Colonel Hiram Berdan (left) with famed sharpshooter, Truman "California Joe" Head
As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
Three is an interesting bit of confusion in the time of civil war, as when I read that California Joe was in the Union Army, as the best sharpshooter, again Sharpe's Rifles were shot by snipers, so Sharpe Shooter was the term given was a California Joe on Hiram Berdan's group.
That had me wondering as I knew of California Joe in the Plains Wars, and if you look at the pictures above and below, you would swear this was the same man. The fact is, they are not the same men, even though it is remarkable that both men had been in California, got the name Joe, and went on to serve in the US military in being Scouts and Snipers of renown.
George Custer’s scouts—(from left) Bill Comstock, Ed Guerrier, Thaomas Adkins and Moses “California Joe” Milner—ride horses and mules in this photo probably taken in 1867 during Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock’s campaign in Kansas.
Truman Head was born in New York and made his way to California as a trapper and hunter. He ended up in the Civil War as a sniper of fantastic ability before he was retired in failing eyesight.
Moses Milner was born in Kentucky. He made his way to California and returned to the Great Plains as one of the best scouts there were. In the above photo is also Billy Comstock, he was the first Buffalo Bill and he was murdered by the Indians as he rode into their camp under truce.
Milner would be murdered in the Black Hills, shot in the back and mourned by all. Head would work in California and die of old age as an inspector.
It is the reality of civil war, identities are mixed up and famous people do look alike and often times not even their friends knew who in the hell they really were.
Nuff Said
agtG
