American Rifleman Article - Marksmanship in 1775: Myth or Reality?

[GoldFish]

I read this article and found it to be pretty interesting.  If anyone spots anything false in it, I'd like to know what it is.

Link:
http://www.americanrifleman.org/ArticlePage.aspx?id=2455&cid=5

---GoldFish

[Sprocket]

Read mine tonight - thought it had some interesting points - most of which seem to be aimed at slamming the discredited author of a "historical" piece.

The fact remains, practice makes you good at what you practice - I could play hockey tomorrow but I'd be pretty lethal to everyone on the ice, including me.

[caseyblane]

Maybe if we send them enough positive responses we can get AS slipped in to the letters to the editor page.
Here's my letter to the editor:

Dear Editors,
In the table of contents of the July issue you incorrectly printed that the Battle of Bunker Hill was on April 19, 1775. I know it was just a misprint because the wonderful article later in the issue got it right (June 17,1775). I make special mention of this as the Florida Promotions Boss for Project Appleseed (www.appleseedinfo.org). At Project Appleseed, we refer to April 19,1775 as "The day Marksmanship met History and the Heritage began." We're a national nonprofit grassroots organization with the goal of turning modern rifle owners in to riflemen and teaching Americans the story of that momentous day. We tell the story of the day when Americans fought for their natural right to keep and bear arms with the hope that it will never have to happen again. Thank you for helping to bring attention to this most important event. 
Casey Lane
Jacksonville, FL

[siglite]

Hahah, I started laughing at this line from the article.

It was only in the decade preceding World War II that the "myth" of American marksmanship first received incoming fire from historians,

I thought... "How ironic, considering Belleau Woods."

From Wiki:

Belleau Wood is allegedly also where the Marines got their nickname "Teufel Hunden" meaning "Devil Dogs" in poor German (actually "Teufelshunde" in proper German), for the ferocity with which they attacked. An official German report classified the Marines as "vigorous, self-confident, and remarkable marksmen..."

American marksmanship may be impugned by the occasional writer looking to troll up some controversy.  But the reality is, that popping the enemy in the grape from considerable distance is a time honored American tradition.  We're good at it.  Just ask the Germans.  Or if you like, ask any British soldier that had the misfortune of bumping into Morgan's company.  If he survived long enough to inform posterity of the hazards of American marksmanship, that is.

[lysander6]

Here is how low they can go:  http://www.amazon.com/Arming-America-Origins-National-Culture/dp/1932360077/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277484153&sr=8-1

This clown was busted and his Bancroft prize withdrawn in 2002 and he lost his university post.  There is justice in academia sometimes.

[Shooter30-06]

This is an interesting article and illustrates how revisionist historians can overlook the facts as they occurred.  The British at Lexington/Concord and at Bunker Hill did not expect effective resistance from the colonial militia.  If things had gone as the British expected, the well trained and equipped British units would have easily swept the militia aside.  The reason this did not occur was because the British totally underestimated the colonialist's skill and access to firearms.  Remember, in Europe only the nobleman were allowed to hunt.  Based on prior experience the British did not forsee the level of marksmanship skill which the New Englanders would exhibit after several generations of hunting, foraging, and Indian skirmishes on the frontier.   Superior marksmanship is the explanation for the British losses in the above battles since they had the advantage in most other categories.  One final point not mentioned above - the colonials were highly motivated fighters.  They felt their cause was just and they were protecting families and property  close to the action.  The British were essentially foreign invaders at this point and did not have similar motivations.  My hope is that Appleseed can help restore both marksmanship and motivation among our citizens.

[slim]

Maybe if we send them enough positive responses we can get AS slipped in to the letters to the editor page.

Outstanding idea! Huzzah!

Seriously folks, send them an email. It doesn't have to be a fancy letter like Casey's, but just a nice "I liked your article and I'm in Project Appleseed where we make it our mission to bring this information to the masses."

Can you imagine seeing in next month's magazine "we received an overwhelming amount of email from Project Appleseed in response to our article in last month's magazine. To sign up for an event or learn more about marksmanship, heritage, and how to become a Rifleman, visit them at www.appleseedinfo.org."  Come on, send an email already!


I sat there with a smile on my face while reading this article simply because it took me back to sitting under a shade tree and listening to one of our Instructors talk about our uniquely American Heritage. It reminded me of a group of great people on picnic benches, sweating in the shade, happy to have a break and so tired they could barely stay awake yet so hungry to hear the story and reconnect with their inner-American. Then we got down to the Marksmanship. HUZZAH!

What I liked most about the article was they illustrated the need to compare marksmanship not by today's standards, but by standards of that period. While scholars have shrugged off the relative "accuracy" of the Colonials as being miniscule, they haven't done well to compare it to accuracy standards of the period. In that regard, Colonials far exceeded even the best shooters in the world and were renowned - especially by those they fought - to be not only men who know well what they were about, but great marksmen.

[4bfox]

GREAT IDEA! Here's the link to American Rifleman's "contact us" page:

http://www.americanrifleman.org/ContactUs.aspx

Let's STUFF their inbox!

[slim]

Thanks for the link, 4bfox.

And, BTT so everyone sees this thread!

[caseyblane]

Maybe if we send them enough positive responses we can get AS slipped in to the letters to the editor page.
Outstanding idea! Huzzah!

Seriously folks, send them an email. It doesn't have to be a fancy letter like Casey's, but just a nice "I liked your article and I'm in Project Appleseed where we make it our mission to bring this information to the masses."

Can you imagine seeing in next month's magazine "we received an overwhelming amount of email from Project Appleseed in response to our article in last month's magazine. To sign up for an event or learn more about marksmanship, heritage, and how to become a Rifleman, visit them at www.appleseedinfo.org."  Come on, send an email already!

Exactly!

I got a response to my email.

Thanks for your note in pointing out the error. Sometimes, the most obvious things get past us, regardless of how often we proof them. We of course know better. I hope you enjoyed the articles.

Sincerely,

Mark Keefe
American Rifleman

No indication that they'll print it but it was nice to get a response. Send'em some emails!