Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-06-05
Life in a Rifle Pit.
CAM before Sebastopoi,
"Wednesday April 27.

Wednesday April 27.
Il have no news for you, but | write few
lines to tell you, that | am in good health and
spirits 1t sno use telling you anything about
the seige, for you see that in all the papers.
within the last week | have been twtce in
the trenches, both times in tho advanced trenches,
and the rne pits in front oft, and for the first
time tried the new Enliod rifle Ia smaller bore
thun the Mimic They carry beautifully, whe
cloan, for about twenty rounds, but then they be-
gin to lead and do not carry so well. When l
first saw our men firing (last Saturday. tho 2lstl
from the rifle pits, they had no idea of range or
distance Two of them were firing at the same
place, one with his sight up for 700, the other
for nine hundred yards. told them it was too
much, ana with the sight up for 400 | put two
shots III succession through the loophole that tho
Russians firing at them i.on.
AS sat, about quarter OF an hour after
wnrda, half asleep in the pit, they called mo and
sad that three men were coming down from the
batteries towards the town. told them to ele-
vate for 900 yards. They made them dodge
from house to house. But when they got into the
street, they thought they were out of our range,
and oooy walked nrmsin arm down the middle of
the street. | could not quietly stand that; took
the best rifle, put up the sight to 900, and calcu-
lnting the distance TO be about 1000 yards, |
fired high, The man ON the right dropped like a
stone, and the others rushed into house. He
lay there for some time. They afterwards man,
aged to get him into house. This shows what
the rifles will do when properly laid on.
"Aiterwards | saw two carts laden with pow
der boxes going from tho town to the batteries,
at whnt guessed to be l'loo yards took III
iie, and soon caused the drivers to run for tha
batteries. and leave the carts to come AZ ihey
could. Our men said knocked over five or six
bat only feel certain about one. ! was sent out
to the rifle pits again Tuesday, (the 24tb) but
the Russians were very shy that day, and gave
Russian i'm the neorest rife pits to us ESQ wards
In about half an hour he gave up firing, and O.
/ had put about four shots cut Of seven through
his lnophole, thought must have hit him -
left a nnmesnke OF mine in NV company to
watch him. Very to5n the Russian who, by the
way, was splendid sho) fired again, and put
the ball right through private IS cap, be-
cause hn did not bob his head when he saw the
smoke
"rhev beoan to fire g.. ponnders at us in tho
! rifle nits from tho preot ,un in the Redan. seven
hundred wards from tLo nit | wns in. and with
two men Ion1in,, rifle. far me. hulIied them SO
! ,nneb tbat tIeV ,yere boIf nm hour LOADING the
gun. for had # very sharp corporal Watching
The onnners with M, telrsco,,e and direotlv they
nnpearcd fired into tbe emb,a.pre. As soon as
/ lov tho ,,n,, an. Ioodod I ,,aJo ,ho man Iio
down clnse pndor The ,nra,.t un,;l ,bov fred
,,,, ~ III h, a;d ~
t.,,, tt, ,,;,,,, ,',', 49, .ta'.
"riy G,oi Gam, .hot. n, nv oI,on,ar ad Ala ~
~ 'o'' ~ =" t''''t "no S' Cru no
n"'n' . ioSt no hl'n II, 'I'at aay' ooe on 3atui :
u'y n"n ','''' NV" N,'''' ni'u "no "ounuee =,
NY i"r'J - i'""" sho'' i"o weie ony 10"
yaios i'"" 'le' ".'o WIRE cut tlBut III ."o Ny
of my experience in the trenches. and now take
M notice of shot or sbell ovcent to tax a tho no
n,'..,, .,'o,,,ti, - ,,,t oe .ba nov
Iess1'y Pr.."""o"s " s'' ou' vi tue ""y