The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-11
MARkSMEN on HORSEBACK.
VALUE OF MOUNTED INFANTRY
PROVED IN THE CIVIL WAN.
Use Of Mountea ShaFpsA00ters In
sheFman's APDy The Telling
shot OF m Illinois Wooasnan.

Mr.. Roosevelt's idea OF q regiment OF
mounted ri5emen," said a veteran OF Sher-
mans army 20 a New York Sun reporter.
has a good deal Of merit Both Grant
and Sherman found use fer regiments OK
mounted infantry, armed with something
heavier than the cavalry carbane and with
out the sabre. but Sherman mad the
greater opportunity to find their value.
The same reason led Grant TO depart from
the traditional European methods IN EN-
ploying thin skirmisn hne-tne lack OK
roads and the rougher country with tits
heavy underbrush-made the opportunity
for such an irregular arm as the mounted
infantry. Ny own regiment had the good
fortune. after fighting as Infantry in many
heavy battles. to be mounted. The men
had. al their own expense. gradually
armed themselves with the Henri sixteen
shooterl rife. This put them under con-
slant call for the skirrnish line. winch was
their fret object IN buying the guns Be-
Ing Irregular. they were not assigned to
place In the marching columns. except
that they were to be well ar the front. In
the Atlanta campaign they struggled
good deal. getting of the line ana invad-
ing country where the main body never
went Some OF them picked up korAes and
mules and became self-constituted scouts.
This led to the mounting of The whole
regiment. the men finding their own ami
mails. They did work that could hardly
bave been done by the cavalry with their
equipments.
"The.r rifles were effective. ana they
could feel Of the enemy in spots where il
would be unsafe for troops otherwise
equipped TO go. Often IL was touch and
20, and sometimes Yhey created co3sterna-
ton by appearing between two columns OF
the enemy and giving rise to the belief
,at H. a. f..I - L.
supposed that anything less than a large
force would venture in such quarters. To
have infantry fire and infantry organiza.
ton on wings proved to be an important
advantage. The regiment was especially
useful on the march TO the Sea, az IL must
always be when an army cuts loose from
its source of supplies and depends largely
on the country for support. The men were
scouts, ekirmishers and foragers accord
ing TO circumstances. and when they found
the enemy away from the main columns
they dismounted and served as infantry
In this way they aided in keeping the line
of march of their corps, and sometimes of
corps on another road, free from OBJ
stacles. Among other enemies they en-
countered were the Georgia Home Guards.
made up of Confederates who were at
home on account of wounds and OF all the
various men who for any reason were no,
In the field. AT times these home guards
made trouble by destroying bridges on the
approach Of the Federals, and some imes
they showed fight But the best service
Of the mounted infantry In that campaign
was in guarding forage trains when X was
necessary 10 gather supplies al long DIS
lance from thu main body. The first of
Shermans 'bgmmers' were stragglers rom
such irregulars.
Regiment of Hunters.
"fn the case of such troops there was
no better craftsmanship than in the army
generally. Their guns were lighter and
better. but the chief advantage was in the,
rapidly OF their fire. There were, how
ever. infantry regiments here and there.
in which most of the men were crack
shots. One Illinois regiment in particular.
the Sixty-sixth. I think, was recruited
from men who were experienced hunters
capable OF hitting the bulrs-eye at dis
lance that would tax the skill OF the orii.
nary soldier TO hit the target at ALL The
regiment had more old men shan airy other
that l ever saw, and II was almost con.
spicuous for its lack Of style n drill. The
men looked the hunters they we~a-men of
the woods mostly, with the long stride and
rounded shoulders of the traditional woods
man. Their dress was distinguished from
that OF the other men by green braid.
Probably everybody knows that the braid
or the cavalry Is yellow. of the artillery
of them were armed with their own rifles,
perhaps used long before the war. of many
patterns, and not so well adapted 20 the
manual OF arms as the army musket, but
much better for fine shooting This veg
not "A new arm Of the service. bu. Prob
ably regiments Of sharpshcoters. as dis
t,nsushed from squads and individuals
were rare before the American civil war.
In the main they performed the same
service as ether infantry regiments, but
they had the preference on the skirm.sh
Inc. The Confcderates made more use Of
sharpshooters than the Federals Wher.
ever Il was possible in an engagement the
et,emy posted shaypshooters where they
could command certain points for The ptIr-
pose OF picking or gunners and conspicu.
Gus officers. Such shsrpshoo:er killed
Gen. Sedgwick when IN apparent safety
he WAS examining the ground ~ front OF
his command. Il vas this service that
was most often required Of the Confed-
crate soldier whose aim was true. The
Federals, on me other hand. trusted 10 the
ordinary pckets. most OF whom were NOT
. marksmen. 10 prevent Confederate gen.
erals from approaching TOO close 10 onr
lines in search OF Information. In tie
event Of charge on line OF Confed.
crate works there was always a sharp
shooter on duty 10 pick of snybody who
appeared TO lead and give dash 10 thu
enterprise.
An Effective shot.
''It was In the battle OF Corinth I'm Miss
iSsippi. tina. I first saw an effective shot
! by one Of the Illinois shavpshooters. /,
was just before the final desperate and
unavaiiing assault on Battery R0binet It
VAS said that the C0afedera;es Who made
the charge were a forlorn hope-nen who
had volunteered Cor an almost hopeless
undertaking which no officer would order
( his men 10 attempt Unless the battery
coud be- SiieuCed. Price and Van Dorm
could never enter Corinth. The men knew
where they were going ard why. aud could
have lttle doubt OF thsir fa;e. They were
. All veterans ana the courage required ot
thern Was as reckless as that DISPLAYED ~
the Light Brigade AZ Ralakiava- The most
desperate CT all was the chapialn of a
Texas regiment. who charged pistol IN
hand. The enemy had posted sAArpshoot.
eg,s n he trees nearest the battery for the
obvious purpose Of picking OF gunnsrs
vAcn the assault should be ra4e We