The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-07-27
FAMOUS GARRETT COUNTY
RIFLEMEN COMING BACK
After Forty Years Retirement
Crack Company That Competed
All Over Country Wants Match


tary company known as Co. B, of the
Second Battalion, under the captaincy
of E. H. Wardwell. On the roster
of the company were such men as R.
S. Jamison, A. c. Mason, William Ma
son, George D. Browning, King De-
lawder, Fred. A. Thayer, Richard T.
Browning, N. c. Browning, E. 2. Tow
er, John A. Delawder, E. A. Brown
ing, John F. Browning, Samuel w.
Friend, L. H. Friend, William Steyer,
William P. Lee, Capt. James Bell,
James H. Painter, Capt. P. A. CHS
holm, Arthur Chisholm, Roy Chisholm
and many others.
When this company first made its
appearance in Baltimore, the State
not having sufficient funds to pur-
chase the necessary uniforms for
them, provided uniform made out
of blue jean cloth, and when on par
ade in Baltimore on that occasion, the
company was given marked attention
and some criticism on account of its
uniform. The same uniform was
worn when they visited Yorktown,
Virginia, and they were jeered by the
spectators on this account. Never.
theless they were all big stalwart men
and able to stand such comments and
made play of it.
The company was made famous on
account of three things: First, the
uniforms; second, ability as a drill
company in competitive matches, and
third and above all, as marksmen. AS
a drill company they defeated all the
crack teams in the State of Mary
land.
From the ranks of the company
were chosen two rife teams. The one
was called the "Haymakers" and the
other the easter Flowers" When
opposing each other they always shot
as two teams; but when opposing any
other teams as rule the best marks
men from both teams would be chos-
en- and they would go under the name
of the Haymakers. Of this team
there is now surviving Captain E. H.
Wardwell, who resides at Pocomoke
City Md; R. S. Jamison, Alexander
c. Mason, William Mason, George D.
Browning, Nathan C. Browning, Ed
ward A. Browning, John F. Browning,
Samuel w. Friend, Leonidas H.
Friend, William Steyer, William P.
Lee, Captain James Bell, of Washing
ton, D. c.; James H. Painter, Arthur
Chisholm and Leory Chisholm, all of
whom except Captains Wardwell and
Bell, still reside in Garrett county.
These young old fellows still have
faith in their ability as marksmen,
and through R. S. Jamison, have is
sued a challenge to all rife teams in
the State of Maryland, exclusive of
the United States regular soldiers, to
meet them in a competitive match to
be held in the town of Friendsville,
Garrett county, on the last Tuesday
in August. The distances to be shot
is to be 100, 200, 400 and 500 yards.
Each individual to shoot twenty
rounds, the bulls eye to count five,
with possible score of one hundred.
The target to be used will be the reg
ulation target now used, and the ri
file that Of the regular army of the
United States.
The prize offered is large beef,
which the losing team will be called
upon to pay for, and after the match
it will be killed and roasted on the
field.
The Haymaker team shot hundreds
of matches and was never defeated
but once, then came out second, and
that was n Chicago in 1883 when they
shot against the world. The famous
Hindman team of New York City beat
them, and then only through the
fact that their rifles were equipped
with field glasses, while those of the
lawmakers were not. This was
decided advantage from the fact that
by the use of the glasses the targets
were so magnifed as to make them
appear almost Immediately in front
of the marksmen. The only member
of the Haymakers team who is dead
is Captain Chisholm, who died several
year sage.
Application has been made to the
Adjutant General of the United
States for the use of the army rifles.
The challenge has been out for sew
eral days, and yet no team has accept
ed it, and it looks very much as if the
fellows composing these teams in the
State of Maryland have looked up the
record of the Haymakers, and are in
clined to be afraid of these grand
old marksmen. They have right
to be; but at the same time we hope
that some one will accept it and meet