Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-04-24
MARkSMEN IN THE ARMY.
The DISCIPLINE THAT MAKES OUR
SOLDIERS EXPERTS.

equal territorial extent. Still. with
American ideas and policy, the gallant
little force seems amply sufficient to
guard the country Peace is SO much
the policy of our nation that even the
small army finds little to do. The great
Indian tribes have been corralled within
their reservations, and the life of the
United States soldier is now narrowed
down to the stereotyped military code.
Weary with the some old ceremonies
from year to year, practiced until the
regular tactics are absolutely perfect,
they have developed the principal gar
rison duty, target shooting. into science
of remarkable accuracy The pleasure
of the practice and the spirit of emula-
ton aroused combine to make them the
most skilled marksmen in the world.
THEY BEAT THE WORLD.
The rifle used is the ordinary Spring
field service pattern, breech loader,
carrying seventy grains of powder and
800 grains of lead. common service sights
that never get out of order
Our little army may be deficient in
many ways, but in the matter of rifle
shooting to hit and with the object of
hitting to kill (the business in which the
soldier is presumed to be particularly
efficiently, it certainly stands first in the
world. Another great advantage, al
though not pleasant one, has been con-
tinuous and almost everlasting stations
on the remote frontier Surrounded with
large and small game, what wonder that
men, whose business it is to kill, always
seized every opportunity for hunting?
To be perfectly fair. our marksmen are
SO far in advance of the best European
soldiers, that, so far as execution is con-
cerned, the latter would have no show
whatever when pitted against our own
regulars. European armies, though
armed with longer range gun, yet lack
practice and accuracy.
They are trained to volley shooting in
stead of individual aim, and the result is
that fully half of the men fire at random
into the air Uncle SANS man has to
depend upon himself European nations
nurse their dislike of each other and their
military training partakes of it. They
pay more attention to Matching up new
schemes to hurt each other than hitting
the bulls eye. They are able to pierce,
times without number, target in the
shape of an effigy of French soldier,
but would miss at every shot an Ameri-
can target. Neither the French, Ger
mans, Belgians nor Russians have the
skill of the Americans in sighting their
guns or in handling their pieces
Routine duty on the frontier is about
us follows: The soldier gets $13 per
month straight pay, rations, clothing,
md certain allowance which is paid
him on the date of his discharge; an in
crease for each years service or re-en-
listnent; additional remuneration if pro-
noted corporal, sergeant or artifcer;
extra pay if worked as a carpenter,
plasterer or mechanic, and lots of other
perquisites too small. to mention. Guard
duty is the hardest in the service, and
to this the soldier is eligible about one
day in six.
SOLDIER LIFE.
Three roll calls day, reveille, retreat
and tattooGf a cavalryman, stables twice
day.; drills Mondays or Fridays, dress
parade every evening, and target prac-
company in the service is provided with
n pair of breech loading shotguns, a GER
tain annual allowance of powder, shot
wad and shell, and these are open tC
everybody for hunting purposes wher
not employed on other duty. The soldier
can then amuse himself knocking over
jack rabbits, bagging sage hens and prai
rie chickens, and missing as many ducks
and wild geese as he wants to.
Tours of detached service are merely
picnics. Large game of some kind car
almost always be found, and what bette
sport could any one ask? There is on
undeniabe fact about a five years tern
in the United States army. All sorts o
material are caught for soldiers; the bee
drinking Teuton, the bull dog English
man. the fun loving lrshman, the igno
rant darby, and, in fact, men of ali ma
t tionalities and all chimes. They come t
. us as bright as meteors and as 7erdan
= as cucumbers; but no matter how gree
, and unsophisticated the recruit may
r when he Joins, he has developed into
fine marksman when he leaves the army
and with decidedly more sense than h
was enlisted with.
' The bump of fun is exceedingly larg
5 in the average soldier of the line. Gen
i orally, as remarked, they are young me
= in the prime of manhood, of fine physiqu
K and perfect in every way (else the
t would not have been accepted by the II
f cruiting ofticer) who look upon the teri
n of enlistment as Il sort of lark, and pre-
V pose to get as much amusement and fu
l. out of the five years as possible. Aston
:. ishing as it may seem, yet 1t is nc7erth
!. less true that it is no easy matter to ei
list in the United States army. Ninetee
out of twenty applicants are rejected f(
cause, and the twentieth man must |
II up to the mark, or he is liable to trav'
h the road of his nineteen predecessors
d After enlistment expires majority
: the discharged soldiers, who original
n came from some of the states back cas-
a never return to their former home
Or Civilization, with all its drawbacks, h;
- lost its charms for them, and SO the
J. tick to the west and grow up with Il
country. Long service and eXtensi'
scouting over the plains have cured the
Of city life and Il struggle for exl5teuc
1t They either take up land claims som
where, buy farms from the railroads
=. drift to ranching or stock raising. Man
r. of them prefer cowboy life, which ter
< of service in the army, saddle and scoI
ing work especially equips them for
New York Star
Of ----------
A Possible Reason.