The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-08-16
EerGan'> Sharp-ShOOters.

i trial Of skill Of "Berdan's Sharp p-Shoot-
took place on Tuesday, at Weehawken,
" New York city, ard WIS attended with
rarkable success. The surprising skill of
o., narksmen may be inferred from the fact
80, all hut three Of the forty light shots fired
+. { ''mln-tarcet' at q distance Of 200 yards,
a.g.. have inflicted mortal wounds In the
.,a. majority Of cases death woud have en-
sd within five minutes. Some idea may
r- .)!mct OF the prospective value of Col
b--tln's levics. when ii is remembered that
Use sharp->hooters, acting as skirmishers
,ar tanks of an army, could pick of the
+: 1.a,lt officers Of the enemy, Kill the gun
..- i, ,heir l.:ird cannon, and by destroying
= artillery horses, prevent the removal of
c..> in case Of a retreat or rout. They
& a>rves- shooting from behind the cover
roch- "a trees, and attired in green uni
=. n the summer and gray one III win
r. 70 conform to the scencry-wOuid be ex
81 to comparatively little danger. Tie
w FORK World gives the following account
ne shooting of Tuesday:
During the DAY the men were, as usual,
-nually practicns upon the target, but III
I ..crn0on 4 novel feature was introduced.
.ae figure Of 4 man, life size, was painted
-.ol strip Of pasteboard and nailed against
Is. -nr2:.t plank. at the usual distance. To
~ ", gwen the cognomcn Of JEFF Davis
-,.. t4r a ions while it occupied the attention
= ,a' r.Iica.en, each shot passing through.
nan standing a little distance from il ap-
'caed i after each shot and pointed out
- :. "Aite piece of paper upon the end Of
-..cA The place where each ball had struck,
-. a.ugged up he hole with cotton, so that
-.o;hcr struck IN the same place it could
r l,ger,ained. Some hundred or so shots
"-.' '.ret. and the black eifigy began gradu
h.: 10 grow white with cotton, or appearing,
= Vie # the riiiemen Sascly remarked as if
:.~ -a>t stages Of small pox. Only one
anown 10 rave been fired by any Of the
.r' n..,sed the figure. and that struck the
y, Ju-t outside the lines. BY and by Col
-'.sa appearc, on the ground and the sport
i"ynccl III earnest. He opened it him.
+ tirirg ten shots at the head of the tar
, :, a:.,. each one went straight to the mark.
yNtInder not satisfied with this, asked
~. + hit the nose. and the next ball struck
e representation Of that important organ
Eetly upon the end. The middle of the
head was next designated, and By the aid
e telescope it also exhibited an oritice
".ea the echoes Of the discharge died away
-~,s the surrounding woods and quarries.
i's "tS asked to put out an eye and did it
'.--.icaIIv \ dose o! cold lead was also
-,:.a...creL in the mouth. carving away a
.t, o.: & superb and well dyed with lamp
-a nair Of mou>taches. Col Berdan used
..:.- with telescope sight, and fired some
~> from rest and sometimes while lying
u" ground. whle his men and those pres
. liked on with admiration. The men
- tooh their turns, and each one as his
-- Va, called stepped forward and fired
n. d, The body of the mark. Nearly every
-. '..-ek on the righ, side Of the painted
.-''.yoA,, li;;le below the position of the
~'i,- 50 uni.orm were they, that a silver
--.--1..ar might have covered four Shots
e. -, novel, and none the less exhilarating
.-.:, u stand within few feet of the etfgy
.. ,"c The distant fash Of the rite, to hear
- '.-.. sch. OF the swift bullet as it flew
-. I'm the dull snap with which it cleft
~--5: The pas;rboard and plank, and pass
..- la,l buried in the hillside beyond
.'.. ''.a'.t afer the ball passed by the tardy
''.--C:-eA came along, and Ieisurely reyerber-
among the rocks and woods. A sur
--' Was On the ground, and after examining
d ':r shots made by the Colonel and the
r Pronounced them fatal. Thus with the
mig ended d days spor. among the rifle