The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-05
MIL LITARY MATTERS:
 GUARD OF ALABAMA
By D. ". McIHER.
lIp9 9rnam mMnIHu ulaInIna asuIH,

the range and that pr Snpt reports will be made thereof to the Adjutant Gen- cral.
 The Camps.
 The camps of the different organiza- tions SO far held this year have been | most successful and most beneficial to the rank and file. The artillery bat talion, under Major Westcott. first went to Fort Moultrie, and all reports are to the effect that 1t was eplen- did training for the boys and all cer- tainly enjoyed the experience. The instruction given by the regulars was of such character as to be of much benefit in the future and the verdict Is that the whole exercises were most beneficial and much enjoyed. This was the only oportunity our troops enjoyed | of Joint exercises this year and they are glad now that the opportunity was offered.
 The 3rd Regiment camp at Hunts ville was at an ideal place and the organization gained much by the ex- perience. For some reason the Flor ence company went to pieces and did not go to camp and will be mustered out This creates another vacancy. but | there are several applications for com panies in that territory and no doubt Colonel McKleroy will fill up the gap at once. The 2nd Regiment had. as usual. most excellent camp this year. and Colonel Bricken Is being congratulated on every hand for the splendid show ing and excellent department of his men. The instruction was complete and the camp life will make better sol- diers of the men for the future. Gen. eral Graves spent his whole time in these camps and his reports are all good He was delighted with the sol dierly bearing and general conduct of both officers and men and is very nope full of great improvement Tor another
 year The Cavalry go into camp at Pickett Springs today and under the new, young and enthusiastic command CT, Major B F. Noble, is sure to make
 a good showing and have helpful
 camp. Major Noble is just getting into harness and he hopes to bring his com
 mand up to the highest state Of em-
 ciency beginning with this camp.
 He Is thoroughly enlisted in the work
 and it is believed that he will succeed.
 The 1st Regiment comes here on the
 11th and 1t need not be said that the
 camp will be up to the usual standard
 of the highest eff1ciency In every re-
 spect. During the two weeks Of the
 camp of these organizations here there
 will be many social entertainments and
 a most pleasant occasion is looked for.
 As soon as the camp of the 1st Regi-
 ment Is over, or even before, there VIII
 be a detail shooting at the South Ala
 bama range and team will be made
 up there for the National Rifle Match at Fort Perry, which will end the mll- itary exercises for the year.
 To Become Efficient.
 To become efficient in rifle shooting, 1t is long since admitted that con- stant practice Is necessary, and the following suggestions made by Colonel Elliott c. Dill. Inspector General of Rifle Practice for the State of Maine, will be found helpful to all riflemen aspiring to a high efficiency:
 Tt is essential that those competing for places be reliable shots at GOO yards slow fire, able to do consistent work in repeated rapid-ire tests and maintain a high average in skirmish.
 Reliability at 600 yards can be ob- tained only by constant gallery prac- tice in the prone position till 1t pe- comes second nature to drop into .he right position; supplemented by actual range work under all conditions. mak- ing @ complete record of every shot. which will include careful notation or all the points mentioned in one or the approved score books.
 consistent work in repeated raptd- | fire tests can be attained only by con stant work in the indoor range. both | with the empty rifle and with the spe- | cial rapid-fiHe load. Machine-like reg | ularity in loading. aiming and firing. | so timed as to take advantage of the | full 20-second interval Is what counts | in rapid fire. To secure this regular ity the piece must not be taken from the shoulder and the rifieman must learn to work to bolt mechanism auto matcally, leaving his eye free to Na-2h the target all the time and to eaten a sight quickly. An average below 10 cannot be considered satisfactory. and the rfleman must not consider that ne has mastered rapid fire till AIS are more freuuent than 46's. The 48's can be made if the rifleman will persi7t in empty rifle exercise till 1t becomes aI- most automatic.
 High average in skirmish work re- quires keen judgment, coupled with painstaking preparation in learning the rifle In the first place. the zero of me rifle at 600 and 200 must be established as a basis By having his shots disHei at 600 and remaining at that range tiii he has his sight fixed, the rlheman VIII save time and ammunition. MakihS full record of conditions. he shoulo then work down the range, completilS his record at each stage. Ihen' Witn the record of elevations at each range in convenient form (pasted to the olhail of the rife stock till he mas lhe,, firmly fixed in his mind). he shoul" make a run under match cond'lohs. bearing in mind always to see nat his sight is properly adjusted before he commences firing at any stage an l' above all, so timing his shots as lo take full advantage of the hrins m teryal He should study closei9 'ne grouping of his shots. endeaVorinS to SO establish his elevations that the shots will group in the thicket pol'.pHa .pa of the figures thus keeping wlthln tn. black even when a single shot inisnl go slightly high or low or 10 ei.i!at Side. It will be apparent that sno' group in the head of the kneeline hs ure requires lower elevation as n error in taking too much front Sisns would carry all the shots anoVe t'u out of the black, whereas, with snp. group midway of the figure, siiene change up or down would stlil ieaYe inc shots within the black Gallery practice in dropping into position thu
 firing two and three shots wlthin 'ne thirty-second interval will De tounu excellent training for outdoor sKlr-
 mish work