Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-06-04
SkiYmisheps

III letter to Sharpshooters in the Loyal
ssiss mr. Il. Berdan, Of this city, call, for VOL
untees 70 form corps If sklrmshers for the army,
wnicn snaiI consist Of the best marksmen In the
counuv The proposition 10 an excellent one az
VIII appear when we review the peculiar service
battle. f ~ '''''e Vi
Rife target shooting is not now what II was ten
yeas Ego. Al the turkey matches Of former
days 1t was the practice to shoot hundred wards
a. the body Of the turkey, at siSpehcr A shot
Now they shoot at four hundred wards fneafy a
auaref OF 2 mile, at the head Of the turkey, and
THAN shilling shot The improved taroet rifes
which are now used BY our crack shots are the
product Of the best skin and experience OF this
country they are made with an increasing twist;
serves the fine edge OF tue real muzzle from wea,
In oading the bafre!s Of STEEL the balls are of
compressed lead; and the weapon 70 Htteti with a
telescope OF such power that at four wards
PSSslpie 10 distinguish the color Of a mans
eyes The rifle is said TO do execution at the dis
lance OF more than thousand yards; and such
men as Mr. Bsrdan proposes to enlist in the co,ns
OF skirmishe's will be able to kill man with az
least Two out OF three shots, at the distance Of
quarter Of a mile
The Spirit Of the Times recently published a
list OF the best rife shots in the country for fifteen
years past. Mr.. Berdan's name stands at the head
dS Tue pest shot, and Ii is remarkable that in the
entlre list there Is but one name from the slay We
states, and he Is by no means among the crack
snois The southern people have gained a great
reputation as marksmen, but their practice In
such as was common twenty-five years ago. and
thef nave not Kept up with the immense improve
ments which have been made in tb, rance of
small as well as great guns since whicS have
caused almost revolution in the art Of war
Ihey are excellent marksmen for short distances,
from twenty TO fifty yards firing off hand But
some Of our best shots report az their or nerence
IN Ihe south, that the people there know nothing
OF tne long range and Improved guns Of the
NoIth "They care nothing about our firing -
The corps Of sharpshooters Ii il now proposed
to raise will be used not In the midst OF battle
but on the outskirts, here, removed beyond the
smoke ana fury OF the engagement, they will act
independently, choose their objects. and make
every shot tell. Posted in small SQUADS at from
| one-eighth to three Gig hths of a mile from the
field, frlng shot a minute. and hitting their
mark with almost dead certainty. they will be
great annoyance to the enemy. They will con-
hne their attention to the officers and by pic king
| these on, Will bring confusion into the enemy's
line
This is one Of the most serious injuries the enc
! my can receive. The topmen in the French ships
caused the English more irreparabIe losses in
many an action than the great guns. 1t was
French sharp-shooter, deliberately firing from his
perch In the maintop, who gave Nelson his IA tai
wound at Trafalgar. And in the present case
there Is peculiar Justice In the object of Mr.
berdans skirmisheis: The rank and file of the
| reoei army are mostly drawn away from their
homes by the artful misrepresentation of the
leaders They deserve our pity. But for those
who have misled them to serve their selfish and
wicked ends, death is the proper reward; and
the surer the aim the speedier is an end put to
the rebellion.
These rife skirmishers propose to devote them.
| selves entirely to picking off the rebel officers
they will have the best opportunities for this XII
OF work: They will be out OF range themselves;
they Will probably De mounted and can thus
change their locality quickly, and take advantage
OF every movement of the forces: and they are
dead shots at quarter Of miles distance. They
Will be most valuable addition to our forces
ana we trust their proposed organization will
receive such encouragement and pecuniary sup
port from the public do will place them in the
Held ready for service, in time for the first great
battle-N. Y. Post.