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Unit

Federal Detachment

Massachusetts Sharpshooters, First Company

"Andrew Sharpshooters"
Organized: Lynnfield, Mass.; mustered in 8/1861

Commanding Officer:
Capt. John Saunders

Map Showing this Unit:
   Detail Map #5: Sedgwick is Flanked in the West Woods

Battlefield Tablets for this Unit:
   Tablet #35: Second Army Corps - 15 Sep, 7 AM to 15 Sep, 8 PM
   Tablet #115: Second Army Corps - 15 Sep, 9 AM to 17 Sep, 7 AM
   Tablet #120: Army of the Potomac - 17 Sep, 5 AM to 17 Sep, 12 PM
   Tablet #116: Second Army Corps - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 10 AM
   Tablet #36: Sedgwick's Division, Second Army Corps - 17 Sep, 7 AM to 17 Sep, 10 AM
   Tablet #37: Gorman's Brigade, Sedgwick's Division - 17 Sep, 7 AM to 17 Sep, 10 AM

This Detachment's Chain of Command:
  Army - Army of the Potomac
  Corps - Second (II) Army Corps
  Division - 2nd Division, II Corps
  Brigade - 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, II Corps

History of the Unit:
The company was first assigned to Gen. Lander's Brigade, which formed a part of Gen. Stone's force at Poolesville, Md. It remained on the upper Potomac under Gen. Lander until his death in March, 1862, then served for a time under Gen. Shields. During the siege of Yorktown in April, 1862, the company became attached to the 15th Mass. Regt. of Gorman's Brigade, Sedgwick's Division, Sumner's (2d) Corps. With this command the sharpshooters served through the Peninsular campaign, the Antietam campaign, and until the following spring.
(from Hands-on History)

In the Antietam Campaign:
This Company was attached to the 15th Massachusetts Infantry, and was with them in combat on the 17th - part of Gen Sedgewick's Division as it made its disasterous advance into the West Woods and was hit on three sides by the strong Confederate counterattack. Their Captain, John Saunders, was killed there.

References, Sources, and other Notes:
There's an excellent group photograph of members of the Company, probably from March of 1862. This copy from one hosted by Susan Harnwell on her encyclopedic 15th Massachusetts Infantry site. Another was sold in a collection of Captain John Saunders effects by The Horse Soldier Antiques in Gettysburg.

We have 38 individuals in the AotW database for this unit:

Co.	Rank	Name	Casualty?	Details*
--	Pvt	Abbott, Samuel Dwight	MWIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Adams, John Quincy	KIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Ambrose, John Bennett	AWOL 09/17
--	Pvt	Atwood, Otis Warren	AWOL 09/17
--	Pvt	Ayers, John H.	POW 09/03
--	Pvt	Barker, Samuel S.	AWOL 09/17
--	Pvt	Bartlett, Alonzo W.	WIA 09/17
--	Lt	Berry, William	KIA 09/17
--	Sgt	Bicknell, Luke Emerson	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Blodgett, William E.	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Brown, John Haven	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Bryant, Francis W.	AWOL 09/17
--	Pvt	Campbell, Samuel G.	MIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Cole, Alvin	WIA 09/00
--	Pvt	Curtis, George	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Dike, Henry	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Fletcher, Asa	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Fuller, Sanford K.	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Gray, Joseph	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Hills, Edwin T.	MIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Hixon, Egbert Oswald	AWOL 09/03
--	Pvt	Holston, John C.	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Ingalls, Joseph Shaw	KIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Littlefield, David Mellen	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Orcutt, Joseph Consider	AWOL 09/17
--	Pvt	Parmenter, Marcus Morton	KIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Pray, Otis R.	AWOL 09/17
--	Capt	Saunders, John	KIA 09/17
--	Corp	Shattuck, Oramel C.	AWOL 09/14
--	Pvt	Snow, Edwin A.	POW 09/17
--	Pvt	Snow, Warren	KIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Strong, Martin V.	KIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Van Moll, Richard A.	KIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Wheelock, Frederick Emerson	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	White, Frederick	WIA 09/17
--	Corp	Whittemore, Jr., George	KIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Williams, Samuel Warren	WIA 09/17
--	Pvt	Wood, Joseph Leander	WIA 09/17

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