The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-05
1T IS SAvANNAHS VICTORY.
sAVANNAH's MILITARY MEN RE
JOGGING At THE REPORT
PROM SEA GIRT.


fort for the Hilton TroPhy-Hov
the Team Was Gotten ~ and the
work Ii Took 10 Make Prize
winners.
The news that the Georgia team had
won the interstate military match ar Sea
Grit was the talk Of the town yesterday
afternoon and last night. The members
of the team at Sea Gir- could hardly have
felt any better over their victory than did
their friends at home.
The news OF the victory was received by
the Morning News shortly after o'clock
in the afternoon and the announcement
placed on the bulletin board Immediately.
The News spread rapidly and from the
time the bulletin was posted until night
fan there was crowd around the board.
The Morning News telephones were kept
constantly ringing, and in nearly every
instance the party al the other end Of the
wire wanted to know If il was really true
that the Georgia team had won the
match.
A great many were afraid that the news
was too good to be true and that there
was some mistake somewhere. The opin-
ion was frequently expressed that it must
have been the regimental match, which
had been won by the Guards team, as the
team had stood third in the shooting the
day before, and had a good chance to come
out ahead on the close Fortunately this
was not the case and it really was the in
terstate military match, one Of the i'm
portant events Of the meet, which had
been won by the boys from Savannah. As
will be seen by the special dispatch to
the Morning News from Sea Grit this
morning the Guards team has a good
shance TO come out winner in the regi-
mental match which will be concluded
to-day.
Col. William Garrard received a dis
patch from Capt. w. W. Williamson, who
is in command of the team, announcing
the victory. Col. Garrard replied at once,
congratulating the team on its good
work Mayor Myers, as will be seen from
the dispatch, appeared upon the scene
just at the right time to congratulate the
boys.
Although the team is entered as the
Georgia team, according TO the require
ments of the match, il is q Savannah
team In every sense Of the word. Every
man on it is a Savannah man. There
was not even an Atlanta pennant around
10 be waved in front of the procession
and claim a share of the glory. The
members of the team are all members of
two organizations, the Savannah Nolun-
teer Guards and the Georgia Hussars.
The First Volunteer Regiment would
have been represented on the team in
the person of Capt. w. N. Nichols, its
inspector OF rifle practice, but, unfortu-
nately, Capt. Nichols was prevented from
going at the last moment The men Of
the regiment are just as ready TO join in
honoring the victors, however, as If they
had full representation on the team.
They viii see TO II that they get a man
or two on next year.
The success of the team is due TO the
determined work Of few men. When
Capt. ]. G. Postell. inspector Of rife prac-
tice Of the First cavalry, succeeded in
getting together team TO attend the in
terstate match at Sea Girt last year there
was not much interest in the matter and
it was with considerable difficulty that
team was gotten together. Although the
team came out sixth in the shoot of the
Hilton trophy ii was seen that II had done
good work under difficulties, which at
tracted attention not only among the
marksmen at home, but at the north as
well, and resulted in the visit Of the New
Jersey sharpshoOters to Savannah last
winter, when they proved an easy prey 10
the Savannah men.
Those who had been the moving spirits
in taking the first team to Sea Girt were
determined to take team there again this
year and out of this determination grew
the Savannah Sharpshooters club whose
special purpose was to train a team for
Sea Girt, Capt w. w. Williamson, who
though not a sharpshooter had taken
great deal of interest in the work was
elected captain The interest which Capt
Williamson has since taken in the work
of the team has shown the wisdom of the
selection. The amount of work done by
the members of the team in preparing
themselves for this expedition is some
thing of which the average citizen has
no idea. For over three months they have
been practicing steadily from two to three
afternoons a week. The weather, 1t will be
membered, was very unpleasant during
this time. 1t was very hot and there was
a great deal Of rain. The team had all
these disadvantages to contend with. Yet
when an effort was made to raise funds
TO assist in defraying the expenses of the
team some refused to contribute on the
ground that it was a pleasure junket for
the members of the team. 1t was work,
not play, that the team went to do and
they seem TO have done it,
The team may be said TO have won un-
der handicap. OF the fifteen men who
We're chosen TO go to Sea Girt, Capt Mich
OILS, as already stated, was prevented from
going at the last moment. He was one OF
the best shots, and it was impossible TO
fill his place. This reduced the team to
fourteen men. After arriving at Sea Girt.
Mr.. J. G. Nelson was taken sick and was
prevented from going into the match. This
was another serious loss. This cut the list
down to thirteen and as ii was necessary
TO enter twelve men for the match. this
left only one substitute. An accident or
more sickness might have knocked the
team out altogether
The most important match of the meet.
the shoot for the Hilton trophy, viii take
place to-day. The Savannah team is ex-
pected to enter this match, but with the
hard work and excitement of the last two
days il is hardly in condition to prove a
winner, and the friends of the team will
be satisfied TO hear that it obtained a
place near the top. Next year. perhaps,
the Savannah team viii go after the Hill
ton trophy.
The team will be given an ovation on
its return, and this will doubtless take
the shape of a reception of some kind.
The opinion was expressed by many mil
itary men last night that the team should
be received with military honors by a
turnout of all the military in the city
he sat nF