Berdan, Hiram, 1823-1893

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Berdan was born in Phelps, a small town in Ontario County, New York. A mechanical engineer in New York City, he had been the top rifle shot in the country for fifteen years prior to the Civil War. He invented a repeating rifle and a patented musket 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. 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 General Winfield Scott and President Abraham Lincoln. Berdan was named as Colonel of the resultant 1st and 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters on November 30, 1861. His men, who had to pass rigorous marksmanship tests, were dressed in distinctive green uniforms and equipped with the most advanced long-range rifles featuring telescopic sights. 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 the Seven Days Battles and Second Battle of Bull Run. In September 1862, his sharpshooters were at the Battle 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 the Battle 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 General Daniel Butterfield, Berdan's immediate commander, that Berdan was both dishonest and a coward. In July 1862, General Fitz John Porter condemned Berdan as incompetent.

At the Battle of Gettysburg, his two regiments of sharpshooters played an important role in delaying Confederate attacks on Devil's Den and the Peach Orchard. In a sharp encounter in Pitzer's Woods on Seminary Ridge, the 1st U.S. Sharpshooters stalled the advancing Alabama brigade of Cadmus Wilcox. Berdan assumed command of J. H. Hobart Ward's brigade when the latter became acting division commander (David B. Birney having become acting corps commander following the wounding of Daniel Sickles) and led the division throughout the rest of the campaign, as well as during the subsequent Bristoe and Mine Run campaigns.

Berdan resigned his commission January 2, 1864, and returned to his career as an engineer and inventor. On December 8, 1868, President Andrew Johnson nominated Berdan for appointment to the brevet grade of brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, for the Battle of Chancellorsville, at which he led a brigade, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on February 16, 1869. Although President Johnson also nominated Berdan for appointment to the brevet grade of major 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. 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. Berdan subsequently invented numerous engines of war, including a twin-screw submarine gunboat, a torpedo boat for evading torpedo nets, a long-distance rangefinder and a distance fuse for shrapnel.

Berdan died unexpectedly on March 31, 1893 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

The part of Hiram Berdan was played by Kurtwood Smith in the 1986 ABC miniseries.

A film created by Silver Domino Productions was based on Berdan and his men.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Marden, Geo. A. (George Augustus), 1839-1906. Letters, 1861 December 15-1864 July 17. Dartmouth College Library
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1888 - File No. 2142 - Berdan, H - District of Columbia National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Compiled Military Service Record of Colonel Hiram Berdan, Field and Staff, 1st U.S. Sharp Shooters Regiment National Archives at College Park
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1862 - Berdan, H - File No. B54 National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Indexes to the Carded Records of Soldiers Who Served in Volunteer Organizations During the Civil War, 1899 - 1927 File Unit: Berdan, Hiram - US Sharp Shooters, Company F&S National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1862 - Berdan, H - File No. B1920 National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Civil War collection, 1724-1933 (inclusive); 1861-1912 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Approved Pension File for Mary M. K. Berdan, Widow of Brigadier General Hiram Berdan, U.S. Army; Colonel, 1st U.S. Sharp Shooters Regiment (WC-833869) National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1861 - Berdan, H - File No. B452 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1886 - File No. 2843 - Berdan, H - District of Columbia National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1887 - File No. 6034 - Berdan, H National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Trepp, Caspar, 1825 or 1826-1863. Caspar Trepp papers, 1846-1863 (bulk 1861-1863). Churchill County Museum
referencedIn Record Group 153: Records of the Office of the Judge Advocate General (Army), 1792 - 2010 Series: Court Martial Case Files, 12/1800 - 10/1894 File Unit: Berdan, Hiram -- Colonel, US Sharp Shooters National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford papers, 1864-1967 (inclusive), 1883-1908 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1871 - 1894 File Unit: Consolidated Military Officer's File of General Hiram Berdan, Volunteers National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Crawford, F. Marion (Francis Marion), 1854-1909. F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford papers, 1864-1967 (inclusive), 1883-1908 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Calef, Benjamin Shreve. Correspondence. 1861-1897. New Hampshire Newspaper Project
Role Title Holding Repository
Place Name Admin Code Country
Virginia VA US
New York City NY US
District of Columbia DC US
Phelps NY US
Subject
Bristoe Station, Battle of, Va., 1863
Bull Run, 2nd Battle of, Va., 1862
Chancellorsville, Battle of, Chancellorsville, Va., 1863
Civil War, 1861-1865
Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863
Mine Run Campaign, Va., 1863
Peninsula Campaign, 1862
Rifles
Rifles
Seven Days' Battles, Va., 1862
Occupation
Inventors
Investors
Soldiers
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Person

Birth 1823-09-06

Death 1893-03-31

Male

Americans

English

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