Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-22
The Advantages of the Ordinary Ri
fie and Shet Gun as War weapons.
For the Nashville Daily Patriot.

MEssRs. EDIToRs-A call has lately been
made by the Governor. at the instance of the
Confederate States, for thirty thousand volun-
teers. In that call the volunteers are asked
to bring into the service their rifles and shot
guns, as far as they may be possessed of such
arms. This appeal is being literally respond
ed to, by the young men of the country, not
withstanding the numbers that have come
forward heretofore.
But hear it said every day, that the COM
mon rife of the country and the shot gun are
inadequate weapons that the enemy will be
armed with mimic muskets of long range,
which will give them superior advantages.
The enemy are not so well supplied as may
be supposed. Their arms, like ours, consti-
tute mixture. And even if they had uni
vn-ealIy. mimic na>.slEets, Tho Cd aItaSe Is
more imaginary than real. In the first place,
few men have attained that accuracy of sight
and idea of distance which can enable them
to reach their object three or four hundred
yards, not to say further. Not one man in
hundred in either army, has perhaps attained
any such proficiency. And though the balls
may be thrown that distance, their effect
must necessarily be more or less uncertain
and precarious. But suppose the enemy to
be armed with these boosted weapons, and to
be capable of shooting them with dangerous
accuracy, a distance of three or four hundred
yards or further, what is at once the duty of
the opposing force armed with common rifles
and shot guns, or other arms of short range?
1t is of course to advance and reserve their
fire until an available range is reached. This
may be attended with momentary sacrifices,
but it will be only momentary, for when the
terrible fire comes, delivered with steady aim
and confident purpose, the result will vindi-
cate the truth of what / say. In the best
fought battles our troops were ordered to re-
serve their fire until they reached or the enc
my approached, the point Of fair or short
range. Instance the.battles of Bunker Hill, of
Saratoga, and New Orleans. would not be
afraid to abide the test of history, could a
test be made, that in all our American bat
ties wherever an opportunity was afforded.
more execution has been done by the smooth
the rife and shot gun, than by
all other arms combined-and | think the
same may be said of European battles even
the most modern. 1t is not my purpose to
disparage the modern gun. 1t is right and
proper to have it if possible, to reasonable
extent. But let US remember, that most of
our volunteers are men, who have been in
the habit Of shooting squirrels from the tops
of our tallest trees, or birds on the wing, and
can WELD their gun with the promptitude and
facility that boy would his pocket knife.
What weapon could be devised that would
be equally formidable in such hands, unless |
time were given for long practice and famili- |
arity? The American backwoodsman has at
aimed celebrity, for terrible accuracy of
his rife in the wars of the past. The COM
mon Tennessee rifle may carry a mimic ball
adapted to its bore, as well as the ordinary
round ball. So may the shot gun be furnish
ed with cartridge as well as the ordinary !
Each has its advantages, ac- |
cording to distance and circumstances.
| know there are thousands of good sound |
'ifles and shot guns in the hands of their own
-ts III tut 1ue time mas come Wnen Il
hey are needed and must be brought into
'equisition to aid in the defence of our homes |
Ind fresides. appeal then to all who are
willing to volunteer, to come at once and |
bring rife or shot gun-and if they have
neither, let those who have them and are not
disposed or able to enlist, furnish them by
way OF loan. The arms thus advanced, could
De valued and receipt given by the cap
Iains, and the government no doubt would
pay for them, in the event they should not
be returned. The best place for gun now.
IS in the hands of the soldier on the field.
and the cheapest mode of defence of ourselves
and our property, is against the common
enemy. Arms are being manufactured in
his State and elsewhere, in considerable
numbers Importations from abroad have
been, and viii be made. The common coun-
Try arms are asked as an auxiliary to other
resources. and for present emergencies.
Let Tennessee, since it must be so, be
heard IN this great struggle through the ter
lbie voice OF her famed rifle. 1t has given
o her much of her former renown, and has
lever yet failed. It's shrill echoes as they
ing over the field of conflict, viii stir the
anne sublime enthusiasm which glowed in
be bosoms of our fathers half century ago,