The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-30

I had a good deal to say last wees about the use of the arms with Whicn the National Guard is provided ano tried to impress 1t upon them tnal without practice the Krag rifle. wnicn they now have. would be useless In an emergency as they could not use tne magazine at all and fire 1t with httle accuracy. Practice is the thing now and on this point the Tennessee Ma tional Guardsman says:
 The first lesson a soldier should
 learn is the proper care and use of fire arms.
 'In the middle and early ages all men-at-arms had to attain certain stage of efficiency in the use of fight
 nized as soldier.
 "Ther the sword. spear and axe were
 the chief implements used in war, and every means were used whereby those
 who made fighting a profession could
 become skillful in their use. While chain armor was used to protect them as much as possible. especially the vital portions of the body, still one not skilled in the use of his weapons would have been an easy prey to his oppon- ent, even if he had on the best corse- let made in all Europe.
 Today 1t should be impressed upon the soldier the proper care and use of his weapons. So many improvements have been made in fire arms since their introduction that 1t is hardly possible here to go into details. But suffice 1t to say that since the first use of can- non in Europe in the fourteenth cen- tury, there has been . steady improve ment. and now, in the opening of the twentieth century, the modern im- proved gun now in use in the hands of those skilled in their use make war terrible in the extreme.
 Now, to come to the ,pofnt. every infantry soldier should become famil- far with his rife. He should become familiar with every portion of it--how to take care of 1t, keep 1t clean and ready for inspection at any time. He should know that if he cannot properly use his rifle he Is soldier in name only. Therefore a way should be ar ranged by every company commander to have gallery target practice at least once every three. months by his men and give medals to those proving to be the best shots.
 Tt is not saying too much when say that rife in the hands of one not entirely familiar and accustomed to its use is dangerous and steps should be taken to learn the men to shoot as we'll as drill. As a rule the American soldier is a good shot It proved so at New Orleans and Lexington and Bunk CT Hill and during our great civil struggle, and later in the Spanish American war the American gunner ,iness. If the time should come soon. and if 1t should, when there will he a general encampment of troops in the Middle and Southern States, Tennessee should stand to the front in expert marksmen, but 1t can't do 1t without practice"
 am very glad to know that the importance of rife practice is be- coming to be recognized here in Ala bama by commanding officers and men and movements arc on foot to estab- fish ranges by many local companies. Care must be taken to have them in safe places and the butts must be so that the balls will be stopped and not turned loose for in several miles they might do great deal of harm and take human life; but all this will be guarded against by the officers, who, as rule, are painstaking and watch- full.
 Ef59 Elect New Oficers.
 Company D. lst Infantry Regiment, Fort Deposit, has recently elected of- ffcers, Captain H. N. Coleman retiring on account of pressing professional en- agreements. He is a physician and his pTdctlce mas grown so IaSt that he has not found time to give that attention to his company which he has given to it. He has made a most excellent officer and received the highest commendation from his colonel in retiring. His friends in the Na- tionai Guard are numerous and all wish him prosperity and happiness.
 The new Captain, C. M. Davis, has been the Second Lieutenant for a long time and is fully capacitated to keep the command up to its present high standard. This company has a range and among It's membership some of the best shots in the State. Captain Coleman made good record at Fort Riley in 1904, and 1t is hoped that he will continue his practice and become more expert In the use of the rifle and that he will come back to the militia some day.
 The Governors Stan.
 The members of the Governors stan did not turn out this summer, the Governor not being entirely recovered from his illness, but on the occasion of the visit of the President to Mont they had an opportunity and made splendid showing. They all had new uniforms and looked as bright as regulars Their mounts were of unusually fine appearance and praise was to be heard on all sides of the bearing of officers and men of the Ma tional Guard who were in the parade. The stan spent most pleasant day in