Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-03-22
RIFLE MusKETs. AND RRREcH.IoADERs.

i''iie n'usket ana the Harpers Ferry rifle
before all other weapons for troops, while
they regard Colts pistol as the best of the
"repeaters," and especially excellent for
cavalry.
Therefore, the reluctance on our part is
just, to exchange these trusty arms fpr any
Of the ,bseech-loarders or 'repeaters.' of
which so many are pressed upon the War
Department BY the inventors Of them and
other: interested persons.
The great meritusually claimed for such
arms is the rapidity of their fire. When
single man is assailed by numbers, it would
certainly be we'll f0r him to be able rapidly
to repeat his fire, and if be be cool and ex-
pert, Colts revolver, or Sharpe's carbine
would be comfortable weapon for him.
But wwhhsep we are considering how to
arm bodies Of. troops, 80 as best to meet all
the contingencies Of war, very different
principles must control our decision. All
experienced officers know, tina, on a battle
field men are prone to fire too fast, and
that the muzzle-loading guns, with the con-
venient ammunition now fixed for them,
enable troops to fire great deal caster than
is desirable or effective.
One Of the chief difficulties with which
our army in the field has TO contend, is the
means of transporting its ammunition and
other necessary supplies. # We adopt tue
'breech-loading' or 'repeating' arms, this
becomes at once cause of heavy expense,
and great impeachment to the rapid move;
ments Which are necessary for snccess. BE.
cause if We have such arms, We must guard
against failure Of ammunition, and in
sure such an amount of II as will enable
the troops to reap thhe fal benefits Of q the
rapid fire.
Suppose !he rifle musket to fire three
shots per minute, and that one hundred
rounds of reserve ammunition be taken as
fair average supply for each msH. A
breach-loader which fires ffteen shots per
minute will then require Gye hundred rounds
of reserve ammunition per man.
Therefore, while an army of 10000 men
carrying the rife musket, will require forty
wagons and two hundred mules or draught
horses for its ammunition train, the same
army, if equipped with breech-loaders, will
require two hundred wagons and twelve
hundred mnles or draugbt horses!
On the most favorable roads this ammu-
nlt'on train would be near two miles long.
Imagine it traversiug the ,peuntains of vir-
ginia, and the unprofessionsl reader can sp-
preoia:e one of the difficulties to be con-
sidered ip deciding upon the relative value
of rife muskets and breech.loaders for
troops, and can undeFstand how a gun
WHICH saR CAP sesAame seopsAame great deal of ammu-
milton ip very short time pay be Of
questionable palle advantage to the troops armed
with it.
With respect to accuracy and range there
seems to be no material difference betxsen
the rife musket and the best of the breech-
leaders. The rifle musket fires with great
accuracy, and its projectiles will kin . man
nearly g mile. Anything more than this
will be of little practical importance for war
purposes. 2.r... '.a,
Fhejintroductiop Of the long range am
munition has not produced the great revo-
luton in the manner of conducting battles |
which was anticipated.
While military men generally were srecu-
lating upon what changes would follow
from this new invention. tbe sagacity Of
Louis Napoleon at ape perceived ,its yalue
And when he4landed on The shores Of Italy
to conduct the campaign of 1858, he an
nounced to bis troops, that as the new rifles
were most dangerous at p distance, they
must close upon the enemy with the bayp.
net.- s, .
Accordingly the charges with .the bayo-
net appd the eabre were as fierce and de--
cisive at Montebello, Magenta and Sole.
'ino, as anE Of the baitlea Of the campaign
Of 1859.
. There will be changes in the composition
Of armies, growing out Of the improye-
ments in small apms snd ip iise iastics and
equipments of troops, But battles MilIbe
decided, as they hags been, ,fottxp hundred
years, BY fire At short srange, .andsby. the
bayonet and thssabrs.--Eeejsh 9 ,6s,qa;,er.
$50 - - -Ara-t s,--,.,;s,,
Biddy, said Mike Bonnet, the .otbet
say = 81 ;h'' opld omar, On - " tsli ahs' The
difference between opr sbsnty here and =
,e'sbrated eonof 'Ould IrslAndf j., *
AN sure I can't 80. . a.5,al j"
why, one is Daniel o o'ConneII, and the
other is kennel o. 'Bonusil..
Ysrs a dog. tEsas 8Iiks,4an, shssoyerl +
Rave tosbs mpizIed !: q, g, ths E VT rofs sye1fla
4sEaithr fe, snaistskeu. me dSpltn' ;tys|