Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-28
SHOTS THAT WON BATTLES
Recent Wars Prove the Need Of Good
Nsrksnanship,
WONDERFUL ACCURACY OF THE BOt8S
Japanese Omcers Picked on by q
Man Nearly n Mile Away
Sergeant MoInerney's
shot ut santiago.


is apparent 10 every one who Is at all In
touch with army and national guard AFFAIRS.
The prophecy iE freely made by General
Drain and others high IN such matters that
IN another five years Uncle Sam, II need
arises, will be able TO put into the field
division OF sharpshoOters.
This may mean anywhere from 1900 TO
1900 men who are able. each OF them,
20 kill a crow at 800 yards a turkey at 1000,
and man a mile and quarter away.
That may sound like pretty tall shoot
ing but 1t must be remembered that this
is an age Of long range small arms Of won
derful accuracy. and the nation which fails
20 devote tireless care and labor to small
arms practice will find itself very seriously
handicapped in land operations when facing
an enemy that has brought more Of It's sol
ders to the standing OF expert marksmen
President Back the Movement.
President Roosevelt by his stand in such
matters has given a great impetus to the
work OF the army board having charge
OF Workmanship and to the various Ma
tional guards and civic associations through
out the country. From nearly every state
in the union come reports OF increased
interest and activity in rife shooting. Spring
practices are already being held. In a num-
Der Of states hitherto without adequate
ranges or no ranges at all appropriations
have been made for the purchase or long
rental Of sites, the erection Of modern
targets and shooting lodges and the piac-
ing Of moving figures.
The Russian-Japanese war accentuated
the lessons taught by the spanish-American
and South African conflicts as TO the de-
STABILITY Of better individual marltsman-
ship Both armies in that greater war were
we'll supplied with ordinary rihemen, but
the Russians were far ahead OF the Mix
ADDS army IN the matter OF rife experts.
This 10 acknowledged by the Japanese
themselves and the death roll OF japanese
officers killed at Ping Yang Liaoyang. Port
Arthur and Mulden is evidence Of the Rus
sian superiority in the respect.
Officers Especial Marks.
At the siege and assault upon Port Arthur
japanese officers were picked on in scores
at long distance, and this despite the fact
that in a majority of cases they we're
neither distinguished marks nor uniforms.
This convinced the Japanese that the
enemy was using telescopes in connection
with the long range rifles and thus were
able to pick out those in authority.
General 1chinobe was twice shot through
the right shoulder once at a distance OF
800 yards and again when he had retired
TO more than 1850 yards. Both bullets
passed entirely through, but the wounds
indicated that the came rihe-one of an
especially small bore-hnd sent both bull
let's. General Tackagagi in the same
seige, received a Russian steel bullet in
the neck while he was surveying a battery
of the coxcomb series from a distance OF
more than 1.45O yards A few minutes
later in a charge upon the battery. Tacka-
gagi received simultaneously three bullets
In the breast.
Sergeant McInerney's shot.
No one ever will know how much
single rife ball at Santiago contributed
toward bringing the Spanish American wal
TO an early close. The writer has heard
certain high officers of the United State,
army say that in their opinion that on,
buliet-hred contrary to orders-saved hun
dreds, perhaps thousands, Of lives.
1t was Sergeant McInerney of the Mint
infantry who fired the shot-at distanc,
Of more than 1900 yards-which nearl!
severed General Linares's arm from hi
body and gave the supreme command t,
General Toral. Sergeant MeInerney wal
the most advanced soldier OF the Ameri
can forces for nearly three hours and
was while he held this place that the sho
was made which undoubtedly had the Of
feet OF changing very materially the Span
ish program.
He had taken position In a tree. BE
yond. within the breastworks, he notice,
particularly an officer upon a gray horse
apparently making an inspection OF the en-
tire front. McInerney-;hough the orde
had gone out that day that no firing shou
be INDUCED in-aimed upon the hOrsemal
and brought him down. Later It wa
learned that McInerney's target was Ger
eral LAnares. regarded as one OF Spain
best and bravest generals in Cuba Tora
who had previously expressed an opinio
favoring an early termination OF hostiiities
assumed command. A few hours late
Santiago capitulated to the Americans.
Death of General LRwtOn.
An expert Filipino marksman deprive
the United States army of one Of it's hes
and bravest officers In the Philippines
General Lawton. at San Pedro. The gen
eral. six foot four, was an especially goo
target, but the bullet traversed the al
nearly mile before reaching its lodgmen
On that same day Lieutenant Tate, a vol
unteer officer borrowing a rifle from a
infantryman. put three bullets into an In
Hurgent running over a hill in the al.
lance. The fugitive fell each time, only Z
rise and run again Tate was about TO fir
a fourth shot when the Filipino fell an
remained quiet When the soldiers cam
upon his body II was found 10 be that {
boy OF not more than 10 to II years {
age, carrying a toy gun. The little fello,
was killed at distance Cafterward paced
OF about 1525 yards. though TO Lieutenav
Tate II looked more, owing no doubt to nj
impression that he was shooting at a mar
When LiEcOm Was killed.
Two sharpshooters In the service OF N
Chinese were responsible for the loss of n
Ninth infantry's gallant commander, Col,
mel Emerson II. Liscom. at the battle
Tien Tsin. That there were at least tw
experts upon the wall who had the one,
IN view is known from the fact that
was pierced twice In the same second I
steel bullets from German needle gun
The distance between the wall and whe,
Colonel Liscom stood. alone. was a HIT
over 1850 yards. AS the Chinese are amor
the very poorest OF marksmen Il is almo
certain the American commander wi
killed by foreigners In the Boxer service.
In that same campaign good Hnarksmen
the ranks OF the Chinese were directly r
sponEible for the deaths OF Lieutenal
Colonel Igate Of the japanese and Mai
Rogglnantz OF the Russians. Major Rog
mantS was more than mile away fro
the Chinese block house at Yangtun wh'