By 1864 southern soldiers had become quite adapt in the use of their weapons. the battery commander had warned Gen. Sedgewick of the effective harrassing fire of the sharpshooters. As for whether this gentleman fired that fateful shot is anyone guess. The newspaper article is dated 1897, 33 years after the fact of a well known event. It is my guess that his grandchildren asked
"Grampa what did you do during the war?" Since no one can discredit his claim, the claim stood.