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The International Rifle Match
Harper's Weekly, New York, Saturday, October 10, 1874
No event in the sporting world has excited more general attention this season than the grand International Rifle Match at Creedmoor, Long Island, between the American and Irish "teams." The latter arrived in this city on the 16th of September, and since that time have occupied themselves in viewing the sights of the New World and preliminary practice at Creedmoor. The party includes Major Arthur Blennerhassett Leech, head of the Irish Rifle Association about ten years since, Mr. H.H. Foster, Honorary Secretary of the Association, Mr. John Rigby, the maker of the rifle the team are engaged in introducing, Dr. J.B. Hamilton, Mr. James Wilson, Mr. J.K. Milner, Mr. Edmund Johnson, and Captain P. Walker. The party were accompanied by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, who has come to this country to see the shooting at Creedmoor, and afterward to indulge in a few weeks' sport on the great plains of the West. Last practice at Creedmoor prior to the match We give above an illustration showing the last practice of the two teams at Creedmoor, two days before the match took place.


The American team were Mr. Henry Fulton, Mr. H.A. Gildersleeve, Mr. T.S. Dakin, Mr. G.W. Yale, Colonel John Bodine, and Mr. L.L. Hepburn. Mr. Fulton is a Lieutenant in the Twelfth Regiment, is twenty-eight years old, and served in the army during the war. He won several prizes at Montreal at the last meeting of the Quebec Rifle Association, as did also Messrs. Gildersleeve and Yale. Mr. Gildersleeve is Lieutenant-Colonel of the Twelfth Regiment, is thirty-three years old, enlisted in the One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment during the war, fought at Gettysburg, was with Sherman on his march to the sea, serving the latter part of the war as Provost Marshal of the Twentieth Army Corps. Mr. Dakin is a Brigadier-General in the New York militia, is forty-three years old, weighs 220 pounds, is a good shot, and has seen service during the war. Mr. Hepburn is forty-two years old, a gun-maker, employed in the rifle-works of E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, New York. Mr. Yale is also a gun-maker, and is superintendent of Sharp's rifle-works, Hartford, Connecticut. He is forty-eight years old. The two latter gentlemen have had great experience with rifles. Colonel Bodine lives in Highland, New Jersey. He is an old rifleman and a good shot. Mr. G.W. Wingate, who was chosen Captain of the team, is a lawyer, a Colonel in the militia, President of the Amateur Rifle Club, and has taken an active part in the rifle-shooting at Creedmoor.

A beautiful silver cup which Captain Leech has brought over to present for competition to the riflemen of America is illustrated. It is a very graceful and artistic piece of workmanship, tastefully embossed, and surmounted by a representation of an ancient castle in ruin. It bears the following inscription:
The cup presented by Captain Leech
PRESENTED FOR COMPETITION TO THE RIFLEMEN OF AMERICA BY ARTHUR BLENNERHASSETT LEECH, CAPTAIN OF THE IRISH INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF RIFLEMEN, ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR VISIT TO NEW YORK, 1874
The day appointed for the grand match, September 26, was every thing that could be desired, and the grounds at Creedmoor wore a gala-day appearance. From 8000 to 10,000 visitors were on the spot, and American and Irish flags were numerously displayed. The utmost good feeling prevailed during the entire contest. The shooting began at half past ten, at 800 yards, and was extraordinary for precision and for the evenness of skill displayed by the several members of the two teams. So well matched were the contestants that it was not decided which party would win until Colonel Bodine, of the American team, delivered the last shot, making a bull's-eye and winning for his party by three points. The following table shows the score of each team: TOTALS OF AMERICAN SCORES TOTALS OF IRISH SCORES Henry Fulton 171 John Rigby 163 G.W. Yale 162 J.B. Hamilton 160 John Bodine 158 James Wilson 160 Colonel Gildersleeve 155 J.K. Milner 154 L.L. Hepburn 149 Edmund Johnson 150 T.S. Dakin 139 Captain Walker 144 Grand Total Grand Total 934 931 At the termination of the shooting at 800 yards, luncheon was served, and prior to the resuming of the match, Major Leech, of the Irish team, in a neat and graceful speech, presented the silver cup described above, and also decorated colonel Wingate with the badge of the Irish Rifle Association. Nothing occurred during the day to mar the pleasure and harmony of the occasion, barring some railroad mismanagement, and both parties have reason to be proud of their display of skill. While it was a famous victory for the Americans, the Irish riflemen need not feel chagrined at their defeat.

© 2001 DBMinshall

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THIS   IS   AN   1877   IMAGE













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