Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-12
For The Enquirer.
Rifle vruskets and ureechIoaders.

| The opinions OF our llne-othccrS, generally,
seem fixed in favor Of the Springfield Rifle
Muskct, and the Harper's Ferry Rifle before all
other weapons for troops, while they regard
Colts Pistol as the best Of the Rcpeaters," "
and especially excellent for cavalry.
Therefore, the reluctance on our part is Just,
to exchange these trusty arms for any Of the
breechloaders or 'repcat=rs," Of which so many
arc pressed upon the War Department by the
inventors Of them and other interested persons.
The great merit usually claimed for such
arms is the rapidity Of their fire. When q sin
gle man is assailed by numbers it would, GER
lainy be well for him to be able rapidly to re-
peat bis fire, and if he be cool and expert, a
Colts revolver, or Sharpe's carbine would be
a comfortable weapon for him..
! But when we are considering how to arm
bodies OF troops, SO as best TO meet all the con-
tngcncics of war, very different principles must
control our decision. All experienced officers
know, that on Il battle field men are prone to
fire too fast and that the muzzle-loading guns,
with the convenient ammunition now fixed for
them, enable troops to fire q great deal faster
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 otherneces-
sary supplies. lf we adopt the "breechload-
ing" or repeating arms, this becomes ut
once cause ii heavy expense, and great it'll
pediment 10 the rapid movements which arc
necessary for success. Because, if we have
such arms we must guard against failure OF
ammunition, and ensure such an amount Of il,
as will enable our troops to reap the full hene-
fits OF the rapid fire.
Suppose the rifle nuSkct to fire three shots
per minute, and that one hundred rounds Of re-
serve ammunition be taken as fair average
supply for each man. \ breech-loader which
fires fifteen shots per minute will then require
five hundred rounds Of reserve ammunition per
man.
Therefore, while an army of 10000 men,
carrying the rife 1nusket, will require forty
wagons and TWO hundred mules OF draught
horses for It's ammunition train, the same
army, if equipped with breech.loaders, will re.
qure two hundred wagons and twelve hundred
mules or draught horses!
On ;he most favorable roads this ammuni-
ton train would be near two miles long. I'm.
agine it traversing the mountains Of Virginia
and the unprofesslonal reader csn appreciate
one Of the difficulties to be- considered in deci-
ding upon the relative value Of rife muskets
and brecch-loaders for troops, and can under
stand how gun which can consume great
deal OF ammunition in very short time may
be Of questionable advantage to the troops arm
cd with it.
With respect to accuracy and range there
seems to be no material difference between the
rife m,,sket and the best of the breech-loaders.
The rifle musket fires with great accuracy, and
its projcctiles will kill a man nearly a mile
Anything more than this will be Of little prac
ticsl Importance for war purposes.
The introduction Of the long range ammuni-
ton has not produced the great revolution in
the manner OF conducting battles which was
anticipated.
While military men generally were specu-
lating upon what changes would follow from
this new invention, the sagacity Of Louis Ma.
polcon at once perceived lis value. And when
he lnnded on the shores Of Italy TO conduct the
campaign of 1858, he announced to his troops,
that as tine new rifles we're most dangerous at
distance, they must close upon the enemy
with the bayonet
According gly, tho charges with the hayonet
and thcSabre were as fierce and decisive at
Mentebello, Magenta and Soierino, rs in any
Of the battles OF the campaign Of 1876.
There will be changes in the composition Of
armies, growing out of the improvements in
small arms, and in the tactics and equipments
of troops But battles will be decided US they
have been for two hundred years, by lire at
short ranges, and by the bayonet and the
sabre SPOTSYLVANlA.