrive. That brought up a memory.

MANY, MANY years ago I remember seeing a show on TV which was supposedely true about a Civil War sniper. As I remember it...a Confederate sniper was on a hill overlooking a Union camp. In the camp was a tent occupied by a high ranking Union officer (General?). The officer was the snipers target. I do not remember the distance, but after he took the shot you saw soldiers walking back and forth in front of the officers tent while the bullet was in transit. The shot injured the officer, but did not kill him.

Was that a true story? If so, where and when did it occur? Who was involved?

Paul

[zsmith]

John Sedgwick was killed by a sniper. It is said that his last words were "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance" right before he was shot.

[zsmith]

I wasn't sure of the distance so I did a search.

 

 

Sedgwick fell at the beginning of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, on May 9, 1864. His corps was probing skirmish lines ahead of the left flank of Confederate defenses and he was directing artillery placements. Confederate sharpshooters were about 1,000 yards (900 m) away, and their shots caused members of his staff and artillerymen to duck for cover. Sedgwick strode around in the open and was quoted as saying, "What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line?" Although ashamed, his men continued to flinch and he said, "Why are you dodging like this? They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."[5] Reports that he never finished the sentence are apocryphal, although the line was among his last words.[6] He was shot moments later under the left eye and fell down dead.

 

[Vincennes]

Thanks zsmith,

 

That sounds like what I remember. I do not remember the General being killed, but that is probably faulty memory on my part.

 

So sniper range has increased from 3000' to 11,319' since the Civil War!.

 

Paul

[zsmith]

 

 

So sniper range has increased from 3000' to 11,319' since the Civil War!.

 

 

And when you take into account the technology used at the time, both shots are equally impressive.