New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-30
FROM SUFFOLK.
A Day Among the ". ". sharpshOoters.

Day Among the ". ". sharpshOoter
Correspondents Of The n Y, Tribune.
suYFoIK Va, Monday. April q. 1863
The attack on Suffolk gives us some very useful
lessons One is, that the spade in is place is more
potent than cannon shot or Minnie balls. perfect
chain of forts and dife-pits around Suffolk have
multiplied every man put here for defense by iiye
Another lesson it, that contrabands. if properly used
are powerful alice. During inc siege they have
wrought on tho forts and intre ncbmsuts like bees in
the Towering season. They have done it witha free
heart and ready will that forts and rihepis have
been constructed by magic, in defense of points,
which have been the hardest pressed by tie enemy
Another lesson 49, that we cannot pay too much
attention to eulsting aud organizing companies OF
sharpshooters TO be attached TO brigades This Is q
branch OF service in our Grand army too much over
looked and to which, the Rebels have pad particu-
lar attention. In nearly every battle hitherto fought
we have been surprised at the great number OF OH
GERS killed and wounded on our side, and how vastly
disprOpOruOnate it has been 10 the number OF pri-
Yates missing. This is the work of Rebel sharp
shooters. BY killing the leaders, they cripple ia
each score Of men.
Gen. Dix, with his usual shrewdness has not, 10
bis Department. overlooked this matter. He has
now at Suffolk four companies of sharpshoOers, en-
listed 10 the northern and western portion Of the
State Of New.York.
They consist Of the 9Th Independent Company,
under the command Of Capt. V. j. Shipmani the
9TH Independent Company, commanded by Capt j.
s. Arnold; the 9Th Independent. Company, Capt. +.
d Robinson; and the 9th Independent Company,
Capt. Thomas S. Bradley, who, we understand is a
Congregational clergyman on leave Of absence
from hs pulpit 10 lead the young men OF bis con-
gTegahon IN this holy crusade against treason and
rebellion.
The men Of these companies, from the officers
down ore all good shots as they are obliged TO be
BY Order No. l49 Of 1862 before they can be mus
tered at ALL sharpshOOteTs into the United States
H. af aha zbn,f.
shsll put five successive scots into i've inch ring
az forty rods distance previous 70 muster. lhese
companies were raised under this order, and have
each one stood the test.
In the present struggle at Suffolk these sharp
ahooters have done molly. They have contributed
not little 10 force the enemy TO feure, as Lie mas
done in ignoblo defeat.
AS matter of public interest / have followed
the movements Of these companies for the past lew
DAYS with a good deal Of curiosity. They have
been now fifteen days under arms, lying Gown
where night has found them, under the broad
canopy Of the sky, cheerful aud as ready for joke
"a shot. Their mode OF operating II " 60 out IN
she night to the extreme 'front.' with days ratons,
with rife and spade, and before sunrise 10 throw up
little mound Of earth for a rifle rest and as pro-
lection for pit dug large enough to contain one
or more men. in which TO DO under cover. The
whole is then masked by few bushes set IN front,
30 that Rebel would dream of the fatal sport or
the deadly rife there concealed.
Ano ulululLb huuh lbcnb ndpIjbft anu eSot-
tered all along in front OF the lines, where the
enemy are expected TO plant batteries, or 70 make
our advance and yet 80 artfuly concealed that no
Rebel sees the danger, until some sudden puff OF
smoke from quiet nook, followed by report and
fatal rsll tellS him Of unseen perils ahead.
In two Instances during this siege have the enemy
found il very difficult 70 work their batteries be-
cause their gunue-s have been picked OIL by unseen
foes, Ihese four companies armed with Sbarp's
improved aud telescope rifles. Prisoners taken have
expressed curiosity 70 see these guns, having been
astonished at the distance and deadly aim OF these
sbarpoLooters. They fear the rifes more than can
non shot.
The Rebels here have also some capital shots, ~
some Of soldiers have discovered to their sorrow.
Our tharpshoOles have sought them out, aud it is
diamond cut diamond when two parties OF these
sharpshooters piIed one against the other. Our
men court such encounters for they have found that
by superiority OF weapons and surety OF aim, they
have but little reason " tear the result. was eye
witness ~ such al encounter last week the banks
Of the Nalsemond and IT was 10 me tDnlhng
scene. Our boys had all along been hoping for q
grand squirrel hunt as they call sharpshOOlug
at the Rebels, and at this time they are gratlied
The parties were about equal IN numbers and from
onetighth W nall mile apart either bank Of the
stream. ABOUT @OO sbOtE exchanged before III
O'CLOCK ia the morning, bat the men artfully
concealed THAT though the balls came like bail
stones all around the pits, yet no one
was bit. Al length, our boys becoming tired Of the
ufeless game tried ruse 10 draw the Rebels out.
Several ieaped ont Of their pits, aud stood at full
length, exposed in ful pereOn, as II TO challenge fire.
In moment. from twenty rite.pits on the RcLei's