Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-14
"KIIDEE."
The Famous sharpshooter OF the Con-
federaey.


to meet in Twiggs county, John West.
better known during the war by the
sobriquet of "Kildee," the most noted
sharpshooter OF the Confederate service.
In response to our inquiry, he gave US
some interesting facts connected with
himself in that perilous service.
81 was born and reared In Twiggs
county, Georgia." said he, but went TO
the war from Louisiana as private. At
my solicitation 1 was transferred to the
Twiggs County Volunteers, my home
company, which l found in Virginia.
The Twiggs Volunteers were nick-named
the "Jorees," because OF their uniforms
having three black stripes upon the tail
Of the coat, resembling the three black
feathers on the bird called ''J0ree.,' l
was nick-named "kildee,v because Of my
slenderness and agility, and because l
was in the "JOree" company. In 80 Gen.
Lee received thirteen fine English Whit
worth rifles that were warranted TO kill
at 1900 Yards. These were the best guns
in the service on either side. Thirteen of
the best marks men in the army were de-
tailed for this special service. and was
the only Georgian that was selected. We
were placed under the command OF q Col.
Brown, who had no other duties than to
months before going into service. A score
of every shot was kept during this three
months, and at the end | was one hum
bred and seventy-slX shots in the BULBS
eye ahead of the rest. The lastday OF the
practice, our craftsmanship was tested
by our superior officers. A white board,
two feet square with a black diamond
about the size Of hat in the centre, was
placed 1900 yards away. The wind was
blowing stitfly, and it was very unfavor-
able for good shooting, but l put three
bullets in the diamond and seven in the
white of the board. l beat the record and
won the choice Of horse. bride, saddle,
spurs, gun, revOlvers and saber. Our ac-
coutrements were the best the army could
afford. Then we entered active service,
and have been thro' scenes which have
tried mems souls. | soon became lndifer-
ent to danger, and Injured to hardships
and privatiOns. 1 have killed men from
ten PAGES distant to a mile. | have no
idea how many killed, but made a good
many bite the dust. We were sometimes
employed separately and collectively;
sometimes scouting then sharpshOoting.
Our most effective work was in picking
of the officers, silenclng batteries, and
protecting our lines from the enemy's
sharpshooters. / am certain killed Gems.
Banks and Shields. l was the only Con-
federate sharpshoOter on our lines on the
days when those Generals were killed.
The enemy were fourteen and fifteen hum
hired yards away, and my rifle was the
only gun that could reach them. l was
shooting at officers, and l know that l
killed them.
Artillerymen could stand anything else
better than they could sharpshooting, and
they would turn their guns upon sharp
shooter as quick as they would upon
battery. You see we could pick off their
gunners so easily. kyself and a comrade
completely silenced battery Of six guns
in less than two hours on one occasion.
The battery was then stormed and cap
tured. | heard Gen. Lee say he would
rather have those thirteen sharpshOoters
than any regiment in the army. We FREE
quently resOrted to various articles in
our warfare. Sometimes we would
climb a tree, and pin leaves all over our
clothes TO keep their color from betraying
us. When two of us would be together,
and Yankee sharpshooter would be try
ing to get shot atus, one of us would
put his hat on a ramrod and poke 1t up
from behind the object that concealed and
protected us, and when the Yankee
showed his head to shoot at the hat, the
other one would put bullet thro' his
head. have shot 'em out of trees, and
seen 'em fall like coOns. When we were
in grass or grain, we would fire and fall
over and roll several yards from where we
shot at, and the Yankee sharpshOOter
would fire away at the smoke.
l was captured once. Col. Brown and
/ got caught inside of the Federal lines at
Cold HarbOr, and Sheridan's wagon train
was between us and liberty. We had on
Yankee coats, and we rode along up the
wagon train for some time trying to head
it, and escape. But we couldn't do it.
Finally Col. Brown rode up to a driver
and ordered him TO turn out to one, side
and let US pass.
''By whose authOrityr" asked the
driver.
by my own" replied Brown author
itatively.
.'Who are youp' asked the dri-
yer.
''CoI. Coleman" ans wered Brown who
had found out the name Of the colonel who
was in command OF the tram.
The driver then began to question Col.
Brown pretty closely, and was about to
catch up with us. Col. Brown drew his
revolver, and sent ball crashing through
his brain. We turned our horses and
dashed down the lines of wagons at full
speed, aud we ran right into company
OF Federal cavalry who were protecting
the train. A shower of bullets whistled
about u.s. we Wneeieu 10 Lne flKnJ,
jumped q stone wall, and just as my
morse cleared the wall, a bullet struck
him behind the ear. and down we came.
Browns horse was SHOT from under him
about 20 steps ahead. and we we're both
captured. AS l scrambled out from un-
der my horse, threw my gun to one side
in the grass. Three weeks after that
went back and got it. We were in tight
place. Having on Yankee coats, we would
certainly be shot for spies. Night came on
and we we're guarded by four sentinels, who
paced back and forward in a square sew
eral-yards in extent. 1t was very dark.
During the second watch, j whispered TO
Brown that / was going to leave. He
asked me how il could be done. j told
him I'd rather risk four bullets in the
dark than twenty in day light, at Fort Del
aware. He said he would follow me. We
then began crawling like snakes, out OF
the square. Four times a sentinel passed
right by us. We kept gliding along
until we we're entirely out. We straight
ed up when about 90 yards from the SEN
tinels, and struck out Tor the mountains.
We came near perishing for want OF food,
before we could get back TO che COnfeder-
ate lines.
was within ten steps Of Gen. Doles
when he was killed. A Federal sharp
shooter had been picking of our men al
day, and / mad been trying Ter hOursO 10
locate him, but had failed 70 do so was
In advance Of our line hundred yards,
and was concealed behind a rock. Sew
eraI times he had shot at me. About
fourteen hundred wards Ia trout of ia was