The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-09-12

ring the present war, is the Sharp's rifle. The
peculiarly of this arm is that it is breech loading.
By mea.s of appropriate mechanism, the end of
the barrel IN the stock slide, down leaving the
barrel entirely open. The prepared cartridge and
ball inserted the slide returned and the loading is
completed OF course the operation is very much
simphcd and facilitated but some Objectionable
features present themselves in the fact that the
separation of the barrel permits the escape of gas
when the explosion takes Place that the mcchan-
ism is liable to arrangement, the barrel requiring
frequently to be cleaned aud finally. that the gun
is more expensive than OthDs that are more re-.
liable. The gun costs about SIS with sabre bay
onet, which will be described elsewhere.
! ARMY MUsKETs
OF the army musket (rifed) of 1876, with clasp
bayonet, there can be manufactured at Spring
900 have already been turned out from that place,
half Of which are in possession Of the Confederate
forces. The 9TH, 18th, and list Regiments N. Y.
5. NJ. are furnished vith this arm, which can be
supplied by the quantity at about S2250 each. TIL
Mimic rifle, with sabre bayonet, costs $780,
ENFIELD RIFLES.
The Enfield rifle is 80 called from the place
where this arm is manufactured-it differs from
the Mimic rife in the reduction of the bore nd
weight-the former weighing l011apounds. the lat
| ter 9 pounds. With these exceptions they are
similarly constructed. The Enfield manufactory
turns out weekly 100 stand of arms, employing
1900 men. The Enfield costs $50.
We have mentioned all guns likely to be brought
into service at present, and we will devote few
lines to some description OF the Bowie Knife and
Sabre Bayonet.
| BOWIE KNIVES.
The bowie knife is usually from ten to fifteen
inches i'll length, with blade about two inches in
width. is said to owe its invention to an acci-
dent which occurred to Col. Bowie during battle
with the Mexicans he broke his sword some fif-
teen inches from the hilt and afterwards used the
weapon thus broken as knife in hand to hand
| fights. This is most formidable weapon, and is
in common use in the West and Southwest.
SABRE BaYoyETs.
The sabre bayonet was originally used by the
French during the revolution Of 1898, but was af
terwards discarded. 1t has since been adopted by
Jagers and by the Zouaves With us it is unusu.
ally attached to the MIME and Sharp's rifles in lieu
of the old clasp bayonet. In size it is similar to
the artillery sword being about eighteen inche:
long, with cross hilt, it is, however, curved al
the point like sabre, but very slightly second
curve few inches below gives it a resemblance to
Malay creese. BY an opening in the hilt it fits
| fhQ M Of thp 40 md hy oc
spring attaches itself firmly to the barrel. When
nOt in use it is carried in sheath by the side. In
AlSiers and in Nicaragua it was used for cutting
away brush and underwood to facilitate the pass
age of artillery, or for other like purposes.
We have thus referred to the principal small
arms in common use which posses history, or
with whose construction the policy may he suppo-
sei to be familiar we will therefore proceed to
note the results of the Investigations we have
made into the subject Of Ordinance.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF ORDINANCES.
Artillery-or, as it is usually termed, Ordinance
is, in modern warfare, divided into two classes
lst Siege artillery, employed for attack and de
fence of fortified places, ships of war, etc. 2nd
Field Artillery, used in battle, or in the field opera
ton of armies.
! SIEGE ARTILLERY.
Siege artillery is composed Of mortars, large
howitzers. Paixham guns, or Columbiads, and all
cannon Of large calibre. In our service this class
of ordinance comprises ID, 49, "a, 80 aud ~ pound
ers and 8, 10 and l3 inch howitzers. All til csc
except the similar mortars, are made of cast
iron.
|
Mortars are usually stationary, and are used fol
throwing iron shells filled with POWDER and ignited
by fuse burning they produce great destruction
They are effective ut distances of from one to three
miles.
HowITZERs.
The howitzer is a Short wide mouthed piece O
ordinance, calculated for throwing shells or balls
as may be desired and discharged by means of :
fuse. The talibre is much greater than that o.
cannon though not as great as mortars it is yer,
effective siege and in resting cavalry it CAL b,
used to throw canister or ether pr1jectiles, and il
easily transported. only the larger size under
the head of the siege guns The howitzer wa:
first introduced into the French service in 1924.
PvIxHAN GUNS
Paxham guns were invented by Col Bomford
Of the United States army but being introduced
into the French service by General Paixhan, they
received his name alth ougii he had nothing to dc
with their invention however he afterwards i'm
proved upon them They were first used in the
war of 1879, and attracted universal notice. These
guns arc of enormous size, having a calibre of &,
TO- and II inches. They made with great
thickness at the breech to be able TO withstand a
large charge of powder and heavy ball. The
largest of these guns the Is inch, loads with IL
pounds Of powder, and carries hollow shot
weighing ~ pounds its extreme range 1850 yards.
Captain Dahlgren, in his improvement of heavy
ordinance has carried still further the principles
involved in the Paixhan gun-that of strengthen
ing the breech. His guns universally
used on board Of our ships of war, and his theo-
ries have been recognized in Europe great
improvement in artillery manufacture.
| CoLUMBIADs.
Perhaps the gun most commonly named at the
present time is the Columbiad, and yet the public
is extremely ignorant as to its peculiarities. The
Columbiad is of the class sea-coast cannon, and