General Patrick R. Cleburne was responsible for the shooting matches in Hardee's army. Cleburne had been in the British Army and had purchased his own release. He knew the value of the competition for the sharpshooters. The guns used were the Whitworths for Britain. Very few unit actually practices their shooting. Most units still used the volley from the musket practices of the Mexican War. Cleburne was a breath of fresh air in the tactical arena of the Civil War.