Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-05-16
'NARKSMEN IN TIE ARMY.
THE DISCIPLINE THAT MAKES OUR
SOLDIERS EXPERTS.

rhe Country Has Not Large Military |
Force. but the Boys In Hue Are Remark
able for Their Facility In Handling the
/ RIDE How They Are ranght and Trained.
4 The United States has very extensive
territory. yet II has the smallest regular
army Of any civilized power Of nearly
equal territorial extent Still. with
American ideas and policy. the gallant
little force seems amply sufficient to
guard the country Peace Is 30 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 10 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 20 make them the
most skilled mnrksmen in the world
THEY BEAT THE WORLD.
field service pattern. a breech loader,
carrying seventy grains Of powder and
{ 500 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
3 hitting To kill (the business in which the
n soldier il presumed To be particularly
n efficiently. II certainly stands first In the
d world Another great advantage, al
4 though not pleasant one, has been con
>. tinuous and almost everlasting station
In on the remote frontier Surrounded will
\ large and small game, what wonder tina
= men. whose business 1t il to kill, Away
{, seized every opportunity for huntingf
~ To he perfectly fair our marksmen ar
y. so far in advance of the best European
soldiers, that. so far as execution is con
y. cerned, the latter would have no shoy
~ whatever when pitted against our owl
y, regulars. European armies, thong
\, armed with a longer range gun. yet lac
= practice and accuracy.
IA They are trained to vollcy shooting II
"a stead OF individual aim, and the result
az that fully half OF the men fire at randoi
= into tho air Uncle Sans man has
nd depend upon himself European nation
"a. nurse their dislike of each other and the
Ter military training partakes of it, The
av pay more attention to Matching up ne
schemes to hurt each other than hittin
the bulls eye. They are able to pierre
times without number, "a target in Il
,ed shape of an efiigy OF a French soidie
NO but would miss at every shot an Amer
80, can target Neither the French, &c
90 mans, Belgians nor Russians have Il
zoe skill Of the Americans in sighting the
80 guns or in handling their pieces.
10 Routine duty on the frontier is abo
-, rs follows: The soldier gets $l3 p
hla month straight pay, rations, clothin
IN, and certain allowance which is pa
-, him on the date of his discharge; an
go crease for each years service or rec
- listment; additional remuneration IL pl
nj, NOTED corporal, sergeant or artific'
~ extra pay il worked IA a carpent'
~, plastercr or mechanic, and lots Of 9th
~ perquisites too small TO mention. Qua
II duty is the hardest in the service, a
~, 10 this the soldier is eligible about O
MA day in six.