The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-04
COMPANY A WON THE MATCH.
GUARDS AGAIN SHOWED THEIR
ABILITY WITH THE RIFLE.

of SsI-tompuny 81 the tuhFoN
second with 532-GoVernor's Horse
Guard Team Ranked THIRD with
a22-CIo-e Competition Of These
Tcams-Thtrts Teams Were Entcr-
ed for the Contest, which Was Not
Concluded because of Darkness.
II WIN ne Finished To-day-car-
bfne and ReEimentni Matches VIII
nr shat-scorcs Were Law because
Of Adverse Conditions.
The nrst day OF the second annual car
blne ana rifle competition Tor Georgia
state Troops has passed and hut ore thAna
marred its success. That was the beastiy
wind thar prevailed throughout the shoot
ing. preventing tho excellent scores that
were expected from some OF the tcams
and arousinC the ire Of tho marksmen.
seldom do such adverse conditions ns
those Of yesterday prevail ON the range.
il is frequently the case that the soldiers
have 10 shoot IN "a strong wind. but it is
Usually true that such winds have TIE
attending circumstances % almost unde-
waiting direction. This was not true Of the
ashtan production Of the elements that
swept lp the range an day. blowing first
10 one side and then TO the other. keep
ing the members Of the team busiiy EN-
ployed in shifting AMI altering windase
ard elevation after almost every ehot
There were men shooting who account
Il no singular feat 20 make string Of
five bulrs-eyes. Some Of the crack local
shots and some Of the visitors have such
achievements to their records. but they
were not duplicated in the contest. ON the
contrary. those who are accustomed 10
snade anywhere from = 10 . az zoo and q"
yards had 70 be- content IL they managed
40 pull out az s0oi 10 o. %.
In but one instance id the shooting ap-
proximate thst which usually prevails
upon the range when there f. gathering
of the celebrated Savannah msrksmen.
That was when Lieut.. +. c. Wilson was
at work with Company c. team o. the
Guards al the CO.. yards range. whore he
made a score or -. scoring four bulls
eyes There were other ranges where he
did not shoot up 10 HE usual form
The company match for the De Soto
trophy was the event II was not finish
ed. there being ten teams yet 20 complete
their scores Great interest was centered
in .he match not only as 90 the winning
team but az 10 the other places up near
the top and generous competition was
conspicuously observable The teams that
are yet 10 finish their scores cannot make
enough az the 00o yards range. ana the
skirrnish 20 become dangerous for the
leaders In the shooting OF the first day.
ana II may be positively stated. despite
the fact that the match Is yet unfinished.
that he winner H. Company OF the Sa-
vanuah Volunteer Guards
The De Soto cup. therefore. the trophy
20 go 20 the winning team, Will be held in
Savannah. IL viii probably be formally
turned over TO Company \ upon the con
ciusion OF the shoot this afternoon. The
score made by Company 4 was 81. which
led the next competitor. Company Of
the Savannah Volunteer Guards. by -
points The Governors Horse Guards
from Atlanta, were third. with a score OF
b22.
The contest among the three leading
teams was the prettiest and most inter-
eeting II was Atlanta against Savannah,
and the Savannah men were as keen 20
have ono OF the local teams win as the
Aflanfiana were 10 capture the prize for
themselves They worked manfully for
a. too shooting. not with their own wea-
ron. the carbsnc. the arm OF the cavalry.
but with the iufansry's Springfield.
The blackhoards upon which the scores
the three leading teams were shooting
and Il was clear almost from the start
that the place 81 honor would rest with
one OF the three. All were shooting In
rather close succession. because the draw
ing for the order OF Contestants 80 or
dained. and Il happened that the team
from Company and from the Horse
Guards shot az the same time on ths IN
and the coo yard ranges Every shot was
watched with the closest attention. but
the Horse Guards were playing losing
game almost from the starr. Company
was ahead OF them Tor two ranges. and
Company A was behind but Company p
lost at 600 yards and Company A
gained there though Company r
regained the lead farther along and
Company A increased its start over the
Atlantians.
To-day viii demonstrate tho shooting
abilities Of she Horse Guards with the
carbiue. ard Il II expected that they will
win. At least a wouad ~ no great sur
prise to anybody " they should. though
the three or four teams Of cavalrymen
who viii enser the match with them. are
determined TO give them struggle.
So close was the competition between
The teams from the Guards and the Horse
Guards that representatives OF bosh or
sanlzaaleas Here hand 70 SEQ - any
thing might develop TO form basir for
q en4tiehNe or protest. rms was ~ thor
ough good spirit. but the teams felt that
they should have on that was coming
90 them" and none OF tho members pro-
posed to have any little technical point
initiate against them in favor OF the
other people.
The shooting began az about s:f5 in the
morning The captains of the thirty teams
that participated IN the contest drew for
the order in which they were 10 shoot al
o'clcck. Capt w y. Consy. adiutant Of
the First Infantry. conducting tho draw
tng. This having been dAtefmined. the bali
was started 60 rolling ~ 300 yards. where
Capt. w ". Williamson was In charge.
a number OF the enlisted men and officers
Of local commands rendered assistance az
that range and the others. and Col. Cam.
under whose direction the match IL held.
was aporeciative % their service.
II was clear from the start that no very
high scores were 20 be made. for some Of
the crack shots In the Guards followed
soon after the less expert shots that led
OF for two or three Of the visiting teams.
and twos ana threos where fours and
fives are the rule showed conclusiveiv
thai there was something wrong II was
the wind. AZ the marxsmcn declared after
the first two or three shots
Al the 200 and 800 yards ranges the
shooting progressed rapidly. and by din
ner time all the teams had completed their
work there. A. the 500 yards range. how