[45govt]

Hello
First post here, thought I would test post a photo or two.

These are from my collection, all are Indian Wars soldiers with marksmanship medals.

First photo is John B. *****
Second photo is John B. Kerr
The rest are unknown

Thanks
Don

 

[munrod]

No. 4 is wearing more than marksmanship medals.

 

[45govt]

Hello Munrod,

That is correct, he is wearing what appears to be fraternal medals as well, but as my area of interest is frontier military marksmanship I am not that interested in the other medals.

Thanks
Don

 

[windage]

I don't know spit from banana pudding, but the bullseye collar tabs on #4 would make me think he is full time shooting team/ marksmanship instructor etc.. Most of the medals would be awards for winning a particular match.
Don't know how you might go about identifying them.

 

[munrod]

The bullseye collar buttons indicate he is currently qualified.
http://emersoninsignia.net/files/Download/1 shootingbadges text 1880-1921.pdf

 

[James N.]

...he is wearing what appears to be fraternal medals as well, but as my area of interest is frontier military marksmanship I am not that interested in the other medals.

Don,

Despite your lack of interest, the officer from Detroit is a Union veteran of the Civil War ( not unusual for older officers of the postwar army ) as shown by his Grand Army of the Republic/GAR medal on the left.

 

[GUNBB]

Thanks for the pics. I have some of those early "Marksman" medals, including the maltese cross one and the one above. I assumed they were WW1. BB

 

[45govt]

Windage
As Munrod stated the collar buttons indicate he is qualified as a "Marksman" they were issued additional buttons for subsequent years and wore them in the following manner
One pair = currently qualified.
Two pairs = qualified currently and qualified the previous year.
One pair and marksman bar = qualified a total of 3 years & currently qualified.
Marksman bar and no buttons = previously qualified for 3 years (until 1897).
There were soldiers that wore three pairs but that was not authorized.

James,
I did recognize the GAR medal, the others I am not sure of.

GunBB,
The marksman bar and the sharpshooter crosses extended into the WW1 era, there is a difference in the pin attachments that can date the pins.

Here is a Stadia which was one of the earliest awards, they were brass and silver, which is rare.

 

[GUNBB]

Very Nice, BB

 

[Big commander]

Here is a Stadia which was one of the earliest awards, they were brass and silver, which is rare.
View attachment 525728

Forgive my ignorance but, is this device meant to adjust the rearsight of a rifle in height for a given distance (even "roughly")?
And ... if by chance this would be the case ... for what rifle would it be designed? As curious as a cat

 

[munrod]

It's used for estimating range independent of the rifle sight and type rifle. The cord is used to hold it a fixed distance from the eye, view a man height target through the slot, align the top of the slot with the top of the target and move the slide until it hits the bottom of the target. Then read the range off the scale to the side of the slot.

45govt's is a bit fancier than the one in the below drawing but the principal is the pretty much the same. Looks like his might have you bottom the target in the slot and move the slide to the top of the target.

Its a great accessory for long range shooting with a black powder rifle since the low velocity/high trajectory make range estimation critical.

 

[Big commander]

I get it! Never saw such a device. Thank you for the trouble, I appreciate it.

 

[45govt]

Munrod is basically correct, on this stadia the "target" was a standing solider or a mounted soldier.
One side was used for infantry and one side for cavalry, the stadia was held at a set distance from the eye, mine is missing the string with the balls on the end, one of which was held in the teeth and the other end was through the hole in the slide. the stadia was held horizontally and the soldier or mounted cavalryman was viewed through the slot in the slide and the slide was adjusted so the "target" touched the top and bottom of the cutout and that determined the distance.

Here is both sides one marked infantry and the other cavalry

Don

 

[45govt]

Hello Munrod,
If you don't mind can I ask where the drawing of that stadia is from.
Thanks

It's used for estimating range independent of the rifle sight and type rifle. The cord is used to hold it a fixed distance from the eye, view a man height target through the slot, align the top of the slot with the top of the target and move the slide until it hits the bottom of the target. Then read the range off the scale to the side of the slot.

45govt's is a bit fancier than the one in the below drawing but the principal is the pretty much the same. Looks like his might have you bottom the target in the slot and move the slide to the top of the target.

Its a great accessory for long range shooting with a black powder rifle since the low velocity/high trajectory make range estimation critical.

 

[munrod]

Don't mind at all but not sure how helpful the answer will be. I scanned it from a photocopy of a page from a book about Civil War era equipment. Don't have the book or remember the title but believe it was published around the time of the centennial (1961 or thereabouts).