Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-04-04
INTERESTING LETTER
FROM KIRK MUIR

FIT. DA. Russell, WYo., Mar. 26, '05.
DEAR FATHER, | received your
letter today and was very glad to get
it. | expected one from mother but
1T didn't come.
There is no snow anyW here except
away to the south west on the
mountains. Today it is very warm.
l guess it never rains here: haven't
seen only one rain storm since l left
Vancouver. 1t SHOWS occasionally and
blows always but we see very little
rain. Say, if it would blow at home
the way it does here every one would
think it hurricane.
August and l just came back from
the canteen where we had lunch
and watched the infantry mount
guard. l have TO mount guard myself
tonight.
You asked me some questions in one
of your letters about our guns. They
are what is called the three inch gun
and have bore of thirty-tWO inches
The rifle, with out the carriage what
most people would call the barrel)
weighs $50 pounds. 1t is mounted
upon wheels which take two men to
lift. | won't go in to details because
it would take volume, but each man
has To learn every part, how 10 take
The whole business apart and put it
together again as well as mount and
diSmount the brick block. The last
man S operation is the hardest OF all
We are taught all these things and
have to pass an examination on them.
The gun shouts different kinds OF
ammuuiLlons, shell, shrapnei, Canister,
etc. These are called projecLiles.
The projectileS and powder are not in
one cartridge, but are each put into
the chamber separately. The powder
is in cans, each can containing enc
charge. In order that it may be
handled easier the powder is done up
in sacks.
Tie shell is made of cast iron and
weighs thirteen pounds. 1t bursts
when it comes in contact with any
thing solid. They are used nowadays
mostly for finding range and stampede
ing cavalry horses.
The shrapnel is different than a
shell inasmuch as it does not explode
from conclusion, but has a time fuse
attached to it, 1t contains 1872 balls
one half inch in diameter. When it
| bursts, the cast iron jacket bursts
into thirty-eight pieces thus making
two hundred pieces which are deadly
when it bursts.
| Canister is something like shot
gun shell; it has 1921 inch balk incaSed
in cast iron case. These spread out
and cover a wide area, but are used
seldom because they are only valuable
at short range.
The field piece we are using will
shoot accurately at $500 yards.
l won't try to tell you how we lind
range nor to explain sights; it may be
enough to Say that there are three
different kinds, taugents, telescope
and quadrant. The last two named
are the hardest as the tangent is
almost like rifle sight in use but not
in looks. Through the telescope
sight small objects can be seen at a
distance of many miles. One of these
sights cost about 800. The quadrant
sight is for shooting at an object which
has bill between itself and the gun.
The process is very hard to understand
and it is enough if | weary aud study
it and not try to make you.
If you could only see the things we
have to study and work out you
wouldn't wonder why the artillery is
the highest branch of the service
Don't think that the only thing we
have to do is TO ride horses, walk
with shoulders erect or keep time to a
brass band. There is brain work in
fh., artillery