The sun., 1919-03-09
Lieut.. Col. Harllee
Hopes to Make
the Great Piece
Me adow Range
Largest and Best
in World


- range cannon and quick firing
field pieces. important though
thcy are in modern warfare on land. do
not mean that arms of lesser calibre
are of corresponds gly lesser value. II
the recent war targht us anything 1t
emphasized the importance of the fight
Ing mans rifle, which more than once
turned the tide OF battle.
1t is just as we'll for the American
people TO keep this fact clearly before
them. Science in the course of decades
has developed for the infantryman
rifles capable OF doing effective work
at ever increasing distances, but these
technical achievements would offer lit
lie improvement without skill on the
part of tho man who aims the rife. As
people We have fallen in marksman-
ship far below the standard set by our
forebears
In 1IIj our militiamen. firing from
behind trees, stone walls or any other
convenient Cover-using tactics which
their contact with tho Indians had
taught them - worsted the British
regulars at Concord. At Bunker Hill
the shooting of the Americans deci-
mated Gen. Howe's platoons. So time
and again during the Revolution
American craftsmanship meant vic
tory. 1t won us our independence.
skill Well Authenticated.
After the end Of the Revolution in
advancing our frontiers We still had to
contend with hostile Indian tribes. Our
pioneers. our woodsmen, realized fully
that their security as we'll as much OF
their daily food depended upon their
quickness and skill with their rifles.
which were either in their hands or
continually within reach.
The wonderful shooting of these men
and boys is not a pleasing fiction but
thoroughly authenticated fact. With
out it our forebears would not have
been able to push further and further
westward
Again in 1912 we were put to the
test of war. Again craftsmanship
stopped the best Of Great Brit AIMS bat
Tie seasoned troops, this tim at New
Orleans.
Similarly during the Mexican war
il was the infantryman' shooting that
broke the foes resistance-the marks
Inauship of American frontiersmen. At
that time rivalry in target practice
was part of nearly every holiday. The
man who could split a bullet upon
knife blade or deliberately form a cross
with his ACCURATELY placed shots was
TO rarity.
Neglect In COS.
But by the time of the civil war
there were thousands and thousands OF
our men and youths who knew little
II anything abcab handling gun, and
during that struggle nothing was done
10 improve the craftsmanship OF our
soldiers. a man either knew how to
shoot or taught himself as best he
could. 1t has been said that our regu-
lar troops were given no special in
,-S'rnction in the rifle. In fact, no at.
tention was directed to this important
branch OF military training until after
the opening of the Creedmoor range
early in the '70s,
Gen. George W. Wingate, who has
done so much to encourage marks
manship in this country, has positively
stated that during the civil war and
thereafter until 1871 neither the army
nor the National Guard of the United
States were ever given any instruc-
ton in rifle shooting. 1t was sup
posed that a man was either born e
good shot or he was not. and II no
was not it could not be helped"
At the first rifle match held at the
Creedmoor range, which was brought
into being by the National Rife AS
ISOLATION. the United States Army was
represented by team drawn from
troops then stationed at Governors
Island. When the contest ended these
men ranked lowest. Their poor show
ing was quite logical. Gen. Wingate
was present. and just before the
match was shot he spent about two
hours with the Regular Army team
trying to teach the men how 10 use
the sights on their guns! Up to
that time. so it would SEEM they
had hardly once fired rife.
The opening matches OF the Ma
tional Rife Association took place In
- ereeAaneer IN tszs; hut the actual
initiation Of rine practice among the