The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-22
The ARTILLERY Contest.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journad:
While it is not my desire to enter into a
newspaper controversy as regards the awards
of the prizes in the artillery contest at the
recent encampment, yet in Justice to myself
and to the Columbus Light Artillery 1 will
say in reply to Captain Johnson's card pub
,ished in your to-day's issue that: First
H very ingeniously says that Lieutenant
Curtis did not receive his programme for the
free-for-all contest until one hour before the
drill. We do not contend to the contrary,
but we do say that he received his programme
for the legion drill, or had a copy of it
which he obtained by watching the move
ments executed by the companies that
drilled on Monday afternoon and taking
them Town on a piece of paper, and that
he drilled his section according
to the programme on Monday night
teaching them movements laid down in the
programme that they had never been in
structed in before. This he nor Captain
Johnson can successfully deny. And fur
Their, it was not necessary for him to have a
observation-disclosures, as he already had the
original or a copy of the Legion programme
in his possession; which was the same ex-
actly as the free-forall.
Secondly, l fail to see the relevancy be-
tween Sections A and D OF the Indianapolis
Light Artillery, commanded respectively by
Sergeants Pierce and Bane, coming to this
city on the 4th of July to assist US in a cele-
bration, and Section B of the Indianapolis
Light Artillery, drilling according to the
programme on last Monday night, that they
drilled Tuesday morning in the Legion con-
test, and Tuesday afternoon in the
free-forall contest. We are gratefully appre-
+.- - II . 49,
sisting us on the 4th, and l think that they
understand our feelings exactly. But l de-
sire to correct Captain Johnson's remark
about their expenses, which was only their
individual railroad fare. We paid freight
on their guns, entertained them here, fur
nished ammunition, and even paid for hav-
ing their guns hauled from the Exposition
building to the freight depot at indianapolis
and return. Our expense going to Indlanap-
oils last week was equally as great as was
their expense in coming to this city on .IHly
4, and we are just egatistical enough to as
sert that the large crowd in attendance at the
encam pment on Wednesday and Friday from
Columbus was due to the presence of tine Co
lumbus Light Artillery there. We have no
fault to find with the decision of the Judges
under the circumstances. but had thew
known the true facts, their decision would
have been different. AS to the bene-
fit that accrued to the Column
bus Light Artillery by the visit
OF sections A and D to this city on July 4,
and their exhibition drills, we will give Cap
tain johnson So for every point of benefit he
can prove that we derived. Captain B. A.
Richardson, of the Zouaves, saw us drill last
fall at Knightstown, and he can attest our
proficiency at that time. We are men
enough to swallow the pill like men. We
ire not disappointed, but our friends are
10th disappointed and indignant, as they
oova q riphr tn he Onr treatmapt or Indian
lpolis by the management was all that any
inc could desire; nothing was left undone
or our comfort, and we appreciate the same.
Put as to our looking up to the Indianapolis
light Artillery as being our superiors in ar
.ulery tactics, is all bosh. The encampment
was certainly what it was intended for, a
benefit for the Indianapolis military com
panies. w. u. STANsIFER,
Lieutenant Commanding.
COLUMBUS, Ind, Aug. 20, 1888.