BRISTOL — Teams of Federal and Confederate soldiers waited for the signal to shoot at targets during the first national competition of the American Civil War Shooting Association in Bristol Saturday.

“The ACWSA relives Civil War history through marksmanship competitions using rifled muskets, smoothbore muskets, carbines, revolvers, breech loading rifles, mortars and cannons while wearing authentic attire,” said Norm Gibson, event organizer and member of 1st Regiment South Carolina Volunteer Infantry (Gregg’s) unit.

“The events are all timed and we shoot at breakable targets to knock them down. The goal is to see who knocks down their targets the fastest,” Gibson said. “We try to dress as (soldiers) did in their unit and all the firearms used in the competitions are original or reproductions from the Civil War. The firearms can be pre-dated Civil War but not after 1865. I use an original Smith carbine that I got lucky and found a long time ago.”

After shooting several rounds in the team revolver competition, Ken Mifflin, Wisconsin, carefully loaded up his Spiller and Burr .36 caliber replica revolver in a case.

“The Confederates carried them. There were about 600 of them manufactured during the war,” Mifflin said, a member of 66th North Carolina Infantry. “The Confederates didn’t have many firearms manufactured during the war.”

Spectators had the opportunity to fire some of the firearms used by the competitors during the competition that took place at the Chief Wa-Ke-De Range, 16067 Ind. 120, Bristol.

Mary Lou Davis, Mishawaka, sat down under a canopy with a rifled musket held up to her shoulder. She was assisted by Gene Hass, a member of 1st United States Sharpshooters Company G, who gave a hands-on opportunity for spectators to experience history.

After her second attempt of firing the musket, Davis hit her target.

“I love this,” Davis said. “I’ve done this one other time (at a similar event).”

“This is the first time that both the Wisconsin/Illinois and the Michigan regions of the ACWSA have met together for a competition of this scope,” Gibson added.

The association was created in 1999 with teams located in Wisconsin and Illinois. The association doubled its membership in 2011 when teams from Michigan joined and now includes 16 teams. The ACWSA is a nonprofit corporation formed under the laws of the state of Wisconsin and has 501(c)3 status.

As Jake Smallwood, Ill., was waiting for the breechloader team competition, he looked at two muskets set up for a display. Smallwood is also a member of the Sharpshooters company.

“I enjoy this,” he said.

Source: Goshen News