Nevada County picayune., 1886-01-21
"KILLDEE'S" STORY.
The Great Confederate SharpshOOt
 CT Talks.

A few days ago in Twiggs coun- ty. John West, better known dur ing the war by the soubriquet of "Kildee," the most noted sharp shooter of the confederate service, gave us some interesting facts con- nected with himself In that peril ous service.
 was born and raised in Twiggs county, Georgia, said he, but went 10 the war from Louisiana as a private. At my solicitation was transferred to the Twiggs County Volunteers, my home company, which 1 found in Virginia. The Twiggs Volunteers were nick nam ed the 'Jorees,' because of theiI uniform having three black stripes upon the tail of the coat, resembling the three black feathers on the bird called 'Joree.' 1 was nicknumed 'Kildee,' because of my slender- ness and agility, and because was in the Jorse' company. In '62, General Lee received thirteen fine English WhitwoIth rifles that were warranted to kill at 1,S0O yards. These were the best guns in the service on either side. Thirteen of the best marksmen in the army were detailed for this special ssrv- ice. and l was the only Georgian that was selected. We were plac- ed under the command of a Colon- el Brown, who had no other duties than to command us. We were prac,iced three months before gO- ing into service. A score Ofevery shot was kept curing this three months, and at the end l was one hundred and seventy.six shots in the bulls eye ahead of the rest. The last day of the practice, our msrksmanship was tested by our superior officer. A white board two feet square, with a black dia- mond about the size of . hat in the center. was placed I,50O yards away. The wind was blowing stiff fly, and it was very unfavorable for good shooting, but 1 put three bull lets in the diamond, and seven in the white of the board. beat the record and won the choice of horse bridle, saddle, spurs, gun, revolver and saber. Our accOutrcments were the best the army conld afford. Then we entered active service, and I have been through scenes which have tried mems souls. l soon became indifferent to danger, inured to hardsbips and privations. 1 have killed men from ten paces distant to a mile.
 have no idea how many l have killed, but l made a good many bite the dust. We were sometimes employed separately and collect lively; sometimes scouting, then sharpshooting. Our most effective work was in picking off the officers silencing batteries, and prOtectin z our lines from the enemy's sharp shooters. I am certain l killed General Banks and Shields. l was the only confederate sharpshootsr on our lines on the days when those generals were killed. The enemy were fourteen and fifteen hundred yards away, ard my rife was the only gun that could reach them. l was shooting at officers and ] know that 1 killed them.
 Artlllerymen could stand any thing else better than they could aharpshOoting, and they would turn their guns upon sharpshoot- CT as quick as they would upon a battery. You see we could pick of 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 cap tured. I heard general Lee say he would rather have thirteen sharp shooters than any regiment in tine army. We frequently resorted to various artiices 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 to- gcther, and a yankee sharpshooter would be trying to get a shot at us one of us would put his hat on a ramrod and poke it up from behind the object that concealed and pro. tected us. and when the yankee