Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-10


enemy, where It is every man for himself.
the men are likely to become separated.
ana when alone defending themselves Il IL
OF the utmost importance that the soldier
may not only be able to shoot STRAIGHT.
Dut nat he should know that he can. This
was torcibly illustrated By the experience
on , hentuoklan who was I'm one Of the
regiments In my IN the Philip
pines. The man was separated from re-
squad and cut of By a band OF Insurgents.
He was out three days tstore he WAS
rescued BY a party sent to find him. ana
in that time he killed forty Fiiiplnoe. ao-
coroing to his own statement. ana the
t1ipinos Of the party admitted when cap
tured that they had buried eighteen Of
the men At whom he had shot. The man
salo That when be found himself alone
Win the insurgent band between him and
ms Fellows he fred three shots which did
not take effect. Then he became aroused To
ms situation and from that time on, he
SAID, he did not miss once. At the time
the rescue party appeared he believed
that the shooting meant a renewal of the
rush upon the hole in which he had con-
cealed himself. and resolving to sell his
life dearly he braced himself against a
tree aud shot at the nearest OF the enemy.
AZ that moment the Americans broke
through the ines and the Kentucktan
tainted In the arms Of his comrades"
Result Of Experience.
Not only the general, but other ofacers
OF the army. say that such deeds could
only be performed by men who had had ex-
perience not only in the ordinary duty Of
soldier life. but at the targets. where they
learn exactly what they can do with the
guns which they carry.
With this high idea OF the benefits TO be
derived from Individual practice and COM
petition, which creates interest IN the
practice, It is not strange that when called
upon to SIT on a board to prepare rules for
the competition the general paid great at
tentton 20 the work. and was one of the
men who arranged the present reguIatiopz.
which are considered the best which kave
ever been prepared.
The rules not only were changed TO
allow for the difference in guns. but an
important innovation was made in separat-
Ing the officers and men in the competi-
IONS Speaking Of this innovation a for
mer enlisted man who has taken part IN
several competitions said:
ION the part Of the enlisted men tbers
was q feeling that the ofncers had a little
the better Of 1t when II came to the COM
petitions. To Illustrate what i mean
Will relate an incident which took place At
Fort Wingate. Ariz.. in the sos. A captain.
VINO is now a colonel. wanted to represent
tne company at a departmental shoot at the
bellevue rine range. He was already a
distinguished marksman' and SO was I. A
rule had been promulgated that during the
competition Of the regiment no one would
be permitted to practice except at the times
in the rules. Al that time we shot
In tho morning only. The struggle was at
he skirmisb nring. as l was weak in that
particular. This captain, after the DAYS
contest was over, would load the skiruisb
targets on q wagon and with a number Of
men, including q bugler detailed from his
company, would go out on the prairie a mile
or more from the post and practice all
afternoon. The soldiers could not do this.
@aS StS aSs ssssS Tat S@ssTs should %
permitted to-"
Tended to AXE Discipline.
Not only did the superior advantages
Of the officers appeal to the board chang
ing the rules, but. some of the members Of
the board believed that the competition
officers and men on equal terms
tended to weaken discipline. In this con-
a story is told by one OF the old
guard. Shortly after the war, when the
competitions were resumed. Generals Sher-
idan and sherman were present at a range
where a captain and q private were shoot
Ing side by side at a target. Little Phil
to the hero who had marched to
the sea and said:
What would the generals Of the old
have said had they seen such a mix
ing OF ranks ?"
III old Bull Sumner had seen IT," re-
piled General Sherman, The would have had
US all arrested for permitting IT."
1t was the cooperation Of both Of these
thoughts which caused the board to provide
competitions for the ofioers and
men. As It is Of more Importance that the
men be good marksmen with the rife than
hat the officers be sNch, the opportunity
Tor the men Is gfved thu widest scope. In
posts the men are encouraged to practice
~ often as possible with lhe rife and the
competitions are held annually.
The regulations provide that upon the even
years there shall be a competition
the army, and at hat competition there
Is held a competition among the officers.
The officers who are to take part In the
competition are placed In charge Of
the competition OF the army and after the +
men have decided their relative ranks as
marksmen the onhcers' competition takes
place. The officers who are to compete are
selected BY the colonies Of the regiments.
while for the competition Of the enlisted
men the captains Of companies make the
selection.
How 60 Get ON the Team.
In selecting them to take part In the
nnual competitions the captains are not
solely governed by the ability Of the men
As marksmen. the regulations requiring
hem to take into consideration the mans
record as a soldier. With this provision
he men who take part IN the contests are
not only good marksmen, but they are the