Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-07-27

| teeth OF the enemy-a tort, every stone
of which can tight-a fort that can't be
stormed, and that can be taken down
and set up in another place the very
instant the enemy bring any heavy
guns to bear on it.
We are training a set of men now
for the lower story, who shall be able
TO run with the fashioned edifice
on their backs for the distance of a
nile and q half.
| Imagine the utter astonishment Of an
enemy at seeing strong fort deliber-
atel y pick itself up, and, with hurrah,
run over into the very heart of their
lines, and there open its batteries on
them at a yard and-a half distance.
Imagine the CONSERVATION of a storm
ing party, Oh getting their scaling lad
ders all ready for a determined rush
over the walls of fort, to see that fort
all drop to pieces, ard each particular
stone transform itself into q stalwart
soldier, with sword -bayonet in his
hands, a pair Of revolvcrs in his belt,
and a long knife between Ills teeth.
Aud then imagine, if such a thing
be possible, one regiment surrounded
by crowd Of exulting enemies, who
think to butcher the ''pet lambs'' at
their leisure, how it would astound the
enemies aforesaid to see the Glands"
instantly make themselves into a fort,
and announce themselves ready to hold
out against fortnight siege.
Very well, these are just the things
we hope soon to do.
That your readers may have an idea
Of the style Of drill we go through, TlI
tell you. We get up at two in the morn
ING, and have summerset drills for two
hours by squads, then by companies,
and then we form in regimental line,
and turn fourteen summersets forward,
and fourteen backward, to the tap Of
the dram, keeping exact time, loading
and firing revolving rifles at a target
as we come forward and firing at an
other target as we go back, with a re-
volver III each hand Ii any balls are
found more than an inch and q half
from the centre, the man is discovered
and put on columbiad guard for the
day; this means keeping guard all day
with two ten-inch columbiads tied
across his shoulders.
After summerset drill, we have Jump
ing and firing in the air by platoons for
two hours. At the word Of command,
the platoons jump thirty-three feet
straight up, firing at an object fifty
Yards in advance, the instant they
reach their extreme altitude. This sort
Of practice the colone. yo,nks will be
remarkably useful in .iring :. an enc
my concealed behind hrctas works.
Then we have breakfast. Each
mans breakfast is put i'll lis haversack,
and hung round his neck, and he has
thirty minutes allowed him to eat it in
during that time he must run five
miles and walk two miles and half,
jumping twenty-seven bitches, each
torty-six feet four inches wide. Then
we have fort drill for six hours; then
one hour for dinner, which is eaten
while each man is standing on his head.
Then two hours of running, during
which time every man is expected, to
to accomplish from thirty to fifty miles,
according to the weight he carries. A
man who runs light, with only his KNAPP
sack, rifle, ammunition and his tent,
must do his fifty miles but the fellows
who carry the ordnance are left off
| few miles. A man with 4 mountain
howitzer must run forty seven and a
half miles. a fellow with a fnll-sized
brass six-pounder has to get over his
thirtv-nine miles, while the half dozen
men who carry our six heavy columhi-
ads are let off with but thirty miles a.
piece.
Then we have few hours Of gym
nastics and feats of strength, the prin-
cipa! ones of which are, pitching the
howitzer" and putting up the colum-
biads" Some Of our men can pitch
an old iron six-pounder we have for
that purpose three-quarters Of mile,
though the general average is not
more than half a mile and few rods
over. There is not man In the reg
iment who can't "put up' ten-inch
columbiad in each hand, like a pair Of
dumb, bells.
After gymnastics, we have our new
fort drill till midnight, when we are de-
tailed for guard and ''gallows duty"
This last is another new feature of
/ the Ellsworth tactics. It is an inven-
ton for the benefit Of secessionists.-
In case Of capture of spies or other
obnoxious vermin, seven men are de-
tailed to form & galows, which they do
in the following manner
, Three fellows stand on each others
I. shoulders for one post; three other fel-
: lows stand on each others shoulders
for the other post; then one very tall