Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-09-21

IL have to undo much of their mill
training, and learn anew.
verything has been changed since
sixties. New tactics, new and i'm
ved arms, big guns and small, and
h different clothing, have made
herring to be not the thing that it
War will still be carried on with
object of killing and wounding all
the enemy possible; but by such
pntifc and astonishing methods as
completely do away with the old
IS and arms. Indeed, I think that
be fifty years from now those VIII"
ID our current histories of the war
the Union will not be able to UNI
rstand the accounts of the battles
hout foot-notes particularly describ-
the old-fashioned and obsolete
ms with which those battles were
hight
Still. we need not expect that the
IRIS of the future will be more de-
FUGITIVE than have been those of the
st. Armies with improved and muir
rous firearms cannot be got as near
gether as were those of the wars that
r country has seen. It will surprise
Dry many of the veterans to be re-
inded of the fact that the battle of
aterloo, where the slaughter of the
ght hours that it was waged is not
hrpassed on any modern field, was
ought with fint-lock muskets, wooden
bmmers, and smooth-bore cannon!
'ut it was fought at pretty close quar-
ers
We used to think our Springfield"
bud Enfield" rifle-musket very good
I'm, with its sheath bayonet attached.
is pointed, leaden ounce-ball was GER
kainly destructive missile. And its
Familiar paper-covered cartridge, the
Fartridge-box slung over the shoulder
bad resting over the hip, with its metal
re. S." letters, and its forty rounds
within; the pouch to carry percussion
caps at the right front of the belt. All
these details became very familiar to
the veteran of 1865. He can tell
you all about loading in ten times, p"
and how, on special occasions on cam
palgn, twenty rounds more were carried
in the pocket. The Springfield musket
was really serviceable arm; it could
be depended upon to kill at thousand
Yards, and was very effective at shorter
range, with its well-adjusted sights. 1t
was handsome arm, too, when kept in
proper order and well Furnished, and
1t was a common thing for the soldier
to become greatly attached to his mus
ket. Many of the men were anxious to
take home with them on their muster
out those faithful companions of their
perils, being willing to be charged the
tulJ price of the same, and were d1sap-
pointed when they were not allowed to
do so.
We shall nevermore hear Of this piece
being used in war. Yet it was faith
ful servant, and did it's deadly work
we'll in our great conflict. The militia
Organizations of to-day know little OF II
and it's equipment. AS viewed by the
people who are accustomed to breech'
loading reporters, the loading and mr.,
ing of the muzzle- loading rifle musket
seems clumsy contrivance. 10 brlns
The piece with the butt to the ground
"a 70 take the cartridge from the box, DIG
The paper end off, shake down the po"
der into the muzzle, insert the spare
paper and the ball, take the iron ram
mer from behind the barrel, ram down
the charge, return the hammer, BRING
up the piece, take a cap from the pouch
lialf-cock the gun and put the cap Oh
the nipple-to do all this before yot
are ready to kill a man will seem to the
soldiers of to-day an awkward ane
roundabout proceeding. Yet RAPID ane
expert men could fire three bullets Pc
minute in this way; and in this way tn
infantry soldier fought the wa
through.
How great the change now! You