 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Hiram Berdan" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(June 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Hiram Berdan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1824-09-06)September 6, 1824 Phelps, New York, US |
| Died | March 31, 1893(1893-03-31) (aged 68) |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  United States of AmericaUnion |
| Branch | Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank |  Colonel Bvt.Brigadier General |
| Commands | 1st United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment 2nd United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment |
| Battles / wars | American Civil War |
| Other work | Mechanical engineer, inventor |
Hiram Berdan (September 6, 1824 – March 31, 1893) was an American engineer, inventor, military officer,marksman, and guiding force behind and commanding colonel of the United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiments during theAmerican Civil War. He was the inventor of theBerdan rifle, theBerdan centerfire primer and other weapons and accessories.
Berdan was born inPhelps, a small town inOntario County, New York. Amechanical engineer inNew York City, he had been the toprifle shot in the country for fifteen years prior to the Civil War. He invented arepeating rifle and a patentedmusket ball before the war. He had also developed the first commercial gold amalgamation machine to separate gold from ore. He invented a reaper and a mechanical bakery.[1] His inventions had brought him wealth and international fame.
In the summer and fall of 1861, he was involved in the recruiting of eighteen companies, from eight states, which were formed into two sharpshooter regiments with the backing of GeneralWinfield Scott andPresidentAbraham Lincoln. Berdan was named asColonel of the resultant1st and2nd U.S. Sharpshooters on November 30, 1861. His men, who had to pass rigorous marksmanship tests, were dressed in distinctive green uniforms and equipped withSharps breech-loading rifles. Even when assigned to a brigade, the regiments were usually detached for special assignments on the field of battle. They were frequently used for skirmish duty. Berdan fought at theSeven Days Battles andSecond Battle of Bull Run. In September 1862, his sharpshooters were at theBattle of Shepherdstown. Berdan commanded the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division,3rd Corps,Army of the Potomac in February and March 1863, then he commanded the 3rd Brigade at theBattle of Chancellorsville. Although Berdan was an innovative officer, as a leader he proved unpopular with the officers and soldiers under his command. In 1862, several of the sharpshooters' officers formally complained to GeneralDaniel Butterfield, Berdan's immediate commander, that Berdan was both dishonest and a coward. In July 1862, GeneralFitz John Porter condemned Berdan as incompetent.[2]
At theBattle of Gettysburg, his two regiments of sharpshooters played an important role in delaying Confederate attacks onDevil's Den and thePeach Orchard. In a sharp encounter in Pitzer's Woods onSeminary Ridge, the 1st U.S. Sharpshooters stalled the advancingAlabama brigade ofCadmus Wilcox. Berdan assumed command ofJ. H. Hobart Ward's brigade when the latter became acting division commander (David B. Birney having become acting corps commander following the wounding ofDaniel Sickles) and led the division throughout the rest of the campaign, as well as during the subsequentBristoe andMine Run campaigns.
Berdan resigned his commission on January 2, 1864, and returned to his career as an engineer and inventor. On December 8, 1868, PresidentAndrew Johnson nominated Berdan for appointment to thebrevet grade ofbrigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, for the Battle of Chancellorsville, at which he led a brigade, and theU.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on February 16, 1869.[1][3] Although President Johnson also nominated Berdan for appointment to the brevet grade ofmajor general of volunteers to rank from the same date for his services at the Battle of Gettysburg, at which he also led a brigade, the U.S. Senate did not confirm that appointment.[1] Despite the lack of necessary Senate confirmation of the appointment to make it official, many sources refer to Berdan as a brevet major general and even his grave stone in Arlington National Cemetery indicates he was a brevet major general.
He was considered by many to be a crack marksman and innovator, but unfit for field command.[4] Berdan subsequently invented numerous engines of war, including a twin-screwsubmarine gunboat, atorpedo boat for evading torpedo nets, a long-distancerangefinder and a distance fuse forshrapnel.
He is also an inventor of theBerdan rifle for the Russian army which is colloquially known in Russia as "berdanka".
Berdan died unexpectedly on March 31, 1893, and was buried inArlington National Cemetery.[5]
The part of Hiram Berdan was played byKurtwood Smith in the 1986 ABC miniseries.
A film created by Silver Domino Productions was based on Berdan and his men.
