Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-03
MAN TARGETS.
The New Industry at the Arsenal and
Armory on Rock Island.

ArmOry on Rock Island.
Rock ISLAND, Ill, July IA new
industry has been started at the Rock
Island Armory and Arsenal. 1t is the
manufacture of man targets for use in the
regular army. These targets are made of
steel and as near the form Of an average
sized man as can be outlined with steel.
They are made in three positions
upright, at a front, then in the position
of firing with arms raised as II holding
a musket. Col. Flagler himself invented
the machine that works the steel to the
proper shape. The steel frame Is covered
with cloth in such manner that at
distance the resemblance Of man "
marked-and, what is important, il can
be told in just what part the "man" is hit
arm, leg, breast, stomach, neck,
shoulder, or head. -Four hundred OF these
steel targets are being made, requiring
the use of 10000 pounds Of steel.
In the target practice they will be
placed in squads, in platOOns, In CON-
panies, and the various other forms in
which soldiers move in the opening of an
engagement. The practice viii commence
at range of $50 10 800 yards, and then be
gradually increased to long distances.
The targets will be sent to military posts
at which such practice can be best car
ried on. The only drawback to the ef-
fectiyeness Of this practice is in the fact
that the steelmHn targets cannot
fire back; il they could, the soldiers
who are firing at them might not be
so expert. Remember Andrew JacksOn's
duel with Dickinson In 1906? JacksOn's
friends begged him TO practice, saying
that "Dickinson was practicing daily,
and could hit a pullet in the head at so
many puces every time"
"DOes the pullet have a pistol in his
hand TO fire backg' asked jackson.
'NO," was the reply Of the astonished
friend.
'sThen don't care how much nc prac-
tees" And jackson killed Dickinson In
the duel.
When the war opened the best weapon
in the world was the springfield mus
ket,O which was effective for I 900 yards,
but no soldier could load and fire that
musket once in a minute even in tight.
The soldiers carried but forty rounds IN
their cartridge-bOxes. Now, think Of the
difference. The army musket OF to-day
can be fired tWenty-iOur times a minute,
aud is effective for destruction Of life at a
distance o. two miles. That Is the reason
they are making the man targets az the
arsenal and armOrY at Rock Island. The
old style Of close work IN battle IL nc an
end, and one can be Informed at the
arsenal that artillery Shields have
become q necessity for the protection Of
gunners. With the effective muskets Of
the present day battery would be- de-
priyed Of It's men by the sharpghOoters Of
the enemy as far az they could b0 seen,
and be unable 20 do anything Ia return,
Tor the old methods of supporting and
protecting battery by infantry, keeping
back the infantry on the other side, is 40
an end. The enemy needn't be within
mile OF. the battery, and yet pick of its
mon with the new weapons and the use OF
glasses. So shields OF steel, thick enough
To be impervious to bullets, which can be
placed before a battery OF Gatling guns
on new steel gun, light breechloading,
but OF good RANGE, aud Thus protect the
gunners from lOng.rango infantry, have
become a necessity.