Omaha daily bee., 1890-08-10
At THE BELLEVUE RANGE.
Closing Hours Of the Annual Marksmau-
ship Competition,
RIFLES, CARBNES AND REVOLVERS.
Total Scores Of the Wcck-A ward of
Cold and silver Medals by Gen.
crnl Hrook e-Thc Depart
mcnt Teams.

All things combiu cd yesterday to make the
| closing hours of the annual craftsmanship y
| competition of the sharpshootcrs of the De-
| partment OF the Platte, United States army,
an occasion to be remembered with pleasure
| by those who participated in the contests
| and those visitors who enjoy cd the hos pltal-
| ity of the camp us well.
The early part of the day was given over to
the calvary and in its honor yellow ribbons
| deckcd the gowns of a majority of the ladies'
| present, even of those who, out of consider
| alton of relatives or very dclr friends, had
on previous days worn the blue ana white of
| the infantry.
1t was delightfully."- cool and pleasant up
| there among the hills, and tho visitors from
| the city felt a double pleasure in escaping
from its dust and heat to place whore cool
breczes come floating over the river and
whcro soft turf suppanted dusty roads.
Soon after the bugles sounded boots and
| saddles in the morning, the cavalry compoti-
tors came from their quarters, mounted, and
the most interesting feature of the contest to
visitors began.
The men were formed in linein front of a
line of eight silhoucttcs, and as each mans
number was called by the range officer
he spuwed his horse into gal
op and starting from the left of
the line of motionless figures, fred five shots
at them, the trooper choosing his target as he
sped along. Each competit or made two of
these runs" as the soldiers call them aud
then he crossed to the OF her side of the range
| and starting from the right of the silent com
pany OF wooden men, the soldiers again ran
across the range shooting To the lift across
their breasts
1t was apretty scene tfat was thenpre-
sen tp1 frhn
over the soft earth; the troopers Leaning !oI.-
ward in their saddles IL gleam of Il pistol bar
rel, and then a white puff of smoke The
revovers cracked and bugles rang out on the
ar, ana altogether the occasion was one Of in
spiration.
This competition occupied the entire
morning. III looked easy riding up and dow
ana blazing away at those mOtonIcss men,
put 1t WASH t. 1t was hardwork and dlhi-
cult shooting, but the men did we'll and made,
very ialr scores, but it was tirCsOmc work |
and they were glad to dsmOmt when the |
recall was sounded.
Two hours Of rest and then boots and |
saddles again called the men TO work Durutr |
the noon hour the number of visitors had |
Deen increased, many people having driven |
over from town III drayS and bugElcs and all |
manner of vehicles.
The contest Of the afternoon consisted of |
the competitors riding directly forward ana |
firing five shots at four SihouctteS with thcil,
horses on the gaop.
While the competition was in progress a
special train arrived from the city, bearing
General Brooke and stah Lieutenant Mail
lorY and wife of Fort Omah ha Miss Buchc
Mrs. Captain Ray, Mrs. Lieu tenant BenhaIn
the Misses Sherwood, Mrs. lieutenant Bac-
tens, ID. Z. Dunbar, Mr.. Grucbcr; news paper
reporters and others.
The officers were all in full dress uniform,
and their gay paraphernalia bonded harmo-
niously with the bright gowns of the ladies.
General Brooke and staif ard the other
visitors We're received at tine station by Major
Benham and other officers of the camp, also
in full dress. aud conducted to the range
above, where they witnessed the close of the
competition
0At o. clock the last shot OF the competition
had been iired and then the men Were given
few minutes TO assume their dress uni
forms.
When the assembly called them together
again they formed on the parade IN front OF
company quarters in two commands one of
infantry and the other ofcavalry, Lieu tenant
Parkc had command of the former and Lieu
tenant Harry. Wright of the latter. They
included all the competitors who had partici-
pated in the contests, both those
who had attained distinction and
those who had failed. The men were marched
to officers row and formed facing the line of
camp officers tent. oGcuerul Brooke and staff
stood beneath the large elm tree beneath
which the officers had enjoyed SO many pleas
ant hours during the camp. Orders were
pu blisned giving, the result OF the competi-
uon ana announcing competitors who had
succeeded in gaining places upon the differ
ent teams AS each mans name was called
he stepped ten PAGES TO the front, and when
all were in place Major Bcnham presented
them to General Brooke.
SIT is usually customary" said the general,
stepping few PAGES forward and add ressing
the competitors ''fOr the department. com
mander TO say few words Of coinmen dation
at the close OF these annual competitions. |
can scarcely express my appreciation of the
success you have attained this year. Both
arms of the service, so closely allied in the
service on the frontier, have been united so
closely III this contest that it Is impOsSibl TO
make any distinction between them You
have not only done well in your shooting but
in your attention to discipline and solderly
conduct
He complimented both officers and men
upon the eminent success of the competition. |
and closed by saying that they aduphold t ho
true standard for an mericdn soldier
The general then presented the SUCCESS full
with the medals they had won
The following are the total scores of the
RIFLE TEAM.