The one characteristic that joins every Sharpshooter together is a serious love of fun and comraderie.
History of the Sharpshooter Reenactors
In 2003 Derrick Sturgill began to portray a private from Company D, 2nd United States Sharpshooters in Oregon, after four years of portraying the 19th Indiana. Derrick joined a few others with this interest, and were soon joined by Jon Lambert, an experienced reenactor in Washington. In 2004 the small group discovered there was enough interest in the Sharpshooters to approach the Washington Civil War Association for unit status. After several months of board meetings, the unit was approved as a probationary unit in 2005. At that time we had eight members.
Derrick assumed the role of Captain with Jon Lambert as our 1st Sergeant. Our company included a mix of new and experienced reenactors, and one woman in diguise.
Since that time Jon Lambert joined the Marines and recently returned from Afganistan. Other members have joined, and a few have moved on to other adventures.
At the beginning of the 2010 reenacting season, the Sharpshooters had more than 30 members from across Oregon and Washington, with about equal numbers of military and half civilian members and several members who play both roles. We are now full voting members of both the Washington Civil War Association and the Northwest Civil War Council and participate in the events of both organizations. This year we will participate in a minimum of seven battle events, as well as living history events and parades.
The 2011 season marks the retirement of Derrick Sturgill as commander of the Sharpshooters. Derrick will continue in the role of unit representative and president of the Berdan Sharpshooters. Nicholas Brown assumes the role of Captain, formerly serving as 1st Sergeant of the Sharpshooters.
The Sharpshooters are looking for new reenactors to join our ranks. New reenactors should be interested in learning about history and open to new experiences. We will teach you all you need to know to be a reenactor.
Any persona is welcome. We especially interested in recruiting those with a musical inclination and an interest in learning either bugle calls or popular music of time time.
We hope that you will be the latest addition to our membership roster.