THE DEADLY CHASSEPOT.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 197, 18 March 1868, Page 3

THE DEADLY CHASSEPOT.

I was most amicably received by the officers whom I met at the General's head-quarters, and at my friend's tent. I had to tell them about last year's campaign ; but strange to say, all that I told them was already known to them and they were even familiar with details which had escaped us in Germany. "With a great deal of tact they avoided alluding to the coolness which had sprung up between France and Prussia during the Salzburg interview. They inveigled only against some German papers, and with even greater indignation against some Parisian papers, especially against Girardin's Liberie and Mire's Presse. As for the Situation no one had ever seen it. On the following morning I went, with the General's permission, to the target shooting. A company five hundred strong, was to fire as rapidly as possible, at five hundred and fifty metres distance. A palisade of boards, as long as the front of a batallion, was the target. However it was less than three feet high. An officer who spoke German with great fluency, took a Prussian needle-gun and showed me that the Chassepot was loaded with one grip less, and they could consequently fire one shot more nearly every minute and a half. Every soldier received ten cartridges. They took positions in groups of three, one lying on the ground, the second kneeling, and the]third firing ia a stooping attitude. We took out our watches, the signal was given, and the soldiers commenced firing. It was a dreadful rattle. I had to hold my hands to my ears, for my blood began to rush violently to my head.

As soon as one minute had elapsed, the bugler sounded "cease firing,"and the cartridges that wore left were counted. During this minute the hundred soldiers had fired 893 shots, and nineteen cartridges had missed fire —that is, one of every forty-seven l shots , | Ten cartridges were again given to. each soldier of the company, and thoy had to fire a minute, but three soldiersj of each group had to stand erect. An excellent result was obtained this time. They ceased firingafter thefifty-seventh, second. The one thousand cartridges were exhausted. Only two soldiers had missed fire at the third shot, one at the fourth, one at the sixth, and one at the ninth. Immediately after the; firing had ceased, the soldiers took up a few small instruments, which I did; not see, close by, and reloaded them ;] four were discharged, but the fifth: missed fire again. A third experiment was now made. The soldiers received again ten car- \ tridges, and the ninty-nine men had to lie down on their bellies and fire in this position. The result of the minute' was as follows : 651 shots had been! fired ; five guns had again missed fire,! but were, in a few seconds, enabled to be discharged. A fourth and last experiment was. made now. Every soldier received only five cartridges, and had to standing. The bugle resounded every twelve seconds, and the volley crashed. At the end of the minute the four; hundred and ninety cartridges werei exhausted -; not a gun had missed fire. • We went now to the target, the palisade of boards. I saw nothing but. a pile of splinters ! A cold shudder ran through my frame at the thought) that men might, one day, be exposed to this "feu d' enfer " " You will admit," said the officer who accompanied me,"" that after such results a further discussion as to the' excellent qualities, of our Chassepotsj would be utterly superfluous. As soon' as the soldiers ure more accustomed' to them, less and less guns will miss, fire, I believe such is the case with: your soldiers too. Now come with me to another target; you yourself can \ fire there with Prussian, English and; Austrian breech-loaders at it, and : satisfy yourself, as all foreign officers' have done, that our Chassepots, so far 1 as reliability and range are concerned, i can vie with all the others, and that our projectiles are more destructive than any others." , " All this," said my friend the j Colonel, " is only of secondary impor-' tance ; it is of no consequence whether j a thousand men, more or less are killed I in battle ; the most important point is j that the soldier should he conscious of; his power."— Translated for the Cincinnatti Commercial from the note hook of a Prussian correspondent. \