The First Double Distinguished Marksman
Captain Horace Wayman Bivins: America’s First Double Distinguished Marksman
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The U.S. Army enacted a Distinguished Marksman program in 1884, a shooting program that has since been opened up to all branches of the military and all civilian shooters. In the 140-year history of the program, with several hundred million marksmen and tens of millions of military personnel eligible to try, by the end of 2025, fewer than 1,300 people have earned a Distinguished rating more than once.
Captain Horace Wayman Bivins was the first person to earn both Distinguished Rifleman and Distinguished Pistol Shot in 1894. A Corporal at the time. Cpt. Bivins was also the first marksman to win three Army marksmanship gold medals in one year.
These shooting events are open to everyone. This video explains how to get on a shooting team and become a sponsored shooter:
Cpt. Bivins had a military career that was so varied and full of adventure that early newspapers wrote his life’s account ‘‘reads like fiction from the imagination of a pulp magazine writer.” He was assigned to Troop E of the 10th Cavalry, which took a prominent part in the campaigns against Geronimo, Apache Kid, and other Indian chieftains of the southwest. While serving in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, Bivins was awarded a Silver Star for actions during the famous battle of San Juan Hill. A sergeant by then, Bivins was assigned to a Hotchkiss gun battery. With all other members of his unit killed or wounded, he single-handedly fired 72 shells from a Hotchkiss gun, which recoiled six to eight feet after each shot. His performance was all the more remarkable because early in the battle, he had been knocked out briefly by a slug that passed through an iron-plated hub of a gun carriage and hit him in the temple. President Teddy Roosevelt recalled the action, “I don’t think it an exaggeration to say that but for the timely aid of the 10th Cavalry, the Rough Riders would have been annihilated.”
Cpt. Horace Wayman Bivins, the first Double Distinguished marksman in United States history in 1894, was an African American. It would take more than five decades after this for Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson to receive the same acceptance in baseball, as detailed in the movie 42. Lieutenant Colonel Earl Woods, father of pro golfer Tiger Woods, served two tours in Vietnam as an officer in the Infantry and Special Forces. While in college, Woods was not allowed to play golf because of his skin color. In fact, the Professional Golfer’s Association of America (PGA) enforced a “Caucasians only” clause in their official published rules until the 1960s. Marksmanship competition is objective and doesn’t have these restrictions. Buffalo Soldiers competed and medalled in these events decades before being allowed to freely participate in baseball and golf.
Army marksmanship programs trace their lineage to when General Philip Sheridan officially created the Distinguished Marksman class, as announced in official General Orders back in 1884 and formalized in 1887.
The original concept has been run continuously ever since. Marksmen participate in Excellence In Competition events, and the top ten percent of eligible, non-distinguished competitors are awarded “Leg” points. Like the leg of a journey, points are accumulated over the shooter’s lifetime for specific awards. The first leg is the EIC Bronze medal. After 20 lifetime points are accumulated, the Silver EIC medal is awarded. Once 30 or more points are earned, the shooter reaches Distinguished status. EIC events are held for rifle and pistol shooting, and there are Distinguished Rifleman and Distinguished Pistol Shot badges.
These awards are more prominent than normal qualification badges and are eligible for wear on dress uniforms. Like combatives, instead of Level 1-4 to recognize accomplishment, Bronze, Silver, and Gold badges are awarded. Army marksmanship programs are published in Army Regulation 350-66 and 140-1, with the awards and their wear detailed in 670-1. The other services have similar regulations.
Distinguished marksmen come from all walks of life, even outside the military. The CMP maintains all master records dating back to 1884 in its Competition Tracker.
Read more about Cpt. Bivins at the CMP: https://ct.thecmp.org/app/v1/index.php?do=contactDistinguishedView&distinguished_id=1370
Cpt. Bivens National Cemetery listing: https://www.dyingtotelltheirstories.com/home/2020/3/5/qtznpg8giquyff1bwnaldudl2lgl95?fbclid=IwAR0vcbtW10iNiFboWYpO9wFxWmQnYhixjaQDmM2%E2%80%A6
Billings Library history: https://billingslibrary.org/DocumentCenter/View/4172/BivinsHorace
Soldiers have chance to distinguish themselves:
https://www.army.mil/article/31928/soldiers_have_chance_to_distinguish_themselves
National Archives: Buffalo Soldiers
#BlackHistoryMonth
Outstanding Soldier! Thank you for posting this.
Great and inspiring story!