Brady's Michigan Sharpshooters - Civil War Reenactor's Homepage

Welcome to the Brady's Michigan Sharpshooters Homepage!

Brady's Michigan Sharpshooters, based in Northern Virginia and Maryland is a unit of Civil War reenactors dedicated to introducing people to the fun and history of Civil War reenacting. We have some additional uniforms and equipment for use to anyone interested in taking the field and discovering the taste of battle. After your first battle we do encourage you to begin to purchase your own uniform if you are interested in continuing. See our Company Quartermaster page for more information about unit uniform requirements. If you would like to enlist or would just like more information about our unit and this exciting hobby, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page or e-mail our Recruiting Staff.

Brady's History

Brady's Sharpshooters (officially Michigan's First Company of Sharpshooters), was directly authorized by the War Department in late summer 1861, and saw action right through to the end of the war, from Yorktown, through Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (where the men fought as skirmishers in defense of Little Round Top), Grant's drive on Richmond, to the surrender at Appomattox. In fact, with the exception of First Bull Run, the men of Brady's Sharpshooters were present for virtually every significant engagement of the Army of the Potomac, in addition to reinforcing General John Pope's Army of Virginia for the Second Battle of Bull Run.

The company was named in honor of frontier army general, Hugh Brady, whose Brady Guards militia included in the 1840s one Kiniston S. Dygert. In 1861, Captain Dygert, considered one of the best marksmen in the state, was given the commission to organize an independent company of sharpshooters. Dygert's recruitment poster outlined the strict qualifications for members of the company: " No man will be accepted or mustered into service who cannot, when firing at rest at a distance of 40 rods (220 yards), put ten consecutive shots in a target of an average space not to exceed five inches from the center of the bull's eye to the center of the ball."

Although issued standard military rifles, many of the volunteers brought with them their personal customized target rifles, often equipped with telescopic sights, which were used in local shooting competitions. The special mission and origin of these sharpshooters helps to explain the strong esprit de corps of the unit, and why, throughout its service, no draftees were ever included; all of the Brady's Sharpshooters were volunteers, and though casualty rates were high, there was only one desertion in the field.

Josh Mordin
Officer Commanding

Kevin Kelley
Administrative Chairman

Brady's Sharpshooters at Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade
Photograph by R.J. Szabo, November 2000

2008 Schedule of Events

			Unit POC
January 26	Company Administrative Meeting Leesburg, VA
February 17-19	Winter of 64 New Fane, NY		Mike
March 28-30	Bedford Officer's School Bedford, PA		Mike
March 29	Brady's Camp of Instruction Chatham?, VA	Maximum Effort Event	Josh
April 11-13	CVG Camp of Instruction Fort Washington, MD		Kevin
April 4-5	145th Anniversary of the Battle of Chancellorsville Windsor, VA		Kevin
April 12	Living History B & O Railroad Museum: Ellicott City Station Ellicott City, MD		Mark
April 25-27	Neshanimy 2008 Ben Salem, PA		Kevin
May ??	Family Campout Prince William County Forrest Park?, VA		Geoff & Mark M
May 26	"Memorial Day Parade" Washington DC		Mike
June 7-8	145th Anniversary Brandy Station Brandy Station, PA	USV Cavalry Max Effort	Kevin
June 15-16	"Civil War Field Music School" Pamplin Park, VA		John
June 25- July 2	"VI Corps March" Gettysburg, PA		Mike
June 27-29	"At High Tide" Gettysburg, PA		Kevin
August 15-17	Sully Plantation Civil War Days Sully Plantation Chantilly, VA	Maximum Effort Event	Josh
September 4-5?	Pry House Living History Antietam National Park, MD		Audrey
September 12-14	Fishers Hill Shenandoah Valley	3rd USV Max Effort	Mark M
September 27-28	Hopes Campaign Elizabethtown, PA		John
October 18-19	Battle of Cedar Creek Middletown, VA	Maximum Effort Event	Geoff
December 6th or 13th	146th Anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg Fredericksburg, VA		Wayne

Reenacting Information		Reenacting Resources
Recruiting Frequently Asked Questions		Civil War Links - *Updated*
Safety and Authenticity		Where to find scopes?
Company Quartermaster
Photo Gallery