Oil, for the
inside of the rifle, should be regularly served; and the flints should be
of a much better quality than those used in muskets.
POWDER.
Every thing depends upon this article's being of an uniform degree of
strength: it should be of the best quality, but not glazed.
ACCOUTREMENTS AND DRESS,
Cannot be better than those used by the rifle corps in this country,
except perhaps that the latter should be of a dusky green, the colour died
in the Highlands of Scotland for plaids; even the cap should be of this
colour: a sort of helmet, constructed so as to afford a rest to fire from,
when lying on the belly.
EXERCISE, &c.
It may perhaps be presumption in me to say any thing on this subject; but
I cannot help thinking it should be the _reverse_ of what is used in
the Line. They should be encamped as much as possible in a woody country,
as the art of _freeing_, as the back woodsmen call it, is one of
their best manoeuvres. Their whole time should be taken up in the
_real_ study of their profession, not in powdering, pipeclaying,
blacking, polishing, and such military fopperies.
The rifle out of the question, I do not think _slow, deliberate firing_
sufficiently attended to in the english army. Want of ammunition first
introduced it into this country at Bunker's Hill, and afterward at
Sullivan's Island. The carnage that ensued was a fatal proof of it's
efficacy.
I have often thought, that the success of our navy was in a great measure
owing to _cool, deliberate firing_; and there is no doubt but that the
military fame of our ancestors was owing to their great superiority in
shooting the long bow; for the exercise of which, butts were erected in
every village in the kingdom. -
From
Yours, &c
* * * * *
_Philadelphia, February 12th, 1796._
DEAR FRIEND,
Were I to characterise the _United States_, it should be by the
appellation of the _land of speculation_.
Such has been the rapid rise of every article of american produce, of
house-rent, and land (to say nothing of mercantile speculation, great part
of the carrying trade of Europe being now in the hands of the Americans),
that surely there never was a country where that passion was so universal,
or had such unbounded scope.
The last great purchase of land from the Indians, on the confines of
Georgia, was at the rate of a cent per acre; one hundred acres for a
dollar!
Before the american war, flour, was sold at _two_ dollars, per barrel; it
is now selling at _fourteen_.
But perhaps the most tempting speculation is that of the _mines_. Our
friend, Parsons, who is here looked upon as an agent to some english
speculators, has lately received the enclosed, which I begged a copy of,
for your perusal but should first inform you, the cheapest fuel you can
burn in some parts of America, is english coal from Liverpool!
