The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-01-31
A NIGER sHARPsHooTER.
He Was Terror TO the Boys in Front Of Charles.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: So far as my
observation extended there were very few col
ored men employed in the ranks of the Confed-
crate army. The one of whom | write was of
such an exceptional character that l have often
thought of him when reviewing the old times
a quarter of a century ago that tried mems
bodies as well as souls.
After the Union forces gained foothold on
Morris Island which constituted one of the
principal defenses of Charleston, S. c.. in the
Summer of 1868, and after the disastrous as
sault on Fort Wagner, we proceeded to get pos
session of the stronghold by regular siege ope-
rations. After weary months of hard work
and great loss of life by disease as well as by
the bullet, the grand emblem of the Union
waved over the entire island.
1t was during the progress of the siege that
the exploits of the "nigger" were enacted.
Every soldier who served in that memorable
campaign will remember him, for I believe he
killed and wounded more of our men in the
siege than any % men in the rebel crowd
Soon after the occupation of Morris Island by
our forces the writer was detached from his
company, with three other officers and put in
command of $50 men, selected from the soldiers
composing the Department of the South, as
corps of sharpshooters. Every man of them
was dead shot with his Springfield rifle any
where within its range, and in addition to
these arms we had about halfdozen heavy
telescope rifles for especially 81 fine work" The
exploits of the niger" was the almost-Con-
slant theme among the soldiers, and every day
added to his victims, so that among our corps
it was the ambition Of probably every man to
"settle his hash"
Our position was always at the extreme front,
and the orders were to keep the rebel gunners
from their guns in Fort Wagner How our
men knew that the dreaded sharpshooter was
'nigger' was to me a mystery, as had watch
| ed by the hour without ever getting sight of
Il Al. Il Il |,
| color though willing to admit the result of his
work One morning, however, l got just q
| glimpse of him. Soon after getting my men duly
| posted for the labOrs of the day, | saw one of
| the men-a beardless boy of Western regi-
ment, not over 17-lOading his rifle in great
| hurry and asking him what his "rush was,
| he said, 81 seen the niger and want to get
a shot at him" I cautioned him to be very
careful how ne managed, and if he got a shot,
| to withdraw his rife quickly from the little
porthole only just large enough to admit the
| gun, with room to squint," telling him at the
| same time to be sure not to look through the
hole after firing. Stepping few yards away,
/ was examining the fort with my glass; when
| / saw mans head and shoulders rise above
the highest part of the earthwork it was in
all probability our dreaded enemy. He APP
| peared to me in the dim light of the early
morning to be a mulatto of powerful build.
He was not exposed over second, but long
enough for my Western boy to see him, and
just as his head was disappearing heard the
report of his rifle and turning toward him, l
saw him placing his eye to the portfolio, forget
full in his zeal of advice and almost as quick
as a fash of lightning l heard the peculiar
scream of the well-known rife, and saw my
boy fall to the ground. The bullet entered the
right eye and passed through the head, and the
poor fellows work was done.
On the 9TH of September, 1863 our works
having approached close to Fort Wagner, a
general charge was ordered in the early morn
ing but the enemy had nearly all gone, hav-
ing evacuated the stronghold during the pre-
vious night. There were few soldiers and
colored boys captured land remember thatthese
latter had very narrow escape rs they were
being marched to the rear under guard. Sew
eral times some soldier would see the colored
boys among the prisoners and saying, There's
the - Niger sharpshooter who killed my
chum," make q rush for him with fixed bayo-
net; and if it had not been for the alertness OF
the guard, the poor fellows would have fallen
victims to the Infatuated soldiers. Perhaps
some Confederate soldier who reads your paper
can give US further light on the niger y
sharpshooter.-A. ii. C. JEwETT, First Lieu.
tenant, 4th n. H., Laconia, N. II.