Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-15
sharp Shooters---Three Regiments t6
be raised for the Yankee Army.


express understanding that every man should
be able to make the required string viz !:
A string of at least fifty inches in ten shots
at the distance of six hundred feet; in other
words-the average distance of each OF ten
consecutive shots must be five inches from
the centre of the target.
1t was at first intended to raise only one
regiment, and Col. Berdan sent Mr. w. S
Rowland, of this city, to each of the Cover
nors of the fifteen loyal States to induce them
to use their efforts to contribute one company
They entered warmly into the project, and in
thirteen States the Governors agreed to fur
nish $4,000 each to equip and forward the
men.
la Missouri, Frank P. Blair. Jr., became re-
sponsible for the amount required, and in
Kentucky, private individual contributed
the $4,000 from his own pocket, besides de-
voting his time and influence to raise the
company.
The company in each of these States is now
nearly ready-at least ten of them are COM
plete, one hundred men in each company,
and every man has made the required string
These companies are daily expected at Wee
hawken, where they will encamp till the men
are uniformed and have learned the peculiar
drill and signals required for the regiment.
Of the first applicants, at least seven out of
ten were rejected. On some days as many
az sixty men, who considered themselves
good shots, tried the target and failed to
make the string. But when the Swiss rifle
men began to- come in, nearly every one of
them was accepted, and there are now be-
tween seventy and eighty of them on the
ground, with prospect of increasing the
number to one hundred and twenty five this
week.
These men are all from the city; some of
them have been soldiers IN Switzerland, and
are mechanics, engravers, printers. &c. Cas-
per Trepp is captain of the New York Swiss
company, and the men were mustered into
State service last Friday. Captain Trepp has
IN Enrope-in Switzerland, at the Crimea,
and in the British army.
The German company at Weehawken was
commenced week ago, and will be COM
manded by Captain Schoenecker, who was
formerly hunting master for the King of
Bavaria. He is one of the best shots in the
world. His company already numbers about
forty men, and Germans are examining every
day. His secretary, Mr.. Lommler, was till
recently professor in the Nashville. Tenn,
Military Academy, and it is barely possible
that he will have an opportunity to give
some of his old pupils another lesson on the
field.
In addition, Mr.. Walker is organizing an
other German company from the Blooming
dale Sharpshooters, who are all good shots,
and are in sufficient numbers to form full
company.
Stephen Martin is captain of the American
company. He is man of military education
and experience, and is first-class shot. In
connection with Messrs. John Wilson and j.
Clark, he examined the applicants at Albany,
from Albany, Troy, and Hudson. Out of $50
foreigners who applied, only one was accept
ed; the rest of the company are Americans.
They were mustered into service last Friday.
and are on the ground at Weehawken.
The regiments will be uniformed alike,
each man having two uniforms-one gray
and one green. In the latter, the men, when
in the woods and fields, can hardly be dis
tinguished from the surrounding foliage.
The gray will be equally serviceable in win
ter, and, indeed, is the proper uniform, as
regards color, for all regiments.
The arms will be the Springfield rifle, load
ed from the flask. Colonel Berdan is having
grooved balls prepared for this rifle, which
will be very effective at distance of three
feet.
The N. Y. Tribune gives the following re-
port of the target practice of some of their
men:
The day was favorable for the exhibition,
there being not more than three knot
breeze, and until toward the close, the light
was good. The target consisted of painted
figure of a man attached to an upright board,
which was placed at a measured distance of
600 feet from the score. Forty-eight men
we've allowed one shot each from a rest, and,
of the fOrty-eight balls fired, forty-four
pierced the target so near the line. that they
could be covered by an 9-inch circle of paste
board.
One of the other was aimed al the head,
and passed through the forehead of the i'm.
age;and the remaining three were put through
the Loft about threa inches from the
heartspot. 1t is only fair to remark that at
this time the wind blew somewhat stronger
than the average thus causing DETECTION
which the marksmen could have allowed for
if their firing had not necessarily been so
hurried. We commend the following faith
full record OF the several shots to the atten-
ton of Messrs. Beauregard and Davis, should
this come to their notice: The first shot
pierced the heart; the End, the sub-clavian ar
terry; the Sd, the diaphragm; 4th, same; 5th,
9th and 9TH, the same-the three holes being
SO near together that half dollar piece
would have covered them; 8th, right lung;
9th, between lungs; 10th, same; 1lth, same;
18th, heart; 18th, diaphragm; 18th, right
lung; 18th, diaphragm; 10th, between lungs;
18th, diaphragm; 18th, heart; 10Th, dia-
phragm; goth, left lung; 2lst, bone of left
arm; 22d, heart; 23d, between lungs; oath,
diaphragm; 25th, right lung; Goth, lower
lobe OF right lung; 9th. same; 18th, dia-
phragm; 29th, right lung; Both, diaphragm;
3lst, left lung, just above the heart; 32d, left
arm; 33d, heart; 35th, arm; Seth, left lung;
37th, line below heart; 38th, same; 39th, |
heart; 10th, below left lung; 4lst, heart; 42d, |
diaphragm; 43d, below heart; 18th. left lung;
18th, two inches from center line; 10TH Capt
Martin's,) aimed at and struck head: 47th. |
eft lung; 4Sth, left arm. Thus out of AZ |
:hOts, all but three would have been mortal, |
md if any better shooting than that can be |
made, we should like to know it, Col. Ber- |
Ian, before his men began, was requested to |
,ut ten shots in the head of the figure, and |
lid so. When aportiOn of them had been fred, |
lie offered to hit any part of the head that a |
riend at his side might desire, and in success
ion put balls through the nose, eye, fore
read, and curl OF hair, as directed. Such |
hooting as this quite equals the practice of |
Dumas fabulous Count of Monte Christie. /
Who could make whole suits OF cards from |
ices, by his pistol balls. The target was
hristened JEFF. Davis before the shooting
and each man drew bead on it |
IS he promises to do on the original, should /
opportunity ever offer. Beauregard's coun-
erfeit presentment is to be riddled in like |
manner on Saturday afternoon, at 3 o'clock. |
Voc to the rebellious traitor General when |
hese sharpshooters get a chance at him!
Woe to these sharp shooters when they are
alled upon to meet the rifiemen of the South. |
they will find that the nerves which make |
arget shooting excellent, are not the nerves
which make the efficient soldier.
~