Year: 1862

1


rifles in each company more finely sighted


than the rest, for the use of the best
shots who are to use them out Of ranks;


but for the usual service tho coassr sighted
arc the best.


Now, as to the ease and rapidity of
loading, this is all that can be desired


We have already seen that the MIME


ball slips down with perfect ease even
after 200 shots, and requires no ramming,
but merely to be pushed home. In the
hands of slow soldier the Mimic rifle
can be loaded and fired at least three
times q minute; in the hands of quick
man, five times. Any thing beyond this,
would be positive disadvantage for
troops fire too much at all times, and
what is wanting is, that they should fire
more deliberately, and not more rapidly.
If by bresch loading, or having several
chambers, as in Colts pistols, it was pos
sible to fire ten or twenty times minute,
the result would be great increase of
noise and smoke, with very little more
effect Moreover the whole supply of
ammunition destined for an entire cam
paign, (which is limited by the means Of
transportation might easily be consumed
in single action. But there is another
reason why to transform the Mimic rifle
into breech-loading weapon, would
make an egregious blunder.


The gases generated by the inaamma-
ton Of powder are so subtle and so pow
erful, that no joint, however closely
fitted, can effectually prevent their pas
sage. This we see exemplified in every
breech-loading weapon; the powder pen
etrates the joint, at first slightly, but at
every explosion it burns the surfaces a
little, and makes the crack larger; SO
that after a comparatively short time, the
weapon begins to leak fire to such an ex-
tent as to be unmanageable. This is not
all. No breech loading weapon can stand
the wear and tear OF a campaign, and
the careless aud awkward usage of the
soldier. 1t will necessarily be veak at
the breeoh, and easy to break; or its
mechanism will be so delicate as to get
easily out of order; and if this happens
in the field, the weapon is useless, for
you cannot mend it or even load it at the
muzzle. Every one who has used Halls
carbines, knows that they unite in them
selves all these defects. AS to Sharp's
rifle, the best weapon of this kind yet
made, besides being vastly inferior to the
Mimic in range and accuracy, this is what
Col. Huger says Of it in his report -
"After being fired four or FIVE rounds, it
was found impossible to force the cart
ridge in without burstingit The firing
was continued by separating the bullet
from the cartridge, forcing it into the
chamber with a stick, and afterwards
pouring in the powder The slide jrs-
qwntly became rery daficuh TO more. When
the arm was taken to the shop to be
cleaned, after the firing was concluded,
tho slide could not bs mOred at all, until thor
oughly soaked in oil, to soften the dirt
around it. The paper of the cartridge is
always left bshind in the chamber after
each shot, and is frequently on fire when
the succeeding cartridge is inserted"


If we come to the question of cheap.
ness and durability, the Mimic rifle has,
greatly, the advantage over any breech-
loading weapon. 1t is necessarily cheaper,
for its construction is perfectly simple
As to its durability, there is no reason
why it should not be as great as that
fixed for the musket, viz: fifty years, Tor
$4,000 shots). We do not believe that
any breech-loading gun ever made can
stand the fifth part of this Furnished
with the sabre-bayonet, the MIME is the
more formidable weapon ever placed in
the hands Of troops. Listen to witness
from the bloody field of Inkermann.-
"The MIME, says he, is the king Of wea-
pons. Inkermsnn proved it. The regi-
ments Of the 4th division and the marines,
armed with the old and much belauded
"Brown Bess," (the English regulation
riae) could do nothing against the mass
i've multitude of the Muscovitc infantry
but the volleys Of the Mimic rifle cleft
them like the hand of the destroying
angel, and they fell like leaves in autumn
before them" 1t has been said that
there have been instances Of one single
Mimic balls killing five men.


In our rapid review of the improve
ments in ordnance, we pointed out the
changes which resulted from them in the
tactics of battle. 1t is not to be sup
posed that the introduction Of such
weapon as the Mimic can be without
effect upon the formation and evolutions
Of troops. 1t is true that the emotions of
conflict, and the different tcmperaments
Of men will always prevent soldiers G. ON
using any fire-arm with tho utmost degree
Of accuracy of which it is susceptible
Vast numbers Of shots must always be
wasted, but il is allowed by the least
ssnguine, that the introduction Of the
MIME arms will, lat tho lowest calcula-
tion,) treble the effects of the FIRE of in.
fantry. What changes will this produce
in tactics?


In order to answer this question intel
Ggently, let us examine what is our sys
TEN Of tactics.


The system in use in this country is
translation and adaptation of tho French
system il was arranged by Gen. Scott,
aud bears his name. 1t is nothing more
nor less than reproduction of the regu-
.ation for the eyolutions of the French
infantry which has heen in uso in the