Determining target distance?

[Calum]

'evening,

On another forum an individual stated:
On one of the many UnCivil War books I used to own and loaned out, so I never got them back, there was a period description of how to tell how far away a man was by whether you could distinguish his legs, then his arms, then his hands, etc. as one got closer.

I typed that info up and gave it to the Scout Sniper Instructor School Instructors to try out. They stopped by the next day and said it worked VERY well and "WTH did I get it?" I told them once again we had forgotten something that people used to know and informed them where it came from.

I know that I've read that the USSS were trained to determine distance, but I've not come across the actual process. I believe that it's one of the Harper's Weekly that indicates that men had to determine the distance that others were standing at in a field, as part of the training, but that's the closest I have. Does anyone have an actual manual source and/or what the process being indicated above is?

Thanks,
Calum

[Silas]

Re: Determining target distance?

This will get you there :

https://books.google.com/books?id=74bJMeAUp84C&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false

[Calum]

Re: Determining target distance?

Thank you!

Calum

[James Brenner]

Re: Determining target distance?

Gibbons' Artillerists Manual, 1860 also has some guidance on estimating distances. "On a clear day, and with ordinary sight, at from 190 to 200 yards, every part of a man's body can be seen; and although the details of dress and figure begin to grow indistinct, the grades of officers can be recognized at these distances. From 400 to 480 yards, the face can no longer be distinguished, but the head, body, arms and movements, as well as the uniforms and muskets, can. At 600 yards, the head and upper and lower parts of the body can be made out; and of the uniform, the accouterments and white pantaloons only can be seen. From 750 to 800 yards, the body appears of an elongated form. Extended arms can be seen in profile, as also the legs of men in motion. The uniform can no longer be distinguished at 900 yards, but the files can still be seen, as well as the movement of troops, and the dust thrown up by a projectile ricocheting on dry ground. From 1100 to 1200 yards, the files can scarcely be distinguished, and the troops appear like solid masses, the movement of which can still be followed."

[Calum]

Re: Determining target distance?

Thanks for the additional reference!

Calum