Top Ten Snipers

7. Revolutionary War Snipers

It's not out of line to say that the United States owes its independence to a sniper.

No, really. Here's how the history played out.

The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. And one of the major turning points in the battle was when sniper Timothy Murphy shot and killed Gen. Simon Fraser of the British army on Oct. 7, 1777.

Murphy, a rifleman in Morgan's Kentucky Riflemen, hit Gen. Fraser at a distance of about 500 yards using one of the famous long-barreled Kentucky rifles.

The United States owes its independence to yet another sniper -- not because of a well-placed shot, but because of a shot not taken.

During the Battle of Brandywine, only a few months before Murphy killed Fraser, Capt. Patrick Ferguson, had a tall, distinguished American officer in his iron rifle sights. The officer had his back to Ferguson, and the sniper thought it would be ungentlemanly to take the shot.

Only later did Ferguson learn that George Washington had been on the battlefield that day.

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