The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-01-13
SHARPSHOOFER "KILDEE."
Thrilling "Reminiscences OF the Con-
federacy's Best Rifleman.

Thrilling "Reminiscences OF the Con-
federacy's Best Rifleman.
It was our good fortune few days
ago, writes the editor of the Irvington,
(Ga.) Southerner, to meet in Twiggs
county John West. better known during
the war by the soubriquet of "Kildee, "
the most noted sharpshooter of the Con-
federate service. In response to our in
auiry he gave us some interesting facts
connected with himself in that perilous
service.
81 was born and reared in Twiggs
county, Ga.," said he, "but went to the
war from Louisiana as private. At my
solicitation l was transferred to the
Twigss County volunteers, my home
company, which l found in Virginia.
The Twiggs County volunteers were
nicknamed 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 30,
ree.' was nicknamed 'kildee, because
of my slcnderness and agility, and be.
cause was in the 'Joree' company. In
1852 General Lee received thirteen fine
English Whitworth rifles that were war
ranted 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 detailed for this
special service, and was the only Geor-
gian that was selected. We were placed
under the command Of Colonel Brown,
who had no other duties than to COM
mand US. We were practiced three
months before going into service. A score
of every shot was kept during this three
months, and at the end was 17G shots
in the bulls eye ahead of the rest. The
last day of the practice our craftsmanship
wastested by our superior officers. A
white board, two feet square with a black
diamond about the size of hat in the
center, was placed 1900 yards away.
The wind was blowing sti!fly, and it was
very unfavorable for good shooting, but
I put three bullets in the diamond and
seven in the white of the board. beat
the record and won the choice of horse,
bride, saddle, spurs, gun, revolver and
sabcr. Our accoutrements were the best
the army could afford. Then we entered
active service, and have been through
scenes which have tried mems souls. I
soon became Indifferent to danger and
Injured to hardships and privat;ons. I
have killed men from ten PAGES distant
toa mile. | have no idea how many I
killed, but made good many bite the
dust. We were sometimes employed
separately and collectively; sometimes
scouting, then sharpshooting. Our most
effective work was in picking off the Off
GERS, silencing batteries and protecting
our lines from the enemy's sharpshoot-
ers.
'Artillerymen could stand anything
else better than they could sharpshoot-
ing. and they would turn their guns upon
q sharpshooter as quick as they would
upon battery. You see we could pick
off their gunners so easily. Myself and
q comrade completely silenced a battery of
six guns IN less than two hours on one
occasion. The battery was then stormed
and captured. I heard General Lee say
he would rather have those thirteen
sharpshooters than any regiment
in the army. We frequently re-
sorted to various articles in our
warfare. Sometimes we would climb
tree and pin leaves all over our clothes
to keep their color from betraying US.
When two of US would be together and
q Yankee sharpshooter would be trying
to get a shot at us one of us would put
his hat on ramrod and poke it 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 through
his head. I have shot 'em ont 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.
81 was captured once. Colonel Brown
and I got caught inside of the Federal
lines at Cold Harbor, and Sheridan's 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, Colonel Brown
rode up to driver and ordered him to
turn out to one side and let US pass.
"'By whose authority?' asked the
driver.
"'By my own,' replied Brown, au-
thoritatively.
" who are you2" asked the driver.
"'Colonel Coleman, answered Brown,
who had found out the name of the
colonel who was in command of the
train.
''The driver then began to question
Colonel Brown pretty closely and was
about to catch up with us. Colonel
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, and we ran right
into a company Of Federal cavalry who
were protecting the train. A shower of
bullets whistled about us. We wheeled
to the right, jumped a stone wall, and
just as my horse cleared the wall a bullet
struck him behind the ear and down we
came. Browns horse was shot from
under him about twenty steps ahead,
and we were both captured. AS I
scrambled out from under my horse I
threw my gun to one side in the grass.
Three weeks after that | went back and
got it. We were in tight place. Hav
ing on Yankee coats, we would certainly
be shot for spies. Night came on and
we were guarded by four sentinels, who
paced back and forward in square sew
eral yards in extent. It was very dark.
During the second watch whispered to
Brown that I was going to leave. He