Annapolis - June 3, 1913

[butlersrangers]

Checking news photos from the last Century, I am noticing that 1903 Springfields seem to be replacing Krags in the hands of regular and National Guard troops and sailors by about 1912-13. However, here are some neat shots, from the Library of Congress digital archives, of Annapolis Midshipmen demonstrating drill and tactics with Krags in 1913.

[butlersrangers]

Skirmish and Artillery:

[Dick Hosmer]

Neat pictures. First thing I always think of, for some reason, is that all these guys are dead. Sad.

Also, I've heard about "the smoke of battle" and how one could not see through it, but that certainly makes the point.

Anal-retentive trivia: I wonder why they permitted rifles to be slung over either shoulder at random? You'd think it would inhibit close order drill?

[butlersrangers]

Dick: I think the apparent randomness of the slung rifles is actually orderly. Men with 'slung rifles' are the men with lines pulling the artillery pieces. Their inside hand needs to be free to pull the rope. The other hand is controlling the rifle butt. Some men don't have rifles; They must be the Gun Crew. There is order there.

[Eagle223usa]

Very nice post, Classic America.

[reincarnated]

Would those be Cadet rifles?

[Dick Hosmer]

No, not with with sling swivels. Those pics were taken well after the swap to standard rifles.

[psteinmayer]

Amazing pictures Chuck!!! You sure do your homework with these images!

GO NAVY!

[reincarnated]

Who scrubbed the grass stains off the white uniforms? We enlisted guys who participated in such actions did it ourselves or bought ourselves new uniforms.

[psteinmayer]

I gotta believe that this is for show/drill, and not actual training. In training or actual combat, they would have been wearing dungarees. I remember trying to get stains out of my whites... thank god for the laundry crew! But if the stains didn't come out, then we had to purchase new whites too, and then sew on the new Crows ourselves too!