Although at $3200, a Sharps-Borchardt rifle is outside of my price range, I have been fascinated with that particular model since my father first exposed me to Tom Selleck in "Quigley Down Under". As I consider the plot of the movie, I consider the possible ramifications of the plot and some inexplicit details that may add something to your appreciation of history and your understanding of Quigley's dramatis personae.
In 1848, Sharps began manufacturing their first breech loaded rifle. It was superior to the muzzle loaded version you see in most civil war action because it could be loaded more quickly than that issued to the rank and file enlistee. They made several versions of their rifle: the first Sharps for regular army units (not state volunteers), the second for cavalry (Sharps carbine for more accurate discharge while mounted in a charge), and the famous long rifles of which the borchardt is the most famous. The long rifles, of which only 22000 were ever made from 1852-1881, became the weapon of choice for Union Sharpshooter regiments and later found service in the west against the indians and buffalo. The only two famous users of a Sharps long rifle are "Wild" Bill Hickock who shot buffalo for the railroad and William Dixon who scared off a Comanche siege at the second battle of Adobe Walls in 1874.
Most Union sharpshooters found service as scouts and skirmishers. Most Union regiments had about a dozen sharpshooters in these roles, most of which were also KIA by the battle of Gettysburg. Given their ability to fire rapidly and kill at great distance, Union generals used them poorly, and the two regiments of sharpshooters that once existed were folded into Grant's army as companies of infantry regiments in 1864.
The rest of the rifles ordered by the army found their way out west. The Sharps long rifle was primarily designed for hunting buffalo. It used a 0.50 caliber black powder cartridge, which allowed it to take down those large animals in one shot. The rest of the time when Sharps rifles saw service, it was to hold indians at bay. With the outbreak of the Civil War, all regular Union regiments were transferred to Grant's Army of the West, and local volunteers arose to augment duties in the territories of the frontier. These units were largely untrained and undisciplined, and the presence of a sharpshooter could deter indians from agression. It didn't always work. The 1st NV Volunteer Cavalry lost almost an entire company under "Major" Ormsby in the 1st Battle of Pyramid Lake, with only 29 of 105 returning to Virginia City in 1860.
As to how this might impact Quigly:
Sharpshooters out west might have been engaged in the distal sniper action against Indians. in fact, I am surprised to not see any sharpshooters assigned to the cavalry detachment that takes Mel Gibson prisoner in "Dances with Wolves" given that by then the war was over. If Quigley had been a prior service sniper with the military, it would account for his skill with the rifle and for his disdain for both Marshall's men on the Australian ranch as well as for the British cavalry unit affiliated with him. Furthermore, Quigley might have his extreme aversion to the slaughter of Aborigines as paid by Marshall due to having been forced so to do by the department of the army back in the United States. By the time of that movie, 1874 or later in order for him to have a Borchardt model Sharps longrifle, all sharpshooting would have been in the Indian wars or against buffalo. even if Quigley were just a hunter, he would not have seen aborigines as chattle to be hunted indiscriminately and killed as were buffalo by some sharps-equipped hunters, although you also see that in "Dances with Wolves".
If you put the rifle and the movies into their historical perspective, I think it brings an interesting level of depth to entertainment. These rifles are extremely powerful, and the men who used them could accurately kill anything at over 1000 yards, which for the time, and even today, is quite a feat given the mechanism of the rifle and the discharge of rounds. They are very simple to operate and reload and extremely accurate given technology, a testament to engineers and operators alike, largely squandered by officers who neither understood the possibilities nor cared to employ them correctly. You can see that even the 20th Maine Vol Inf had some sharpshooters if you look carefully at Little Round Top in "Gettysburg" although their unit insignia is incorrect.
I have, for my age at least, learned a lot from my study of Civil War minutea. I hope that you appreciate the things that came from such a bloody but vital time in American history. Of the 22000 estimated sharpshooters engaged in the civil war, at least 2000 were Native Americans, and all but 4000 gave their lives to end slavery(75% KIA). They bore the brunt of some of the worst duties and fighting as pickets and scouts and skirmishers. They lived great and they died great, and I pray that all of my American brothers, no matter the land of their nativity, will recognize as said Colonel Joshua Chamberlain of the 20th Maine that the war was about the idea that we all have value, a divine spark, an original nobility. May you remember what men who never perpetrated an offense gave to right a wrong that the current president refuses to forget, instead fanning the flames of fervor to vengeance and anger.
Take a lesson from the dead. If you want to succeed, you need to be a sharp shooter and keep your eye on the target, no matter how far away it may seem, and shoot straight. Rest in peace, my brothers. May God bless you for your service and sacrifice.
This post is dedicated to all of my friends, living and dead, who ever served in uniform, and all of those who would have if not for 4-F status. Thank you for your service.
Joe P E-4 USA (KIA-Iraq) Armor
Carole S E-3 USA (WIA-Iraq) MP
Blake S E-3 USMC Infantry
Blaine D E-5 USMC Infantry
Kristina R E-8 USN Engine Room Control
Brian G 0-3E USAF(WIA-Columbia) Intel
Paul W 0-5 USAF WSO
Matthew A E-2 USMC Communications
John W 0-1 USA Infantry
Matthew H 0-3 USAF ABM
In 1848, Sharps began manufacturing their first breech loaded rifle. It was superior to the muzzle loaded version you see in most civil war action because it could be loaded more quickly than that issued to the rank and file enlistee. They made several versions of their rifle: the first Sharps for regular army units (not state volunteers), the second for cavalry (Sharps carbine for more accurate discharge while mounted in a charge), and the famous long rifles of which the borchardt is the most famous. The long rifles, of which only 22000 were ever made from 1852-1881, became the weapon of choice for Union Sharpshooter regiments and later found service in the west against the indians and buffalo. The only two famous users of a Sharps long rifle are "Wild" Bill Hickock who shot buffalo for the railroad and William Dixon who scared off a Comanche siege at the second battle of Adobe Walls in 1874.
Most Union sharpshooters found service as scouts and skirmishers. Most Union regiments had about a dozen sharpshooters in these roles, most of which were also KIA by the battle of Gettysburg. Given their ability to fire rapidly and kill at great distance, Union generals used them poorly, and the two regiments of sharpshooters that once existed were folded into Grant's army as companies of infantry regiments in 1864.
The rest of the rifles ordered by the army found their way out west. The Sharps long rifle was primarily designed for hunting buffalo. It used a 0.50 caliber black powder cartridge, which allowed it to take down those large animals in one shot. The rest of the time when Sharps rifles saw service, it was to hold indians at bay. With the outbreak of the Civil War, all regular Union regiments were transferred to Grant's Army of the West, and local volunteers arose to augment duties in the territories of the frontier. These units were largely untrained and undisciplined, and the presence of a sharpshooter could deter indians from agression. It didn't always work. The 1st NV Volunteer Cavalry lost almost an entire company under "Major" Ormsby in the 1st Battle of Pyramid Lake, with only 29 of 105 returning to Virginia City in 1860.
As to how this might impact Quigly:
Sharpshooters out west might have been engaged in the distal sniper action against Indians. in fact, I am surprised to not see any sharpshooters assigned to the cavalry detachment that takes Mel Gibson prisoner in "Dances with Wolves" given that by then the war was over. If Quigley had been a prior service sniper with the military, it would account for his skill with the rifle and for his disdain for both Marshall's men on the Australian ranch as well as for the British cavalry unit affiliated with him. Furthermore, Quigley might have his extreme aversion to the slaughter of Aborigines as paid by Marshall due to having been forced so to do by the department of the army back in the United States. By the time of that movie, 1874 or later in order for him to have a Borchardt model Sharps longrifle, all sharpshooting would have been in the Indian wars or against buffalo. even if Quigley were just a hunter, he would not have seen aborigines as chattle to be hunted indiscriminately and killed as were buffalo by some sharps-equipped hunters, although you also see that in "Dances with Wolves".
If you put the rifle and the movies into their historical perspective, I think it brings an interesting level of depth to entertainment. These rifles are extremely powerful, and the men who used them could accurately kill anything at over 1000 yards, which for the time, and even today, is quite a feat given the mechanism of the rifle and the discharge of rounds. They are very simple to operate and reload and extremely accurate given technology, a testament to engineers and operators alike, largely squandered by officers who neither understood the possibilities nor cared to employ them correctly. You can see that even the 20th Maine Vol Inf had some sharpshooters if you look carefully at Little Round Top in "Gettysburg" although their unit insignia is incorrect.
I have, for my age at least, learned a lot from my study of Civil War minutea. I hope that you appreciate the things that came from such a bloody but vital time in American history. Of the 22000 estimated sharpshooters engaged in the civil war, at least 2000 were Native Americans, and all but 4000 gave their lives to end slavery(75% KIA). They bore the brunt of some of the worst duties and fighting as pickets and scouts and skirmishers. They lived great and they died great, and I pray that all of my American brothers, no matter the land of their nativity, will recognize as said Colonel Joshua Chamberlain of the 20th Maine that the war was about the idea that we all have value, a divine spark, an original nobility. May you remember what men who never perpetrated an offense gave to right a wrong that the current president refuses to forget, instead fanning the flames of fervor to vengeance and anger.
Take a lesson from the dead. If you want to succeed, you need to be a sharp shooter and keep your eye on the target, no matter how far away it may seem, and shoot straight. Rest in peace, my brothers. May God bless you for your service and sacrifice.
This post is dedicated to all of my friends, living and dead, who ever served in uniform, and all of those who would have if not for 4-F status. Thank you for your service.
Joe P E-4 USA (KIA-Iraq) Armor
Carole S E-3 USA (WIA-Iraq) MP
Blake S E-3 USMC Infantry
Blaine D E-5 USMC Infantry
Kristina R E-8 USN Engine Room Control
Brian G 0-3E USAF(WIA-Columbia) Intel
Paul W 0-5 USAF WSO
Matthew A E-2 USMC Communications
John W 0-1 USA Infantry
Matthew H 0-3 USAF ABM
Casey B WO-2 USA Helicopter Pilot
Russell G E-7 USN Seal
Arthur S E-9 USMC (WIA-Vietnam) Infantry
Peter K E-4 USA(WIA-Afghanistan) MP
and others too numerous to mention...
Updated 22 February, 2010
and others too numerous to mention...
Updated 22 February, 2010
Jay Q 0-1E USA Sniper/Medic (WIA-Panama)
"Tex" S 0-6 USAAC Pilot (WIA-Korea)
William D E-2 USN Submariner
Tasha J E-5 USN Communications
Michelle S E-5 USA Mechanic
Jay A E-3 USMC Infantry
No comments:
Post a Comment