Ten companies of Sharpshooters were organized in Ohio and an effort was made to organize a regiment to be known as "Birge's Western Sharpshooters," but the organization was never completed.  As the companies were recruited and sent to the front, they were attached to some regiment that did not have a full quota of men to commission the regimental officers.
     The Seventh Company of Independent Sharpshooters was organized at Cleveland, Ohio, and mustered into the three years' service on the 27th of January, 1863.
     Twenty-five men were recruited in Union County for this company, and Lieut. William M. McCrory, from Jerome Township, was promoted to a Captaincy.  The soldiers from Union County who served in this company were farmer boys who had been accustomed to hunting with a rifle, and were fine shots.  They preferred this service with the expectation of being permitted to serve on the skirmish line and defenses as sharpshooters.  Watson C. Squires was mustered in

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as Captain of the company; William M. McCrory, First Lieutenant, and James Cox, Second Lieutenant.
     This company first served under Generals Rosecrans and Thomas, and participated in the battles of Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge.  At the commencement of the Atlanta campaign it was ordered to Gen. Sherman's headquarters, and remained on duty near the person of the Commanding General until the close of the war.
     The company was commanded by Captain Squire until he was detailed as Judge Advocate, after the battle of Chickamauga ; then by Captain McCrory, except during the march to the sea, when, in the absence of Captain McCrory, Lieutenant Cox assumed command.
     I saw Captain McCrory on the Atlanta campaign when he had command of the company.  He informed me that the duties at General Sherman's headquarters were very pleasant and agreeable, yet he was anxious to be relieved and get out on the skirmish line, but General Sherman would not consent and the company was retained as his escort during the march to the sea and until the close of the war.
     Captain William McCrory was a fine shot himself and felt perfectly at home with a rifle in hand watching for a shot on the picket or skirmish line.  After the march to the sea and through the Carolinas the company was in the grand review at Washington.  It was ordered to Camp Chase, Ohio, and mustered out July 28th, 1865.
     Three Union County soldiers of this company died in the service, and a number were taken prisoner at Kingston, Ga., November 8th, 1864.  Sergeant William B. Haines was a prisoner of war, was in Andersonville for some months, and can relate some harrowing incidents of the sufferings of Union soldiers in that prison.
     The company took an honorable part in fifteen battles and skirmishes.  The loss by death was eighteen.  On its departure for Ohio for muster-out General Sherman issued the following:
     "The General Commanding tenders to officers and men of

the Seventh Independent Company of the Ohio Sharpshooters his personal thanks for their long and valuable services near his person in the eventful campaign beginning at Chattanooga, Tenn., and ending with the war.  He commends them as a fine body of intelligent young volunteers, to whom he attributes his personal safety in the battles, marches and bivouacs in Georgia and the Carolinas.  He wishes them long life and a proud consciousness of having done their duty with a cheerfulness, precision and intelligence worthy the great cause in which they were engaged, and he bespeaks for them a kind and generous welcome back to their old home in Ohio."