Historical Background

Army of Northern Virginia:
3 Army Corps. . . . . 3rd Corps under A.P. Hill
9 Division . . . . . . Wilcox's Division
36 Brigades. . . . . . Gen. Samuel McGowan

Each brigade had a battalion of sharpshooters attached to it.
This did not include the cavalry or artillery. (Original company roster.)

McGowan's Brigade was composed of:
1st South Carolina Provisional
12th South Carolina Regulars
13th South Carolina Regulars
14th South Carolina Regulars
1st South Carolina Regulars (Orr's rifles)

To form each battalion:
Asked for volunteers of 3 to 4 men from each company of each regiment. Brigade command selected commanders for each sharpshooter company.

Were formed into three companies:
1st company Brevet Captain Ingraham Hasell (1st So. Car Prov.)
2nd company Brevet Captain William H. Brunson (14th Reg)
3rd company Brevet Captain Charles E. Watson (1st Reg)

Commanded by Captain, later promoted to Major, William S. Dunlop (12th Reg). Each company had one orderly Sergeant and two sergeants, and consisted of roughly 150 to 180 men. To qualify for the sharpshooters you "had to have sound judgment, accuracy of marksmanship, fidelity to the Southern cause, and unfaltering courage in the trying ordeal of battle." For commanders they also had to have the "necessary qualifications of command."

Weapons:
They had tried the Minnie, Enfield, Austrian, Belium, Springfield, and Mississippi rifles. Enfield was chosen, and preferred by Gen. Wilcox since 1859, because it was the best at long ranges of 600-900 yards with force and accuracy. The others were best at 500 yards and shorter.

There were few Whitworths in the battalion, only those that made it through the blockades. There were only about 16 and they were given only to the best shots.

Drill:
They were trained in the American skirmish, French Zouave drill, and a pamphlet of Gen. Wilcox's drill manual. Wilcox wrote the manual in 1859 for the US Army.

Thanks to James Armstrong for providing this information. Captain Stidger will be adding to this and updating it as time allows.