The progress., 1904-03-05
CRACK SHOT or REVOLUTION.
Exploits Of Timothy Murphy, One ~
the Best q Americas sharp-
shooters.

The battle Of Saratoga, fought In Oc
tol,er, 1777. has its place In history q
ore Of the Is decisive battles Of th'
world from Marathon to Waterloo, sc
wrote the English historian. Greasy
and thus far nearly half century hal
elapsed. and his word has never beer
| questioned, says the United Service Re
view.
LIT US look at two characters who
shared In this battle, Col Daniel Nor.
gan, afterward general, ever the stanch
friend Of Washington, and at the date
Of which we write the leader Of zoo
sharpshooters; and Timothy Murphy
the crack shot of Morgan's corps.
Morgan was a far-sighted and clear
headed soldier; he had observed in
the action of October Z. noble-look-
Ing British officer, who, mounted on q
magnificent charged, dashed from one
end of the line to the other. While
this officer lived, Morgan considered
the issue of the contest doubtful one;
he therefore selected u of his best
marksmen, among them was Timothy
Murphy, and leading them to suita-
Bile position, he pointed out to them
the doomed officer, who was dressed in
full uniform, and said to them: THAT
gallant officer yonder is Gen. Frazer.
! admire and respect him, but it is nec-
essary for our good that he should die.
Take your stations and do your duty"
Within a few minutes a rifle ball
cut the crupper Of Frazer's horse, a
second passed through his mane Call
Ing his attention to this, his aid said to
him: 1T is evident you are marked
out for particular aim; would it not be
prudent for you to retire from this
placer" Frazer replied: my duty
forbids me to fly from danger" The
third shot was from the rifle Of Muir
ply, and Frazer fell, mortally wound
ed.
His death so disheartened the Brit
ish that the moment he fell the tide of
battle turned against Burgoyne. He
lost his best subordinate, the only one
of his officers who had the slightest in
fluence with him.
At the close of the revolution Muir
ply married and settled in Schoharie
as a farmer, but his old habits still
clung to him.
To his last day he maintained the
reputation he had won as a sharp
shooter in Morgan's corps. 1t was
custom in those days for rifemen to
shoot for prize, generally gallon of
rum-for old Medford was the standing
tipple. On one occasion large oak
tree had been blazed near the ground
and in the circle small piece of white
paper was fastened by brass nail.
The distance to be fred was over 100
yards. Several close shots had been
made and 1t became Murphy's turn to
fire. He lay down on the ground at
full length, resting his rifle on his hat,
as the others had done, and, after
glancing over the barrel, he was heard
to say: "Sure, and believe I can hit
that nail" Again he sighted his piece
fired and the paper fell. An exami-
nation showed center shot; the ball
had driven the nail exactly in.
In person Murphy was stout and well
made, handsome in face, with jet black
hair and an eye that would kindle and
flash like the lightning when excited;
quick as a cat in all his movements
and possessing an iron frame that
nothing apparently could affect. What,
moreover, is very remarkable is that
In the most dangerous duty that war
could possibly detail on him. ia which
he passed seven years of army life, his
body was never wounded or even
E nc rrad