Daily Kennebec journal., 1882-09-23
CRACK sHers OF TnE MILITIA.
Omcial Report Of the Doings OF the Maine
Rine Team At Creedmoor.


"mciai Report Of the Doings OF the Maine
Rine Team At Creedmoor.
Col. Z. c. Harrington, Inspector Of Rife
Practice, State of Ma ne: The fl owing q
respectfully submitted as a report of the d ,ings
of the .'Maine Team at Creedmoor. Ssp-
tember. 1882.
The team reached Creedmoor, Saturday,
September 9Th, and its members ere furnished
tents and cots by the superintendent of the
range. The team was subsequently quar-
tered at private house near the range. The
team left Creedmoor, Saturday, September
10th. During our stay the weather, with the
exception of one day Monday, was pleasant,
and all the members improved their oppor-
tunities for practice at the several ranges.
The first match in which the men took part
was the Judd match, open to all military
rifles. This match was participated in by
tine members of the British and American
teams then at Creedmoof, both armed with
the Latest models 0f rifles. besides hundreds
OF the other best shots of the world. The
weather conditions were bad for good shoot
ing, strong wind blowing across the range.
Notwithstanding these disadvantages, four of
the Maine team made scores ranking among
the first. Z. w. Moore, Co. +, First Regi-
nent, made score equal to the highest made
IN the match but, unfortunately, he gave the
scorer the wrong score card, and his score
could not be credited to him. J. A. Fair
banks, Co. F, First Regiment, won 10th
prize. w. q. Hussey, Co. F, First Regi-
ment, and Capt c. W. Davis, Co. Is, First
Regiment, also won prizes. Considering the
character Of the competitors, the result was
very gratifying
In the company team match Co F of Au-
gusta entered five men,-Capt l.. A. Moore,
E. W. Moore, W. G. Hussey, j. A. Fair
banks and w. S. Choate, The team scored
l45 (seven shots being allowed each competi-
tor ,tieing with Co c, L 5. Engineers, for third
place. The Goth Co.. Binghampton, took LIST
on score of l4S The continuous matches,
200 and 800 yards, were generally participa-
ted in bymembers of the team, and some fine
shooting was done. The names of winners
have not as yet been published.
In the Hilton trophy match the shooting of
the team was very creditable; but at the long
ranges it was found that the wind-gauge on
the Springfield rifle was too limited to COM
pensate for the strong wind blowing at the
time, the men being obliged to aim off the
target to score at all. Some modification of
the sights in this respect is necessary for good
ehpotiiS III stlOuS tuOuSu tHC
Guilty may be remedied to great extent by
an increase in powder charge and weight OF
bullet. The Maine team was the only one
that used the ordinary sights without change
of ammunition. Some teams had modified
sights and increased charges of powder with
heavier bullets: others using bullets of 500
yrs. weight.
In the .'skirmisher's MATCH" called by the
Army and Navy Journal the ''prettiest match
OF the meeting. -four of our team entered, and
each won prize. A full account Of this
match, taken from the Army and Navy Jour
nal, is printed:
The Skirmisher's Match" :" Open to men,
bers of the Regular Army, Navy, Marine
Corps, National Guard, volunteers or militia
of any country. State or Territory, was the
pretliest match of the meeting 1t was well
contested, and great interest was taken in it.
The competitors were in uniform (jacket,
cap. trousers, belt and cartridge-box or belt).
distances, 600 to 200 yards, Second class
targets weapon, any military rife excepting
repeating rifles. Competitors form in single
rank in squads, in rear of 900 yards firing
point, opposite the target to which they are
assigned, each having his ammunition in his
cartridge box or belt, and are numbered from
the light.
AT command of the officer in charge, the
man in each squad whose number is called,
advances to his firing point, 600 yards, and
loads. At the bugle call or other signal,
each competitor then assumes the double
time" and advances toward his target, taking
his alignment from the guide designated (the
guide in this match was left until second
signal is sounded, when he halts (assuming
any position,) fires, and continues loading
and firing in his discretion until the next sig
nal, which will be given 20 seconds after the
command 'halt, when he rises and again ad-
vances in s'double time until the signal
halt and commence firing is again
sounded. When the competitors arrive at
about 200 yards from the targets, the
signal 'sskirmishers in retreat is sounded,
when they face about and return over the
same ground firing as before, the rifles to be
carried at a right shoulder in retreating.
Five hats are made in advancing and five
in retreating; competitors fire as they please,
not to exceed 20 shots in all, but must Are at
least one shot at each halt. Upon finishing
the advance the signal to ''cease firing" Is
sounded, when the markers examine the tar
gets and signal the total number of hits upon
each, as follows: so many bulls eyes,
centres, inners and cutters. After the re-
treat, the signal, to ''cease firing is sounded
and targets examined as before.
1.-The practice is continued in this manner
until all the competitors have fred. Five
points are deducted from competitors score
for each failure to fire at least one shot at each
halt, for each shot fired after the signal to ad-
vance has heen sounded.or for each shot found
on his target in excess of twenty. competi-
tor firing on the wrong target will he at once
debarred from further competition.
lst Prizc-Cash, 80
Id IL
al IL
4th to 10th each cash, $5 ~
Total, sst
There were 80 entries a squad of about 6
MEN were allowed to shoot at time. The