Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-09-22
MILITARY DEAD SHOTS.
Army Authorities Encouraging Competi.
ton In Rifle Practice.

MILL AhI DEAD SHOTS.
Army Authorities Encouraging Competi.
ton in Rifle Practice.
In any war in the future in which the
United States may become involved her
armies will be literally supplied with
trained sharpshooters, the terror of Of
ficers and artillerymen. During the
late war the value of this class of
marksmen was demonstrated even by
the crude material which formed Ber-
dams sharpshooters and other similar
organizations on the union side, and the
famous Mississippi and Arkansas squir-
rel-shooter rilemen in the confederate
armies The large record of casualties
among officers of high rank on both
sides was due in great measure to the
unerring aim Of sharpshooters concealed
from view in their covert abode.
Gen. G. w. Flagler, chief of ordnance,
United States army, informed a Post
reporter that he was taking much in
terest in the subject of workmanship
in the regular army and has formulated
a plan for bringing that branch of the
service up to high state of proficiency
Approaching the necessity of reliable
sharpshooters in the battles of the
future, the government is not at all lax
in its efforts in that direction, and tar
get practice has now become the rule
rather than the exception. To en-
courage and stimulate the soldier boys
in their efforts before the bull's-eye of
the army target and in firing at dummy
figures on imaginary skirmish lines, the
ordnance department has provided
series of handsome gold, silver and
bronze badges as trophies and dis
guished marks in the army, TO be com
peted for by privates and non-com-
missioned officers
There are massive gold badges for
division and regimental contests; silver
badges for the cavalry and infantry,
and neat individual badges. each of
which becomes the personal property of
the winner, to keep for all time. Speci-
mems of these handsome designs are ex-
hibited in case at Gen. Flagler's Office
in the war department
The sharpshooter badge is a silver
Maltese cross, pendant from a bar, on
which is the inscription, in plain black
letters. "Sharpshooters." Another de-
sign is a silver bar inscribed, Marks
man" The difference between the
former and latter is that sharpshooter
must earn his laurels over one-thou-
sand-yard rifle range, while the marks
man is only required to attain certain
average over a OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
range. The sharpshooter in each regi-
ment making the best score, up to a
cetain percentage, is then entitled to
enter the contest for the army badge,
handsome, costly and massive gold de-
sign.
These badges were all designed by
Gen. Flagler and are manufactured at
the Rock Island arsenal at much less
cost than the work could be done by |
contract
Gen. Flagler's idea of the future
organization in the army
and which will, no doubt, soon be
adopted by the government, is to select
,ha shooters in each regiment who have
nor, trophies and form them into COM
:. Mes so that when occasion arises
could be combined, forming
!. laroe sharpshooter contingent for use
as required. .,,.
Vile said the general, "a confederate
concealed in large tree
!. .ors;ae-able distance from the union
killed Gen. Whipple as he
was walking along the road at a com
,,srat;velv safe distance from the
snsmv 4 big Minnesotan. who stood
~ feet high and whose smiling
f.ce was as innocent looking as that OF
nm infant. had been watching the puns
y sr,ol,e from the southern soldier
"a concealed in the tree-top- lie nao
10 observed the sad havoc among ms
l-...,,ar officers and men, who had be-
= -, ,-;otins of the rifeman's unerrinR
-. .nd determined to drop the south
49,, lie could not see the concealed
- lint commenced firing through me
s.a,cbes OF the tree, up and down. ioi-
a,,-;,,0 uarailel lines, much after she
'1,,;a,, ~ a farmer planting q fieid OF
,orn- -. c.u..5 the
60 in gray to come SPRAYING
|, ~ 80, 80 tree in squirrel fashion and
~ 20 me the giant soldier from
. =. -. said in the blandest manner.
Z -. - rerfect baby smile, j fetched
i'm, sir aenar+meut
nhotorrsph taken after the desPer- ]