The New York Herald Newspaper, September 28, 1874, Page 3

2 THE GREAT RIFLE MATCH. Ireland and America Struggle for the Championship, AMERICA’S VICTORY. Magnificent Scores at Half- Mile Ranges. HONOR REAPED, EVEN IN DEFEAT. The Battle of the Rifles—Muzzle- Loaders vs. Breech-Loaders. Diagrams Showing the Position of Every Shot That Struck the Targets, Those who stoo@ on the Creedmoor rifle range on Saturday, to witness the great trial of skill between the famed Irish marksmen who had car- Fied of the Elcho Shield irom the best shots of England and Scotiand, and the comparatively un- known representatives of American marksman- ship, are not likely soon to forget a contest that is destined to remain a landmark in the history of rife shooting. When tne challenge to a trial of kill was accepted it was not thought possible that | | and fred, America could furpish a team ol long range marks- Men capable of competing successiully with the victors of Wimbledon, And it must be confessed that to good luck as much as superior skill do we owe our success in the very close contest. Theerror of making @ bull’s eye on the wrong target made by one of the Irish team gave the victory to america, Mad it not been for this mischance our plucky visitors would have carried back their fame scotched indeed, but still secure, As it is they have the consolation of knowing that the points actually scored by their team exceed by one that made by their opponents. But the ruling out of Mr. Milner’s misdirected shot deprivea them of | four points, and so decided the contest in favor of America by three points, With sucha recora de- feat loses all its sting, and the unsuccessiul marks- Men may consoie themselves with having merited victory if they did not achieve it, The score made on Saturday has never been equalled in any long range competition, and even the Irish riflemen surpassed all their former efforts. This renders the victory of the Americana the more honorable, While it 18. an achievement of which the deleated | team may be prond, target diagrams of the shooting, treed from one or two slight inaccuracies that had crept into our We republish to-day the | | It was hoped that all danger of misses were now issue of yesterday owing to the shortness of time | @t our disposal for the preparation of the neces: sary pilates. Although the imperiecttons were con- | eliciting any reply. fined toa few blurs that marred the clearness ot | should be done to the splendid marksmanship displayed on Saturday, and hence we reissue tne diagrams in a perfect state, each diagram ac- companied by its proper acore, in consequence of the delay in returning to town, caused by the gross negiect and incompetency displayed by the managers of the Long Island Central Railroaa, it was impossible to review as fully as we should have desired the problems presented by the inter- National contest, There were to riflemen and Military men questions of grave importance un- derlying the struggle between the twelve men who were doing baitie for tue fame of Ireland and America, and to the men who watched closely the progress of the contest the value of the so-called improvements effected of tate yeurs in small arms for military purposes must have appeared extremely doubttul. ip England for many years there has Leen in pro- gress a battle between muzzie-loaders and breech- Joaders, and each has found its strung supporters, It was at first thought impossible to construct a breech-loading gun that would fire as accurately as the muzzie-loader, but the experiments yester- day showed ciearly that this was boc quite correct. The trial would, however, have been more satis- factory in who made with the Kemington breecn-loader the highest score ever made, charged it as a muzzle-loader. In one point the muzzle- Joader effectually established its superiority as @ military service arm. Alter every shot the marksmen using the breech-loading rife were obliged to wipe ont their weapons with painful eare, while the Irish, who vsed the Rigby muzzie- Joader, fired their whole score without once clean- {mg out their rifles, Nor did the accuracy or their shooting seem to suffer in the least, On the con- trary their vest scoring was made on the last Tange. It was noticeabie that they were able to fire more rapidiy than their adversaries, With the breech-loader the marksman is compelled to Wipe out careiully his barrel alter every shot, under pain of making inaccurate shooting. In target shooting this is not much disadvantage, | but in the feld it would be impossible jor troops its resuits had Lieutenant. Fulton, | .the diagrams, we are anxious that tull justice | to stop and clean out their weapons alter every | shot, The resuit would inevitably be that alter a Jew rounds all existing breech-loaders woutd be- come iouled and unreliable as tne old musket, While troops armed with muzzle-loaders would * continue during action with the same , accuracy as ‘When they first opened fires ‘The outward conditions under which the con- test took piace \ were more javorabie to the sp spec tators than to the marksmen. From the pont where the red Nags marked the position to be taken | up by the fring squads, spread out an immense rectangular lawn, terminated by a range of tar gets, behind which rose up the massive earth mound which the unskilfal marksman makes a billet for his lead, smooth, well nigh, as the face of & billiard board; grass peeped up to intercept the vision, where along the greensward was visibie the mark of the mowing machines, that made sad havoc among the humble field flowers. No one, how- ever, marksman’s eye lighted up as he looked along that level track, with outspoken promise ofa fair field and no favor. Like most pictures, it had its shady side. The hot sun poured down on the open Space with more than September zeal, and the light exhalation far down near the targets told ‘he practised eye that the mirage would be likely to bother the riflemen a good deal. there was blew up the range in the direction of the targets, with @ scarcely perceptibie arift to the right. So far everytuing was as the American team could have wished it—@ total absence of Wind and a mirage doubly deceptive to the Strangers. Under this aspect of affairs the competing teams took their places at the firing points, the Ameri- can party being assigned to 19 and 20, the latter being looked upon as the most favorable to good shooting. On the practice days these targets had been occupted by the Irish, but having won the toss for choice of place they voluntarily chose 16 aud 17, the intervening target (18) being thrown down so as to prevent mistakes in firing at wrong targets, The object of the change was made visi- bie during the progress of the match, as by it the {rish team obtained the shelter of a large tree that Gtands at the 1,000 yards range. It was evident from the moment the Irish markamen appeared on the ground that they suffered considerable incon- venience from the unusual heat, By the aid of (riendly umbreilas they endeavored as much as possibie to shield themselves from tne sun, Considerable delay occurred in beginning the Oring, both teams being apparently desirous to wait Jor the other to open fire. Every one busied himself cleaning or discharging his rifle, so as not to have too much the air of waiting for the other, At this time the large crowd of peopie gathered on the grounds had swelled to at least 8,000, They now gathered closely around the semi-circular rope which had been placed as @ barrier to reserve not a wild flower or a blade of | Every- | seemed to regret the flowers, but every | What wind | } Move out ana take | sition with rifemen o/ all classes, When Captain NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, ‘he Oring parties irom, ‘interruption. as ie pre- Parations to begin proceeded the boisterous con- Versation gradually ceased, and the immense assemblage waited with bated breath for the shot which should announce that the match. was entered upon, Impatient of waiting for the Americans, the Irish, with characteristic pluck, began tye contest. The distribution of the marks- men was a8 follows:—Captain Walker, J. Rigby and J, B. Hamiton occupiea 16; J. Wilson, J. K. | Milner and E, Johison, 17; H. Fulton, J. Bodine | and L. L, Hepburn, 19; Colonel Gildersieeve, G. W. Yale and T, 8, Dakin, 20. THE FIRST SHOT, Captain Walker, of the Irish, was the first to up position, The Captain is a | flue looking man, over six feet in height and heav- iy built, He fires lying face downwards, bis rife held firmly im the left hand, both elbows resting on the ground, This position in active service would have the advantage of al- lowing the riteman to fire with the least exposure of his body. It also enables him to sweep the | ground in front, and could be used by huntsmen or soldiers with advantage. For mere target shoot- ing it may be questioned whether it affords the steadiest support to the rifle, It is a favorite po- Walker moved out and took up his position ail eyes were centred on target 16. There was acessation of conversation, ag the result was looked forward to anxiously, But no flag re- sponded to the shot, and @ mingied murmur of | | regret and satisiaction ran through the assembled throng. it was evident that two parties having | diverse interest in the resuit were present, and | as the day advanced they graduaily drifted in the | direction of their respective iriends, The murmur of satisfaction that ran towards the American tar- gets when no response was made to the first Irish shot burst into applause, which was speedily sup- | pressed by the efforts of Colone: Wingate, captain ofthe American team, aided by the good taste of the peopie themselves. While this was occurring on the right Dr. Hamilton had taken up position Immediately the white disk hid the bull's eye from view, and the iriends of the Irish team immediately gave vent to their feelings in | loud applause. Major Leech, of the Irish team, was obliged to follow Colonel Win- gate’s example, and appeal to those present not to disturb the marksmen by any mark of applause or of displeasure. Tue appeal was good humorediy received and very generally ac- ceaed to; but as the firing now became general along the nne partial Manitestations of satisfac- tion were continued from time to time by the irre- Pressible spirits on both sides, But alter a while the frequency with which the white disk was callea up became sumewhat monotonous, and the crowd settled down to watcn the progress of the Match, which trom the opening shot seemed to pronounce in favor of the Americans. When Captain Walker rose from his first unlucky shot he quietly proceeded to load, simply stopping to exchange a word with Mr. Rigby. It was evi- dent from the quiet gravity of the Irish team that they were exceedingly annoyed ai the inauspicious beginning; but the “Captain on his second shot scored @ centre, and @ bull’s eye with his third. atanend, as he had secared the elevation, but the sixth shot also passed over the target witnout The shot was watched witb close interest, and & murmured ‘He’s missed again”. ran through the crowd, but with tones of | voice that conyeyee diferent meanings, This sec- | ond lesson admonished the Captain to | greater care, and he closed his score with four centres and five bull’s eyes, making a total of forty-six. As the 800 yards range | was the lavorite American range, the low average made by the Captain damaged seriously the chances of an Irish victory. But it 18 worthy of note that the misses made by the Captain were | probably caused by the mirage on which the Americans counted with such well founded hope, Mistake in ‘his elevation was, evidently, the cause of the misses, a8 his shooting shows very slignt deviation, The shots in the centre and bull’s eye’ are well put on and show splendid line shooting, By reference to the diagram below it will be seen that the mean deviation of the shots which struck the target is very slight, all the shots being centrally grouped. Captain Walker’s Score at Eight Hun. dred Yards. US 434034345 44 « 3-6 It devolved on Dr. Hamilton to arrest the de- moralization which the first shot had evidently | caused among his colleagues. Bad and gooa | shooting 18 contagious. Haa not Dr, Hamiiton stepped into the breach and made good the mistakes of his friends by scor- ing five successive buil’s eyes, = the Irish would have been hopelessiy distanced at | this range, for the Americans seemed to draw in- | creased nerve and vigor from the mistakes of | their opponents. Nothing, however, could have | been more in contrast with the characteristics | popularly ascribed to Irishmen than that exhib- | ited by’ the gentlemen of the team. They evi- | dently felt that the battle was going against them, but there was 4 quiet, unostentatious resolution in their bearing a8 they stepped out silently and almost grimly to take the place of the comrade who had fired. Whatever fortune sent was re- ceived with quiet impassiveness. Wiat- | ever points were to ve communicated were whispered in @ few words and the marksnien lay down, fired, rose, loaded and prepared to fire ag though ghey W8 cloud of the presence of the thousands who watched these cool, resolute figures as they did their work with @ quick intelligence and quiet pluck that eventually lifted them out of the rut into which they had fallen and brought them tothe very threshold of victory. Prominent among this dis- | linguished group Vr. Hamilton attracted general attention. Adecidedly handsome man, standing | six feet tn his stockings and strongly-bulit, bold | and soldier-like in carriage, he was well caicu- Jated to command attention. Looked to as the most skilful shot of the team, he showed how well he merited the confidence of his friends by doing good work just when it was most needed. Thirteen bull's eyes ous of @ possible thirteen was nis magnificent contribution made to the Irish totai at this range. It {8 provabie that better shooting has never been made than that shown on the accompanying dia- gram, Dr. Hamilton adopts the same position in firiyg as Captain Walker, and the magnificent scoring he ,makes proves that it is by no means essential to good shooting for the rifleman to twist himseif after the manner of one of Michael An- gelo’s torst, J. B. Hamilton’s Score at Eight Hun- dred Yards. 444e eS ORO OE The third Agure of the remarkable group form- ing the left of the line of fire was Mr. Jonn Rigby, of the famous firm of Irish gunmakers whose saw- handled pistols were in pretty frequent requisi- tion in the good old “pistols and coffee time.” But, though the circumstances of the times have changed the position of the gunmaking firm of the Irish metropolis, in reference to the sporting | gentry of Ireland has not changed a whit, The | sons go to the house for their twist barrelled fowling pieces and long range rifles, which have superseded “the saw handles,” but that 1s about all, Mr, Rigby must be close on six feet in height and Is strongly built, Heisone of the steadiest and most reiiable, though not the most brilliant, shot of the team. Opening with three centres he at taat found the bull's eye, ana ne Fucceeaed in getting seven shots on tue bulv’s eye, closing with a score of fity-two. The shots were well groaped, showing slight deviations. His method of shooting is lying face downward, in the position already de- seribed, Sonn Rigby’s Score at Eight Hundred $3843 438 45344 4 4-12, While the gentlemen on target sixteen were struggling to make good the points Jost in the opening of the match, their comrades on seven- teen were shooting with splendid precision. J, K. Mitner opening with a centre, followed with a bull's eye and two centres. Hav- ing got his elevation correctly he then began to score bull’s eyes, and succeded in closing his score with eleven consecutive buli’s eves, This was the most brilliant feat of the day, for although both Lieutenant Fulton and Dr, Hamilton made | one point more than Mr. Milner at this range neither of them made so well sustained an effort, The way, too, in which the shots were grouped on the bull’s eye shows the truest shooting of the day. The eleven shots are grouped closely round the centre of the bull’s eye, svowing a marvellous | correctness of aim, Mr. Milner’s manver of shooting is peculiar. He lies on his back, with the butt of his rife resting on the hollow of his shoulder while the bariel rests on his toe, inorder to enable him to take aim the | back sight of the rifle is placed near the heel plate. The position is neither very gracetul por does it appear very solid. It possesses the disad- vantage that the rifleman can only see one object, and in target shooting it exposes him to the dan- gerof shooting at the wrong target. This pecu- Niarivy of the posture was iJlustrated only too forcibiy for the comfort of the Irish team by Mr. Milner in the present contest, as it caused him to throw away a shot that would have secured the | victory for bis comrades, J. K. Milner’s Score at so i Hundred Yards. BaSS eee asada ts One of tne men of the Irish team who strove hardest for victory was Mr. James Wilson, one of the younger men grouped at target 17, He had tbe good luck to open the score with a splendid buil’s eye, and did not make a single outer or miss at any of the ranges. He adopts the mode of lying on his face to shoot, and grasps nis rifle with great firmness. He fires slowly and with great de- liberation. He proved himself one of the most re- Mabie men of the Irish party. He is of medium stature, strongly built. James Wilson’s Score at Eight Handred Yards. 4343534344454 4 44 Mr. EB. Johnson, whose state of health inter- fered very much with the reliability of his shoot- ing, completed the Irish team. He shoots ina similar position to Mr. Milner. His shooting at this range was very good. He made no misses and only one outer, making a ‘air score. Edmund’s Johnson’s Score at Eight Hundred Yards. 4342334443383 4 3-50, The American Team. During the memorable contest of Saturday the saccess of the American team depended chiefly on one man, and had he failed to iulfil the expecta- tions formed of nim nothing could have saved the Americans from defeat. Lieutenant Fulton, by profession civil engineer, hadi steadily advanced to the front place in the American team, and the wonderful score made by him on the Thursday pre- ceding the match placed him in the front rank of the world’s marksmen. But would he be able tosus- | tain the position? Would he repeat that wonder- fulscore? These were the questions which the friends of the competing teams asked each other anxiously when the first shot was fired, and a tall, spare man, clad in blue flannel, rosé from his deat | and moved to his position at the firiog point, look- | ing as cool and collected as 1f nothing depended on what ne was about to do, Lying down on his back and crossing his legs, Mr. Fulton turns shghtly to the right, placing the butt of his rifle over his right shoulder, resting against his cheek. The bar- Felrosts in the V iormed by his crossed legs, finding a remarkably solid support, hoiding it firmly against the cheek, the rifle is held as ina vice, and the marksman proceeds to take aim coolly and with the greatest Weliberation. When the aim ts completed the trigger-is pulled by the right hand, kept free tor the purpose, ana five times out of six the white disc comes up in response. Mr. Fulton has shown himself among the most reliable shots that we have any knowledge of. The accuracy of the shooting in the annexed diagram is almost as° great as could be obtained by firing the rife from a vice, The rife he uses ts a Remington, it, however, at the muzzle, Henry Fulton’s Score at Eight Hundred Yards. He loads SeeaedeS taeda d t 3-8 Colonel John Bodine, who was destined by fate to fire the winning shot in the famous interna- tional contest is an old man who must be closing rapidly toward the sixties. He wears biue spec- tacles while firing and when cleaning and examin- ing his gun {s obliged to use additional glasses owing to his near-sightedness, He is over six feet in height and stands erect as apoplar tree. While firing he adopts the same position as Dr. Hamilton and Mr. Rigby. Like Fulten he shoots with the Remington breachloader. Colonel John Boding’s Score at Eight Hundred Yards. BIS A4AG KAAS 4H The group firing with the Remington rife is The left hand is passed | behind the neck, grasping the heel of the butt | In this way compieted by T. 8. Hepburn, foreman of the Rem- ington mechanical department. He shot well, with one outer, making a total of 63. Hes well advanced in life, but not old, cool and imperturb- able in temperament. L. L. Hepburn’s Score at Eight Hun- dred Yards, 3344424448346 4 3-23 | On target number twenty were grouped the | three men Who p:elerred to use Sharpe's sporting rife. At thelr head was G. W. Yale, an employé of Sharpe’s factory, a dark, robust looking man, With plenty of grit in his composition, He made remurkably good shooting and contributed largely to the victory gained by making the second high- estscore, The accompanying diagram shows the excellent quality of his shooting. He les down, | slightly turned to the right, and supports his rifle | over the leit knee, The position looks uncoméort- able. | G Wy Wale’s Score at Eight Hundred Yard | | BB33443 44444 4 4 4485 Colonel Gildersleeve’s Score at Yards. He prefers to fire lying on his face. The Colonel 48 a young man, in the prime of life. Heis of | | medium height, but of powerful frame. His shoot- | Ing made a very good average, but showed a ten- dency to scatter, RURERUER ECO General Dakin, the sixth member of the Amert- can team, is a hearty, well-preserved man of some fifty summers, He shoots lying on his stoma hig rife grasped firmly in the lett hand, Heisa steady, but not a brilliant shot. He made the lowest score in the matcn, General Dakin’s Score at Eight Hun- dred Yards. | 44438333343 463 4 4-08 The Irish team had finished their score at this range many minutes be‘ore the Americans, and, notwithstanding the splendid eforts made by | some of the Irish team, when the official score was | announced they found that they Were still some nine points behind. The ofMciai score stood as | follows :— \ EIGHT HUNDRED YARDS. Americans, - + 326 Inish.... . 17 The announcement of this result caused much | enthusiasm among the friends of the American | team and a corresponding depression among the friends of the Irish, The members of the teain, however, appeared quite unconcerned, and while the spectators thronged about the bulletin board | and read off eagerly the official account, the com- peting teams retired to a large tent, where a splendid luncheon was prepared jor them. Captain Leech took occasion to make a handsome presenta. | tion of @ silver tankard to the Amateur Rifle Club, and a number of pleasant speeches having been made the riflemen repaired to their posts to renew the struggle for supremacy. The Americans began to look forward to an easy vic- tory, but In this they were destined to disappoint- ment. At Nine Hundred Yards. At the 900 yards range the Irish opened with ) better success, Captain Walker making a buli’s eye. He was lollowed by Lieutenant Fulton with | acentre. The two shots were looked on as Jore- shadowing @ better score on the part of the Insh, and events justified this feeling. A very serious plece of tllluck betel Mr. J. K. Milner, one of the most reliable marksmen of the Irish team. His method of firing, which consists of lying on his back with the butt of his gun resting on his arm- pit, with the muzzle held between the toes, ex- poses him to the danger of mistaking his target. A BULL’s EYE THAT DID NOT COUNT. His opening shot at the 900 yards range was de- livered on the wrong target, und the buli’s eye SEPTEMBER 28, 1874.—TRIPLE | found impression. The shooting on the American which he made went for nothing. This misfor- tune occurred once before to Mr, Milner at Wim- | bledon, Had it been delivered on the rignt | target the victory would have been on the Irish side, with one point deciding. Lieutenant Fulton | made at this range the highest score—twelve bull's | eyes and three centres, But notwithstanding this splendid shooting the Irish drew anead two points, | and at the close of the contest at this range the | omctal bulletin announced the Irish as having scored 312, while the Americans had reached 310, The Irish Score at 900 Yards. J. RIGBY. BS444 4444 DR. J. B. HAMILTON. @333ee400048 04 48 CAPTAIN WALKER. 3. WILSON. SHEET, oes J. K. MILNER, 344443346364 3 B49, EDMUND JCHNSON. 23FS 244A ASIA ERD Score of the American Team at 900 Yards, H. FULTON. SAGAS SOE AAO AE 4-57 COLONEL J. BODINE. S34564434644382 1. L. HEPBURN. 8438424333443 46 28. G, W. YALE, 4344443443443 4 6-56 COLONEL GILDERSLEEVE. 443464434553 40 6 eo 7. 8. DARIN. $2403 453443253 8 4-48 The announcement of this result created a pro- side bad been magnificeut, and at one time the American team stood fourteen ahead o! their com- petitors, The steady, resolute firing of the Insh was, however, ielling, and not only did they regain the pround lost at this range, but swept away two ofthe majority from the first range, They beganto have hopes of recovering their Jost ground at 1,000 yards, and the magnificent scores by them at this range attest their great skill. The sbadows were creeping gradually over the sky, and for a short time the brignt hue of the American eky gave way to the cold, gray skies, resembling those with which the Irish rifemen were familiat. Taking advantage of this familiar light, the Irish fired rapidly, and scored a bull’s eye almost every shot, When they had ceased they had drawn ahead of the American team, but several of the latter had not yet com- pleted their score. The word was sent to the American targets not to lose a point—that the issue was remarkably doubtiul. Lieutenant Fulton had three shots to fire, as had Colonel Bodine. Tne unexpected news so threw the Lieutenant off his balancé th he finished up with three cen- tres, The fate of the contest hung on the result of Colonel Bodine's last shot. If he should miss the victory remained with the Irish, A moment before this the old: marksman had cut his hand with a broken bottle, Having stanched the blood he lay down to take the decisive shot. The state of the case had already been whispered about and the people crowded in to Watch the effect of the last shot, There was an ominous silence among the crowd gazing at the old marksman lying motionless on the ground, At length a white puff of smoke followed by the sharp ring of the explosion told that the leaden messenger had sped on ite way. Had he missed ? from a hundred throats, and as the white disk | came up telling it was a bullseye the people set up @ hearty cheer for the victor, and seizing the lucky rifeman chaired him a3 some acknowledgment of the service he had rendered, The enthusiasm among tne | , crowd burst forth in cheers again and | again renewed, as If to compensate themselves | for the houre of enforced silence they had passed | Watching the progress of the match, Of the final stage were remarkably good, the Irish | again beating the Americans, but not making enough points to cqver the misses made ai tue ; 800 yards range, { The Irish Score at 1,000 Yards, RIGBY. cA 8344434464443 63 &55 DR. J. B, HAMILTON. 3433334334433 4 3—00, CAPTAIN WALKER. The “It 1s on,” broke | 1's The scores lew yi PTT 4334364444033 4 tL Seed eaessaes 7. K, MILNER, SUAS HT AS USSSA A HOS BDMUND JOHNSON. #344344433463 323-5, American Score at One Thousand Yards. es H. FULTON. dads ae ase d aS 3 386 COLONEL J. BODINE. G. W. YALE. L, L. HEPBURN. CdS e2d3S33030 4 346 COLONEL GILDERSLERVE. Obes eesosa2s 8 «om RESUME OF THE SCORES. Score of the Irish Team. JOHN RIGBY’S SCORE—TARGET 16, 4) 8) 6) 7) 8) 9/10) 13/12/13/14)18) Toeate, rays} ay 3) 8} 4) 8) vi al al a] ga 4 4) 4 43 4 56 4] 4 4 re _ 163 12/13 CONTINUED oN TENTH PAGS