Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-05-21
HEAvY ARTILLERYMEN.
THEIR DUTIES MAKE PRACTICAL
SCIENTISTS OF THEM.
his Branch OF the Service 10 Now the
No.s Important In the Armv-Ms-
neu~~r- That Drive the Recruit tn
Desperation Mastery OF Big Guns


.;udies as 20 make il independent of
he other branches OF the service
lust now the heavy artillery branch
the most important in the army.
md IL Is therefore pertinent - set
orth the fac: that some military critics
rave for many years maintained thai
90 much work and too many drtlls
re saddled upon the heavy artillery
nan.
The light aralleryman' drills are
many and has duties are heavy. but he
: consolei for this IN the redectlon
hat be belongs - the crack branch IN II
he whole military outfit. Foreign
military critics Of eminence have IN .
iesitatingly pronounced the ten bat
eries OF light artillery Of the United
states Army 20 be unsurpassed IN the
world for borsemanship aud rapid and
.cientifc handling OF the pieces. But
Thile the American artllleryman has
tot TO be as nimhle ss an acrobat, aud
an absolute master OF hOrsenans hip.
le does not have - use his head nearly
- much as his conTade n the heavy
artillery.
An artillery recruit can be rapidly
'ashioned into an automatic carrier Of
ammunition. and IN the course Of
ex drills. = he be quick witted. be
an master the duties demanded 10y
ais one particular number on bic
run's crew. Bat il takes years of
Iertness and attention aud consider
3 lble study besides for the cieverest
4 .ecruit 70 become q good heavy artil-
I ervman in the American Army. II
$ commonly known among artillery
/ nen that b. the time an artiliervman
the heavy branch has put in three
ears enlistment he has picked mp
lnlv a smatterng OF the small duties
.nd drills imposed upon him as the
ieavv artillery service Is a. present
organized. But men Of late years
nave been getting enough Of il IN three
ears experience and II they re enlist
gain a Crea; mauy OF them join the
'douzh-boys" IL the infantry reCi-
nents. for the sake Of the compare
lively easy -one soldier. one gun.
iuty required OF the infantry. IN the
first place the heavy artillervmau
las - become proficient IA infantry
irills
Up TO within few years ago the
aeavv artil cry branch waS laull-
anped BY be lack Of modern guns
spoa WHICH TO drill Even az tbe
present time many artillervmen IN ths
leavv batteries have hal no oppor
/ unity % drill upon modern hreecA
calling rifles such a. are az Iort Pom
lad will be a, the Deaver resurve.
lnd Bolivar Point fortincatlons. Ihei'
al the difference ia the world be
.xeen Q muzzle-l0aiing anl breecl
oaiiuC great gun. all the drill upo
each gun h. entirely different L p
luires aboa. two-;hirls 81 "a entir
battery q operate ooe Of these ID
ruus. Ias men are drilled upon t-e-
= 0y numbers. The gunner give Ai
y commands aud each mal has Gel
= tain work 10 perform, bu; eacA j. r
c 7uired u master the duties az ever
.e member os the guu's crew, aud {.
70 tL.s purpose he J. SHIFTED about FRO.
e )aa number 10 another.
& A. there are a thousand and one {
1i -7-e movements 20 be executed
% zetting a great gun served and mt
. 6riug position. the mastery OF the b
- I'm tactics L. no small matter for
Al aeavy a-tilleryman. Bat there are
a many auxiliary drills besides the =
Dc iantry formation aud drills on the b
oieces. The drills callel mechanic
> nansavres are the bane Of soldiers
as his branch Of the service. Proper
ne mechanical maneuvers belong - Z
er engineers. They consist Of monnt'
w and dismolnting the big guns, a.
ed The heavy artilleryman Is expected
AZ master the uses Of al the paraphe
IL. nalia required II this work-alme
-. every style Of gun, jack and tack
~ (. = very hard labor. and besides
a Is dangerous. There have been sol
>, .erious and few fatal accidents
-. he army caused by the attempts
heavy artiilerymen. unfamiliar "
The work. - mount and dismoGnt
guns.
~, Another naneuver that drives
-. desperation heavy artillery recru
a aud sonetilaes old timers. too, -
az instrument drill. This Is sprung al
80 he has had time 10 become somew
familiar with few Of the other dri
It's ia this instrument drill that
heavy artillerynan "a expected 10
Ia velop Into a fair amateur sclentl
~ Some If the artilierymen become