Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-07
MA ARKsMEN MOUNTED.
The Cavalry Competition Now Opened
at Bellevue.


The first days preliminary practice in the
cavalry competition of the departments of
the Platte, the Columbia and Dakota, com
mences tomorrow. The shooting will take
place at the rifle range at Belle
vue, which has just been va
Gated by the infantry rife competitors
of the department of the Platte.
This Is the first cavalry competition of this
kind which has been held and its working
will be watched with interest by soldiers
throughout the country.
proSemegt eS gt'A' in mas rifle 00e" practice @ i'm in
the infantry that it has been thought advis-
able to endeavor to introduce the same eh-
cheney with small arms in the mounted
serviceI of the army. In the latter, rifle
practice has thus far received
but little stimulus. AS con-
sequence there is some uncertainty as to the
standard Of excellence which this contest
will develop. There is little doubt, howev-
er, that with successive competitions and
studious practice on the post post
ranges that the cavalry will
produce as fine mounted marksmen, every
thing considered, as have been discovered
among the foot soldiery. The weapons to be
used are modified carbne and revol-
yer. The former is somewhat shorter
than the Springfield rifle and
with 1t the cavalry has become more or less
familiar. With the revolver, however, but
comparatively little shooting has been
done. Yet, 1T is admitted that
accuracy in using this weapon is as great a
desderatim in the cavalryman as Is almost
the knowledge of the use Of his sabre
In this competition there will be reDresen-
tatives of the First, Second, Eighth and
Ninth regiments of cavalry From each OF
these there will be two officers and forty
eight men, one Of the latter coming from
each troop
The shooting will be done with the men
dismounted, while the horses are standing
al, Val thn 1uar~
five shots will be fired in quick
succession to the right, left and front.
When the horses are moving, they
| aio expece1d TO cover space OF 100 yards in
| twenty seconds. These are the main fea-
lures Of the contest, though there are 9th ers
| which will be afterwards referred TO.
The prizes are the same as those used in
| tho infantry competition the hrst being
| gold medal, the second, third and tourtn
| being silver, and the remaining six being of
| bronze
The preliminary practice will continue
until Saturday next. The competition
| proper will commence ON Monday next @Si
continue until Saturday the l1ta.
| The competition vii! he IN charge of Colo
| mel Guy V. Henry, Ninth cavalry, inspector
! Of small arms practice OF this department.. IL
| was originally 10 have taken place at Fort
Robinson, but through the influence and ef-
| forts of Colonel Henry it has been trans
| ferrcd to this city, where IL will be conyen-
| lent TO all concerned. Colonei Henry will
be assisted by the following officers:
| Major d. w. Benhann, seventh infantry,
| commanding camp; Second Lieutenant Jonn
| c. Gregg, Sixteenth infantry, adiutant and
signal officer; First Lieutenant William A.
Mann, Seventeenth infantry, quartermaster
aud ordnance officer; First Lieutenant
! William A. Mercer Eighth infantry, acting
commssaYy of subsistence; Second Lieu
! tenant Grote Hulcheson, Ninth cav
! airy, statistical and financial omcer; (;
! Acting Assistant Surgeon Frank l.. Hen
| dersOn, United States army, medical officer.
| lhe range officers are as follows
| First Lieutenant Herbert IT, Tutheriy, tlrst