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Rare Civil War Black Sharpshooters Document

An extremely rare Union sharpshooters document, 1p. 4to., written by 1st Lt. John Downing [WIA Gettysburg] as commander of the 25th Army Corps sharpshooter battalion, "In the field, Va., March 22, 1865" where several members of the 127th United States Colored Troops are assigned as sharpshooters in the hopes that they would help pick off Petersburg's Confederate defenders, but hadn't arrived for duty yet. An eight lines A. E. S. on verso by Union Brig. Gen. WILLIAM BIRNEY (1819-1907) calls for the matter to be investigated finding out why these men had not appeared for duty. The first we have encountered in the marketplace. Some spotting, else very good.

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