Mobile Advertiser & Register

June 15, 1861

Page 1

 

RIFLEMEN AND CAVALRY WANTED- It will be seen, on reference to the General Orders, in another column, that Gen. Anderson wishes, for the State services, two thousand riflemen armed with the Tennessee Rifle, for which the Minnie ball will be furnished by the State.  He also wishes five companies of Cavalry, each private to be armed with a strong double-barreled shot gun, which he will provide for himself but which the State will pay for.  Each man to furnish his own horse.

            Experiments recently made by the Military and Financial Board demonstrated that the Tennessee rifle, with the Minnie ball, is a most effective weapon at long distances, more accurate and destructive than the rifle musket.  The shot gun in the hands of mounted men, is more serviceable that the Carbine.- [Nashville Patriot]

           

The following relative to the experiments referred to is from the same paper:

            Experiments conducted for several days by direction of the Military and Financial Board, demonstrate that the Minnie ball, in the Tennessee rifle, with the same charge of powder used with the round ball, has a range and force three fold that of the round ball.

            A rifle carrying but 100 balls to the pound, used with the ordinary sight is, at 300 yards, a most deadly weapon, projecting the ball with greater accuracy and force than the rifled musket.  The rifle of larger caliber has greater range and force.

            The ball should be less diameter that the round ball, so as to admit of great rapidity in loading.  The cartridges should be dipped in a compound of beeswax and tallow, and a patch should not be used.  A rifle thus may be fired 100 times without cleaning.

            It is thought proper to call the attention of the people of the State to this fact, so that they may know the value of the weapon which all possess.

            Newspapers throughout the State would please copy.

            Persons living in all parts of the State are requested to forward them to the Board, and they will be allowed a liberal compensation for them.  We like this movement in Tennessee for bringing into the service the tried and accustomed arms of the people.