Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-06-20
From the New York Spirit of the Times.
SHARP SHOOTERS.

SHARP SHOOTERS.
About fifteen years ago it was thought that
Mr.. John II. Chapman, of Oneida Lake, n. y,
could use the rifle at rest, or off hand, or at
moving objects as well as any other man. He
spent three years in practising, day i'll and day
out He proctised Mt rest from ten rods up to
one thousand yards, and at off hand from ten
rods up to six hundred Yards lie could hit
oranges and apples. and chips, thrown into the
air, with a single bullet, fact well known to
several of the inhabitants of Unica. Mr.. Chap
man was the president of the New York Cen
trail Rifle Club some ten years ago, and at that
time the club could muster some twenty most
excellent marksmen at rest. Mr.. Chapman in
forms us that he thinks he is safe in saying that
mans head at five hundred yards could have
been hit once in three shots by any of them.
The rifle used by the members were of the best
and finest make of Edwin Wesson, OF Hartford;
NJ. James, of Utica; Fish, Of New York; Bill
linghurst, of Rochester; Abby, OF Chicago;
and others.
General A. Durham, of West Troy, at one
time probably was the best rifle shot, off hand
and at rest combined, that We had in the east
ern states. The best marksmen at game are
always found on the frontiers-where game
most do congrcgate.
So much for what was thought ten or fifteen
years ago. Now for figures.
In 1915 Mr.. Van Valkenburg, at 900 yards,
made ten shots at a target nine inches in di-
ameter, the farthest from the centre being three
inches. Two balls drote out the centre of the
bulls eye and the total measurement being
Is 3-S inches.
In the same year, John J.. Brown, of New
York. at POI yards made ten shots which meas
ured { ON centre of bulls eye to break of ball,
- Is inches.
In 1916 Mr.. S. Lloyd, of New York. made
capital string, measuring from centre to centre,
only IS inches of five shots at 200 yards.
Up to the close of lS47 the shortest ten shot
string at 200 Yards we can find measured 8 5-S
inches, centre to centre, which was made by
green hand in the western part of this state,
and is well authenticated. We believe Mr..
Lloyd vouches for this being the best shot up
to that time.
1S4S is memorable for the best strings on rec
ord! On the Sth of April Of that year Mr.. II.
Berdan of Michigan, and Mr.. Dimick of Gin
cinnati, met at Covington, Kentucky, to shoot
a match, the first and last which Mr.. Berdan
used a Wesson rifle, and Mr.. Dmick one of
Mr.. Hudson's make. After shooting two
matches Of ten shots cach 200 yards, they shot
a third at the same distance, and the same num-
Der of shots which Mr.. Bcrdan won, making
string of eight inches! Mr.. Dimck's being
10 l-2. Mr.. Berdan won the three matches.
and we are informed hat the shot farthest away
from the bulls eye measured only jS inches,
while Mr.. Dimick reports the thirty shots of
Mr.. Berdan to measure only, from break of
ball to centre of bulls eye Huty-eigH and one
third inches!
In his matches at New Orleans, in 1913, Mr..
Dimick averaged little more than two inches
at 200 yards, and little more than one inch at
100 yards
In 1880 Joel D. Owens made string OF
II l-2 inches in ten shots, 300 yards.
Same year, Mr.. Ferris of Utica, made a string
of SO inches in ten shots, at $50 yards.
1851, T.. F. Green, of New York, in ten
Shots at 800 yards, made string of 81 IL
inches.
1852, Mr.. Lewis of Troy, at 800 yards, meas
ured 26 inches, in twenty shots.
Same year Mr.. John Schf 2l0 YARDS beat
five competitors, II shots each, measuring 20 -
inches.
1853, Morgan James, of Utica, n. Y. made
string OF 81 inches, al $50 yards, forty shots
and again in 1854 made a string of little more
than 81 inches in forty shots, at 300 yards II
L. Dimick's forty shots measuring 81 inches.
1854, r, Parks at POI yards and one foot il
twenty-five successive shots, made a string
averaging 81 inches from centre to centre.
1850, a. +. Spencer, of Winsted, Conn, il
ten shots, measured from centre TO CENTRE made
a string of rs Ii inches at 300 yards.
1876, Mr.. II. c. Newcomb, of Natchez, Miss.
made string OF % - inches in 20 shots a
300 Yards
Same year, Mr.. II. w. Smith, of Boston
Mass, in a contest at Bellows Falls, VT, mad
string Of lG ID inches in ten shots at 22t
yards, beating nineteen good shots
1857, Abner lHavens, OF South birmingham
Mass, at the second annual meeting of tn
National Rifle Club, held at Waltham, Mass
won the first prize. making string at IL inchc
in ten shots, at the distance of 22O yards w
Is. harrington made the next best string, 10 j-S
andlW. w. Wetmorc next, 10 "a.
1898, II. W. Smith, at the third annual meet
ing of the above named association, held a
Waltham, in ten shots at 220 Yards, measure
10 rs inches, bling the best string made fo
nine prizes The club medal was awarded t.
5. Spencer, he having made the best shots
which measured "a 3 8 inches
Thus II will be seen that, taking the reoor
for our guide, Mr.. H. Berdan. of Michigan
must be pronounced the champion shot, havin,
made the best ten shots and the best thrt
shots Before, closing, however, we mu st civ
the subjoined from the California America1
promising the match came off in 1856. and tina
we do not place much reliance upon the state
ment:
A trial of skill between two crack shots {
San Francisco came off lately at the ranch
I. o. Selby, Esl, below the II. street levc,
The shooting was between Dr. Downes and !
o. Sel6y, with the DIR. NELSON'S rihe-dstanC
two hundred yards, at target of two and
half inches in diameter. They fired ten shot
each. Five of Selby's were centre shots an
could be covered with dime; the other Fl,
ranged from half to three quarters of an inc
from the centre. Nine of DIR. Downes' wen
centre shots, all'broken in together, and coul
be covered with halG-dollar; the whole te
shots could be covered with dollar.
REVOLUTIONARY DEFECTIONs