Much to the men’s disappointment, other than exchanging shots with some enemy cavalrymen who quickly rode off, little occurred during that initial outing. About noon, Brig. Gen. George Morell sent a staff officer ahead to halt the sharpshooters, followed by orders to return to camp. Although uneventful, this reconnaissance did help Berdan’s men build confidence. Being selected to lead the effort and seeing the enemy cavalry flee at their approach was exhilarating. “It was like a holiday excursion,” recalled one sharpshooter.

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In the course of the next week, more Union soldiers arrived at Fortress Monroe, and preparations were made for an advance in force toward the Confederate defenses at Yorktown. On the evening of April 3, the sharpshooters received orders to cook three-days’ rations and prepare to march the following morning. Once again they had been chosen to lead the way. “It was a proud morning for us,” one of the marksmen later recalled, “as we marched past camp after camp, and battery after battery, waiting for us to get ahead and for their places in the column.”

For the first several miles of the advance, the sharpshooters met no resistance; the Confederate cavalry remained just ahead, keeping close watch on the army’s movements. Finally, after marching nearly 20 miles, they spotted a makeshift earthwork near a stream crossing. Berdan ordered out a company as skirmishers, while the rest of the regiment advanced within close supporting distance.

“We immediately deployed as skirmishers and closed in towards the fort,” recalled a sharpshooter in the advance party. “There were only two pieces of artillery there, and as fast as a head would appear over the earthwork our boys would pick him off.” Berdan’s men “took cover behind stumps and other friendly projections [and] the Rebels could not see anything to shoot at.” The Confederates soon deemed it too dangerous to remain unsupported and retired with their artillery pieces.

Berdan’s men pursued the retreating Confederates, capturing some stragglers, and proudly planted their colors on the enemy earthwork. Satisfied with this achievement, and waiting for the rest of the army to catch up, the sharpshooters remained until morning.

Early the next day Berdan’s men pushed forward toward the outer defenses of Yorktown. Advancing through fields and woods in the rain, they made contact with the enemy around 10 a.m. Upon spotting the approaching Union troops, Confederate artillerymen fired some shells in their direction, which sent the troops diving for cover. Once the sharpshooters realized the projectiles were flying harmlessly overhead, however, they got up and pressed on, driving the enemy skirmishers before them.

Nearing the works, Berdan’s men halted to wait for orders and reinforcements. Before long, Porter’s division began arriving, and while the officers were assessing the situation, some Federal batteries were ordered up to shell the Confederate defenses. Companies A and G of the 1st U.S.S.S. were detailed as skirmishers, to protect the cannoneers, while the rest of the regiment was sent to suppress enemy artillery fire.

“We soon came within sight of them, and could plainly see the men loading the guns behind the ramparts,” wrote one sharpshooter. “The two companies with target rifles then took a position where they could command a battery, and picked off many of the gunners, which made them more careful of exposing themselves.”

Companies C and E of the 1st U.S.S.S. were the companies to which the above soldier referred. They were armed with civilian target rifles (as were a few men in other companies). Although heavy and cumbersome, these were extremely accurate weapons. The sharpshooters in Companies C and E took up positions behind a fence, 800 yards from the enemy works, and set their sights and scopes on the artillerymen. Soon men from the other companies, armed with Colt five-shot revolving rifles, joined in firing at the cannoneers.

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