A set of orders from Iverson's Brigade gives details of how the sharpshooter were set up in Rodes' Division. Presumably a similar process took place in the Louisiana brigades.

The first formal skirmish detachments were established throughout Rodes's Division in January of 1863. New orders required each regiment to select one-twelfth of the men present for duty as members of the sharpshooters. Although armed with long-range rifles, these men were most often used as skirmishers. The regimental detachments were organized into a single unit at the brigade level under the command of a major or captain. Each regimental detachment served under a lieutenant or captain. The men were exempt from most other duties but remained with their individual regiments except "in the immediate presence of the enemy." The arrangement proved so successful that a second corps of the same size was formed in each regiment at the end of May, making 1/6th of the men in total assigned to the detachments.

Details on the orders can be found in: Iverson's Brigade, General Order No. 6, Jan. 28, 1863, General and Special Orders, 23rd North Carolina, RG 109; Iverson's Brigade, General Order No. 10, May 25, 1863, ibid.

Fred Ray--has reproduced the full text of the orders in his book.