Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-13
AitRmor0 Enquirer.
FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE la, 1861.
Arms.
BY TYLER, WISE s ALLEGRE.

Arms.
In the rural districts every house possesses
arms enough fcr its own defence-a gun fo
every third male, or about $50, 000 rifles an(
shot.guns, the private property Of the Southern
population. Knowing this to be the case, v,
are disposed to be q little incrcdulous when VI
hear it said, that certain localities could senc
additional companies into the field, il It were
not for the iupossibility Of obtaining suitable
arms. No doubt every company orgunizet
would like TO have the best arms in use; bu
when this is unattainable, it ought NO! to fol
low that the country should be left undeienl
cd. 1t is true that the ritled musket can dt
execution, with some precision, at the distanc'
Of five hundred yards, and that the shotgun
at tie same distance, would 10 none. But, then
is it 10 be supposed that Tirginians ure going
to stand still und be shot down, ut their owr
doors, by Yankee invaders! There is very
siuple mode Of shortening the distance 4
lily wards, eacll barrel loaded with nfteer
hucksh0t, the gun, which was harmless at {
long distance, rres IL whole broadside at every
discharge Any one Of the thirty bucksho
will disable man; aud if ai,ned luac, little
above the knee, the double barrel piece may
knock down 4 half dozen lanaces at every tire
while the Minnie ball cain OILY hii ore, ard eveI
that is Improbable at short distance. Sc
much for lhv heavy doube-bariel shot gun.-
| Then l;,:re IS the hunters rhe, which will d,
lexccuiion, in ,Ly hands Of Southern marks
iaau, one hundred aid fifty yards These vii
ilo for the fences, rocks, and trees, Daniv
jBoone, or Indian fashion, until the shot-gu:
can get within killing range
Il After ali, It is not the arm 30 much as tht
aaa. Let ;!!c iarkees find that their ncw
tangled guuS ivii kill the whole Of Us AT 4
safe distance, but that We are still charging
Upon theu,, and they will drop their arIns anc
an away. Then we can get Il fresh supply O
.rms, and shoot the invaders in tic back witt
heir own guns But if there were not private
rms enough, still all our male population
hculd bc organized into companies, and ten
,er themselves for the war; for when the wa,
eases in Virginia, it will not be likely to cxis
anywhere else. They could fight with sings
E1 with nothing else-with reap hooks, Will
scythes carving knives, anything, in dclcnct
oG their hearth stones aud the little one.
dsarer to them than life. At all events, they
csn drill, and soon our factories will supply ul
deficiencies OF arms.
In ali our great pitched battles, it may b,
taken for granted that the enemy will be me
with tho saline pattern of arms they brinE
against us, and ailh the best drilled nIen U
the South But the long huutei'sl:h. c:a J.
made 10 60 excellent servics OH their I.hks
and the shot guns in their rear, on the battle
field The shot guns make great noise, ant
the nen, particularly if mounted, can make
:; great dust, and this has, before now, produce'
/ panic on the battlefield Such arms will d.
+ or an,buScades, for night assaults, and 70
: ;uardiug prisoners E7ery man, and ever.
+ Teapon, and every horse in Virginia, should b
Il Engaged, without delay, .Jor the wur.