New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-11
LAURELS WITH THE RIFLE.
RECORD OF AMERICAN MARkSMEN IN
INTERNATIONAL MATCHES.
TIE SPORT NOW CONFINED CHIEFLY TO THE
NATIONAL GUARD AND THE ARMY-IM-
pORTANCE OF TARGET PRAC-


the history OF the DEVELOPMENT OF the Nation. In
the Colonial days not only food. but life. fire.
quertly depended upon the settlers ability TO shoot
straight The farmer at the plough ana the puritan
going 10 church each took his gun with him The
custom OF the father standing at a pew door and
permitting his family file In before him while he
takes the seat nearest the aisle ia based upon the
fact that he must he ready to rush out promptly
with HIS weapon I'm Of an Indian attack
Untl within the memory OF men Of middle age
deer and other large game were plentiful. ana the
number OF hunters accustomed to the use OF the
rife was large. This fact led constant competi-
lions and American rihemen became renowned for
their skill Gradually the country became set
tied large game became scarce, and the shotgun
suppanted the rife During the Civil War the
volunteers really familiar with the use OF the rifle
came almost entirely from Maine. Michigan Wis
consin and the mountainous regions OF Newly ork
Pennsylvania and similar States. The great major
ty particularly from the Cities. were absolutely
ignorant Of its The Southern soldiers. on the
other hand living they did I'm a more sparcely
settled country, were almost universally good shots.
and in this respect had tho great advantage over
the Northern troops. There were then a few
rife clubs In those the shooting done with
telescope target rifles with hair triggers. These
were enormous affairs weighing from fifteen TO
thrty-ive pounds-more Ike cannons than guns
and were fired from a fixed rest short distances.
usually forty rods
THE FIRST RIFLE PRACTICE.
Although the war had demonstrated the ignor-
ance OF soldiers III the use of their rifles. no at
tempt whatever was made in the Regular Army to
provide any method for their instruction The 22d
Regiment OF this city. took up the matter and be-
gan regularly TO train its 20 shoot under
system which IL had prepared. This subse-
quenty expanded into "Wingate's Manual OF Rife
Practice" which for a number Of years tho
standard and in fact the only work on the subject
III this country This led the formation Of the
National Rifle Association and the establishment OF
Creedmoor in 1872. TO the construction of which
gave many happy years. This range was originally
established by military mon for the purpose OF In
structing soldiers in shooting While matches
instituted for on-hand shooting with sporting
rifles II was not contemplated that there would he
shooting OF any consequence with any other rifles.
A small club organized OF which was presi-
dent, known as the Amateur Rife club among the
members OF which Judge GNdersleeve Cen
eral Ddkin. Colonel Bodine Major Fulton and
others who afterward became celebrated rlfcmer.
This club established n series Of matches at Jc0
yards. which then considered very long dis
lance. with sporting rifles. 1t happened how
that IN 1873 the Irish Of ons-range rife
men had The match a, Wimbledon FOR The
Elcho Shield by score previously unparalleled
Major Bennerhassett Leech their captain. looking
FOR more worlds 20 conquer sent 20 THE New-York
Herald" n challenge TO American rinemen 70 shoot
MS team IN 1919, contest at trcedmOoT. or s'i
900 and 1000 yards. shots AZ each distance
weapon any rife under ten pounds IN weight with
out telescope sights and with trigger pull OF At
least three pounds.
THE GAUNTLET PICKED UP.
This matter was brought up before the National
Rife Association. but Il was too dignined a body .
pay any attention to publication in a newspaper
The Amateur Rihe CLUB was not so particular and
having received assurances from the two princ!-
pal rife makers Remington and SHARP that they
would manufacture the necessary rifles accepted
the challenge. In the light Of subsequent expert
ence this acceptance rashress carried To the
verge Of absurdty The club then had n member
ship Of some forty. ~ whom only thirty were
shooting men or these there were only one or
TWO VINO had over shot over 30 Yards None
u them had eyer shot Al over 50 yards The rifles
they had were not sufficiently powerful 20 do ac-
curate shooting at tho distances named IN the
match and provided with me crIdosi Kind
Of sights, single ono having wind gauge,
withou, which accurate long-range shooting il At
mpossoi.ity.
Their opponents were the champions ~ Great
Britain and were furnished with rlfcs thoroughly
adapted for the work and with tho IA" of which
they had been familiar for years The club. hav-
ing accepted he challenge. went 10 work 20 Pc
cure a team which would win and honored mo ny
appointing me ifs captain ~ this time m" spring
Of 1874 had arrived. and tho Remington and Sharp
companies hAd 'uFi'' NIl rpf'lit rlH'N. NihH
were both fully az good as the Medford and Righy
rifles used by the Irish. They had the further ad-
vantage 81 being bre"ch-l1ad"rs which enabled
them 10 be certainly ana easily cleaned Will" mo
Irish shot as individuals the Americans developed
tho system ~ team shooting. that Is 10 say. m"
CAPTAIN OF the team kept record % m" shoot
ing upon different days. az 10 asccr ain tho cor
RESPONDING elevation upon each rife NJ each 81 his
mon In these matchcs ono OF the team stood h"-
hind the one who was lying down % fire. aud as
soon as the shot was marked was told b; inc cap
tain what tho elevation Of his rife should b" ana
ia conform 10 IT, lie a. one" adjusted hiS r'h"
sigh, accordingly and Law down and fred. The
prac,ice thus being assmilated rs much a. possio"
10 the continuous firing Of sinsl" man. while the
1risbncn all shot on their face the Americans de-
,oopod the back position which Was much more
STEADY
AMERICAS VICTORIES.
The match took place n Creedmoor on sep'en'"''
DC 1874 and after n most exciting contest was Won
~, , h,ll's-oye made upon the last shot by Colonci
Iohn Rodine WI thereby earned the name "r ''h
po,.hIe !, return match was held At Daily
mount Ireland where the Americans Won by ~
points In 1875 another match was held NJ 'recu-
moor between the Americans. irish. Sc"tt'S"' Nu4
tralian and Canadian teams. the Americans VIII
ming b % points over the Irish - over the Scotch
a over the Australians and 2o3 over Canada
further match was held at Creedmoor In S,i pc
tween the combined British Rih"men ana an Atht'
team team. - when thF '"'''' WIZ w ''' ''
e. points ..,.., o.os,s ,.,s IN
,,ivc an extraordinary impetus throughout IN"
country TO rine-shooting OF All descriptions. not
ONLY were long-range rife clubs formed ali over
bui in addition much more interest was created IN
no-shooting IN general This largely helped 10
calsc the system Of instnctinc the soldiers IN
shooting as u necessary part OF tn"lr drll, "flct
had originated IN the state. 10 be taken up ny all
me states possessing National Guard. and Tor a
number OF wears teams representing the guards OF
Massachusetts Connecticut. Maine, New-Jcrsey,
Pennsylvania Michigan. and even California, ap.
rcd at r,ebm o Sn
and other interstate matches.
. After the National Guard had been carrying on
these for two years the Regular Army
began to take the matter up. The FIRST team from
the infantry that appeared at ,reedmoor suffered
a most hurniliating defeat. This however. stimu-
lated instead of depressed the Regulars They
practiced steadily. and I'm year or two were
rnnLa hot 10 tInnnl lIlIAEl II