The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-25
WILSON, sHARPsHOOTEB
The Work at Sea Grit of the Geor-
gIa Crack Shot.

bullseye Of the target; that was the posi-
ton Of Lieut.. f. c. Wilson on the longer
ranges at Sea Girt during the New Jersey
Rifle Associations shoot The lieutenant
comes from Savannah, and Is a dentist.
He is one of tho best all-around shots in
the country With the fingers Of his left
hand he grasped the heel or butt of his
rifle, thus steadying the piece when aim
ing and lessenlng the recoil in shooting.
With the right thumb he pulled the trlg-
ger, while the other four fingers of the
right hand We're back of the hammer
His legs, stretched out at full length to-
ward the target, were crossed, the left
above the right. The barred of his gun
rested just above the left knee as steady
as piece of statuary. This is what they
call Texas grip, and though some like
II, there are many expert rifiemen who
VIII never shoot that way. Lieut.. Wilson
is partial to it, He cap hold his rifle in
the same spot without finching or taking
breath for several minutes.
The Georgia sharpshooter was lying on
the 50O-yard range one afternoon while a
crowd of interested spectators surrounded
him. He is never content with making a
single bullseye, but is always anxious to
put his bullet plumb in the center of the
black. After carefully aiming his piece
Wilson fired. He made a half turn to the
right and his face took on a look of disap-
pointment as though he knew he had
made a poor shot. The target went down
and the marker soon covered the left side
of the bullseye with white disc.
whats the matter, doc?' asked some
one. isn't a bull good enough for your
''Oh, yes" replied Wilson. "A bull is
good enough, but you sec it was a 9 o'clock
bull"
wen, you are particular" said some
one. Then Wilson went on shooting.
At the 200-yard ranges Wilson shows up
to perfection. He has perfect control of
his gun and knows exactly where each
bullet strikes the target long before the
target is pulled down by the markers. He
made a possible 3d. that is, seven clean
bullseyes at 200 yards, without much ap-
parent effort. and when his string was
finished he left the spot as though he had
been a mere spectator. A First regiment
officer from Newark was standing nearby
when Wilson was making his score.
Wilson is a typical southerner," he
said. Don't you think so, too?" The re-
mark was addressed to no one in particu-
lar, but several bystanders replied affirm
atively. Hes just the Ae>@c Oi~fellow that
we hunted during the war" went on the
Newarker. HE $3.50 easy and yet so slip
perry. oh, dear, know them. Mr.. Sure
shot may have been one of the same fell
lows who sat in the branches of trees, or
on the roofs of buildings, picking off
choice union soldiers and officers with I'M
erring aim But that's all past and gone
I'm going to have a talk with that fellow
Say, doc!" Wilson turned, and although
he did not know the officer who addressed
him, he greeted him cordially, saying as
he extended his hand:
81 reckon 1 saw you somewhere, but
I've forgotten. It's good shooting wind
to-day, and there ought to be some fine
scores made"
Say. lieutenant, you seem to have alb
solute control over the trigger of your
gun. I've been watching and wondering
how you manage to get the pull down so
fine"
well l reckon anybody could do the
same thing without half trying" said
Wilson modestly. I'm tell you though
I've been pulling the trigger of that there
gun every time I've had the opportunity
in my office in Savannah during the last
year. And that's the secret of it ALL"
When Lieut.. Wilson made his skirmish
run, every one who knew about il was
watching him. They stood on the piazza
| of the club house and saw the doctor run
| ming down toward the targets from the
| JO0Yard line in regulation style. The rules
| governing the sl1rmish runs called for
| the firing of twenty shots during the run,
| either when running toward or away
from the target. After making twenty
| five yards or so in quick time, the Skin
mishers were ordered on the run, and
| near the 40O-yard mark the command to
halt was given.
Thirty seconds is allowed at each halt.
| The sklrmishers may fire as often during
| that interval as they please, and they are
| permitted to assume any position when
| firing Wilson counted his PAGES when
| running toward the target, and at the
nd half nsla 1,a hxr,
simple example in subtraction. He took a
| moment only to arrange the sight of mis-
! gun. Then he dropped on the ground and
| took the position aseribed above. A puff
| of smoke was followed closely by the re-
port of the explosion of a cartridge; once
more and even a third time before the
command Forward was given. Three
shots in thirty seconds Good shooting, il
| accurate.
At the second halt Wilson fired four. and
four more at the third halt. That meant
a total of eleven shots. At the fourth
halt within $50 yards of the target. VIII
/ son actually got down to work. He filled
his mouth with cartridges while running.
and at the command fell to the ground
as quickly as could be, assumed the
| Texas grip and commenced firing Bang,
| bang, bang!' without intermission. Will
sons piece cracked again and again like
| a repeating rife. Once aimed, the eX-
|
| the empty shell and with a single motion
| conveyed a fresh cartridge from his
| mouth to the chamber of his gun, fired
again and repeated the performance UNI
| til all his ammunition was gone. Eleven
| shots in thirty seconds. The return from
| the targets showed that Wilson was the
! only man whose ammunition had been all
| expended in the forward run. And when
| his score sheet reached the range office
! late that afternoon it was announced that
| Wilson had made IS points out of a posi-
| BILE 100. To make these 9S points he had
| scored no less than eighteen bulls-eyes out
! of a possible twenty, and two close fours
| No wonder he was congratulated.
Wilson tied with IFS with Sergt. Dolan
! Of the Twelfth Regiment New York, in
the Presidents match for the military
! championship OF the United States Bot
| as Dolan made "A better score on the long
ranges the match was awarded to him
| and he is entitled to the title Of cham.
pion military shot OF the country. Dolan
| is a modest, unassuming fellow, and saws
| but little to any one. Then there's Capt.
| Cam OF Georgia, who won the VIM
| bleton cup match at 1000 yards and Lieut.
| Graham OF Washington. who. as anchor
for the Washington state team. had nerve
enough to win the Hilton trtphy and sew