In reality, not all of the men who would join the Veteran Volunteer Corp regiments would be actual veterans, but many were. The hope was that they would re-enlisted to serve in a special Corps of veteran soldiers. The US Veteran Volunteers was a Corps intended to be made up of veteran US soldiers who had completed their original enlistments in other regiments and been honorably discharged. Additionally, many Sharps New Model 1863 Rifleswere issued to members of the Veteran Volunteer regiments. The infantry regiments included the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th-8th, 11th, 13th & 14th Connecticut, 66th & 113th Illinois, 20th Indiana, 11th, 12th Kentucky, 3rd, 5th & 16th Michigan, 15th Massachusetts, 1st & 8th Minnesota, 26th & 27th Missouri, 2nd & 3rd New Hampshire, 30th New Jersey, 2nd, 5th,146th, 151st & 1st Independent New York Sharpshooters, 38th, 42nd, 149th, 150th & 190th Pennsylvania, 4th Wisconsin & the 37th US Colored Troops. Sharps rifles (both NM1859 and NM1863) were issued to a number of US regiments, other than the 1st & 2nd US Sharpshooters. These rifles were produced in the C, 30,000 to C, 40,000 serial number range (Sharps used the “C” designation to indicate serial numbers in the 100,000 range). Like the New Model 1859 version before them the NM1863s had blued barrels and color case hardened receivers and furniture. An adjustable rear sight of Lawrence’s design, graduated to 800-yards, allowed the rifles to be used effectively at longer ranges than conventional muskets. The rifles featured a 30” round barrel, secured by three spring-retained barrel bands and a combination front sight / bayonet lug that allowed a socket bayonet to be secured to the rifle. The New Model 1863 was the pinnacle of the Sharps Rifle Company’s beech-loading, percussion-ignition military rifle designs. Approximately 6,150 New Model 1863 Rifleswere produced and delivered to the US government for use by the US military. The primary Sharps models to see Civil War use were the New Model 1859and New Model 1863rifles and carbines.
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