Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-24
AN EXCELLENT RECORD.
Splendid Field Work by the
Seventh Infantry.
"A Score That Greatly Surprises Regu
lar Army Officers.
A Circular Letter to Los Angeles Busi.
ness Men Regarding tho Eneamp-
ment-General Gossip of the
National Guard.


San Pedro last Sunday, under command
of Lieutenant Henry Steere, was GER
tsinly most creditable and in some re-
spects remarkable. The percentage oI
hits made was 1899, and Lieutenant
Collins, inspector of rife practice, has
requested detailed report for the bene.
fit of the war department. When it is
remembered that "a per cent of hits on
a 800 yard range is.considered splendid
showing IN the regular army, the work
of the detachment of the Seventh on un-
known distances, ranging from $50 to 1z5
yards, in scoring per centage of 1890
is certainly most creditable. Lieutenant
Collins of the regulars is highly pleased
with the showing made. A summary
of the field operations is given herewith :
A force consisting of thirty-four Off
GERS and men. composed principally of
Company A, the balance from Company
f., and musicians from our drum and
bugle corps, reached San Pedro at 8 :l5
am. The men ior special duty were as.
signed and instructed on the journey
down, and at about 9:40 am, from q
convenient point on the bluff overlook
ing the harbor, the movement for an at
tack upon supposed infantry force, re-
ported to be in position somewhere
north OF the town, was begun.
The enemy was represented by six
silhouette targets, such as those used by
the army for skirmish firing; two stand
ing, two kneeling and two prone, set
about three feet apart. Two men sent
down the previous day had placed them
in position, and upon arrival of the
command, gave to the commanding Off
Ger simply the general direction. The
object being to give the scouts and
hankers the work OF locating and report
ing promptly.
Three musicians were detailed as
scouts, three as fankers and two for
service under corporal to keep the
firing line supplied with ammunition.
Two good shots were detailed as sharp
shooters.
After skeletonizing the fours, three
squads remained, which, as matter OF
instruction, were divided and called two
piatoons, two IN one, one squad in the
other.
The scouts were started ahead. the
sflankers taking the two streets parallel.
When the scouts had advanced about
two hundred and fifty yards the column
started, and had barely marched three
hundred yards when scout signalled.
enemy in sight," and came back on
the run to report direction, etc,
Within couple of hundred yards the
enemy was sighted, backed against a
low range OF hills at distance of about
one Thousand yards. The command
came into company 'front.'" formed for
attack, using the largest platoon for the
firing line, then, line of squads, and fol-
lowed by deploying at about nine hun
dred yards, where the firing line was
halted behind the cover afforded by
trench being dug for water main, and
sharpshooters opened fire to ''feel" and
get the range of the enemy, which it
was found had been correctly estimated.
The firing line then pushed forward
about seventy-five yards, and fred two
volleys kneeling. Squad leaders report
ed to Lieutenant Baldwin, commanding
the firing line, that the enemy could be
but partly seen kneeling, when another
advance was ordered by Lieutenant
Steere, of some fifty yards. Here the
line halted and two volleys were fred
by squad, the bullets striking very
closely about the enemy.
The firing line advanced to within
about 500 yards, halting, and firing two
volleys by squad several times, the fire
being we'll controlled and volleys fairly
good; reloaded ammunition, however,
frequently, sticking and making the
action slower and less spirited than it
would have been had we been using
service ammunition. At about 600
yards the men are lying down at each
halt. At 800 yards, the support COM
posed of the volunteers under Captain
Chappalear of Company f, reinforced
the flank, when the entire line advanced
handsomely with rush for about fifty
yards. From here up to within about
175 yards, the line advanced by rushes
by platoons; the men quickly learning
to make the rush at the first volley OF
the leading platoon, and going forward
with spirit.
At about 175 yards rapid fire was
ordered. Platoon commanders had
bayonets fixed and sights laid down
the men fred with considerable DELHI
Grafton considering the almost inevita-
BILE hurry of men firing at will. Lieu
tenant Steere took the lead. Immedi-
ately upon sicease firing" ito the
charge, march l'' promised to be foot
AdCOs AAlCs hOWOfCI, WAS CuCChcu, bu6
line swinging up at good gait. At
alb ut 80 yards the command to charge
was given, which was taken up by the
bugler, when the line sprang forward,
down into small, dry arroyo, Chamber
ing up the opposite side and carrying
the position with ringing cheer. The
assembly was sounded, and the squad
leaders detailed to carefully count the
bullet holes in the targets and report
with the number of shots fred by the
men of their respective squads.
Before putting the command in march
Lieutenant Steere had each squad lead
er take the number of cartridges carried
by his men, and after the action verify
the expenditure.
The result is as follows:
Hits on the standing figures es.........28 %
Hits on the kneeling figures s.................24
Illus on the prone figures. IL
SHOTS FIRED.
By first squad, z men,. en...................11
BY second squad, men. Observation-Disclosures. 80
By third squad, men, (support) ......... 73
oy ysnarpsnooters- .....---.....-............. 40
Total shots fred 327
Percentage of hits, 1899.
Better results would have been at
tanned had the men faithfully adjusted
their sights to the range named by the
commander of the firing line. The in
dividual Judgment of some of the men
did not agree with that of the officer or