Why does the Second Amendment Foundation fight for the right of 18- to 20-year-old Americans to buy firearms such as the AR15? Among other reasons, because if they’re old enough to die fighting for their country with a real government-issue assault rifle or something much deadlier in their hands, they’re old enough to buy an AR15 of their own and be practiced with it before they even enlist. American history is replete with legendary warriors who shot rifles to feed their families long before they entered the service. Think Alvin York, Audie Murphy, Carolos Hathcock, Chris Kyle and many more. Here, thanks to Ballistic magazine, is the story of an American fighting man who, with his own rifle, changed the course of history long before the other heroes mentioned above:
The recent attempted assassination of President Trump will no doubt bring calls for even more civilian disarmament. We are fortunate that it was not a rifleman possessing Timothy Murphy’s skill on that roof.
I have always strongly believed that the age for all legal rights and responsibilities should be 18 across the board. This includes drinking (the place I grew up was 19, and still is), purchase and possession of all types of firearms, CCW, etc. America is one of only a dozen or so countries which clings to 21, this should end. Completely.
I joined the Army in 1967 at age 17. At age 18 I was in Nam. Couldn’t buy beer, couldn’t
by a firearm, yet I could carry a 1911 and an M14, set up an M18A1 Claymore and clack
it off, use an M79, M60 as well as an assortment of grenades and kill other human beings.
Like Jesse Ventura said, “you send your children off to war” (Sorry Jesse if I didn’t get the
quote verbatim). I’m 75 now and it has never made sense to me.
Dano
Thanks for sharing that. Facts are powerful things to thoughtful people.
Yes, the age for most thngs does ned to be lowered.
I have thought for a long time most normal things in life should be accessible to 16 year olds.
At that age, they can marry (wih parent’s approval), drive a car but not own one, get a paying job (I had my own house painting business at 14), many other things.
At 18 they can marry on their own say-so, own long guns and most places buy ammunition for them, but not handguns and certainly no Mother May I Card. They can buy and sell property, open their own bank account without sponsor, own businesses, their own stock portolios, standard passport, get a private pilot’s ticket, sit on a jury, vote, hold most public office… butt for some unfathimable reason cannot own or carry handguns…. silly, really. oh, most states they can buy and usealcohol,
SO.. 18 at the least, and I find strong cause for sixteen for most things. This twenty one business is the talk of sick nannies obsessed wih controlling and micromanaging every aspect of everyone’s lives.
Folks might enjoy the story of another marksman’s exploits in another American war, the war of northern aggression. A short recounting can be found if you search “The Story of Civil War Sniper Jack Hinson and His Rifle” by Kyle Lamb in a G&A magazine article. You might find the tactics he used interesting should such unpleasantness repeat itself.
There is an excellent book about Jack Hinson also:
Jack Hinson’s One-Man War, A Civil War Sniper Hardcover, by Tom McKenney.
Dennis wrote:
‘the war of northern aggression’.
Or as Granny Clampett referred to it: ‘When the North invaded America’ :-).
njk
BOOM!!! Smart Granny.
And on one episode she referred to the President as “President Davis.” 🙂
“American history is replete with legendary warriors who shot rifles to feed their families long before they entered the service.”
Back when Heller was being decided one of the briefs, BRIEF AMICUS CURIAE OF RETIRED MILITARY OFFICERS IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENT, made that very point:
“Military recruits with training and experience with firearms in civilian life generally make better marksmen—and therefore better service members—than those who have not had such experience. As Secretary of War Elihu Root once explained:
‘I know of nothing more important in the way of preparation for war than teaching the young
men of the country to shoot straight. . . . It is of no use to pay, equip, subsist, and transport
a soldier to the battlefield unless he can hit an enemy when he shoots at him.’”
https://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/07-90_amicus_retiredmilitary.pdf
I remember Jeff Cooper inquiring into whether fighter pilots were effective because they were good at piloting the plane, or because they were accurate shots. He found out most fighter aces were hunters before they became pilots. The hunting skills transferred well.
Paul , I strongly agree with you and have said the very same for many years . Those that think otherwise forget , or lie about, who defends this Country and gives them THEY’RE defense of the rights and freedom we enjoy ! My father joined the Army at 17 at the end of WW11, served as part of the military government of the Reconstruction of Japan . Then was sent to Korea as a replacement infantryman . He carries metal in his head & legs to this day.
There is another story of a DANGEROUS old man sniper who quitted himself vrey admirably on 19th April 1775, the day of Lexington and Concord.
Helived in Monotomu, a towl along the way, and, at 55 years of age, was “too old to fight”.Well, the Regulars had come OUT that road, they had to come BACKthat road, and he was ready fr them. He’d fought with General Thomas Gage, the commdinging poohbah of the Brits in Boston during the French and Indian Wars, and the Battle of Quebec. He still had the HUGE light grey mare that was nos steed during those years. Taking dwn his long barreled rifle, suitable woods =man clothing, powder horn cartridge box, he set out and took up a position about 150 yards off the road, and waiteduntil he saw a company of Regulars approaching, marching in ragged formetion. He had raine dhis mare o stand as still as a marble sculpture, readed the forepiece of hisrifle across her saddle, waiteduntil he had a good bead on one of those guys with a good splatter of polished brass on his chest (the easiest thing to see and mark….) and touched off ne round. Without shifing his position, he reloaded and pcked off a second officer. Noticing they now had a rough position on him, he simply mounted his mare and rode up the road toward Lexington a space, and did it again. And again and…. He is hought to have dispatched, one ball each, between fifteen and eighteen British Officers that afternoon. And since the Regulars were carefully trained to ONLY do what they were told to do, when there were no officers to tell them what to do, they did exactly what they were told… nothing. Headless chickens are not good fighters.
Hezekiah Wyman was one very dangerous old man, and, despite being “too old to fight” he did what he COULD do, and did it well. Almost all of his “scores” were at ranges between 150 and 200 yards… so far away the Regulars would not even consider engaging him.
His fine workmanship helped raise the toll of Generl Gage’s lost officers that day.. fully one third were taken out of action by the “stupid farmers with their squirrel guns”.
As mentioned in the article, the name Timothy Murphy doesn’t show up in connection with the shooting of Fraser till 70 years later. There isn’t any actual evidence to connect him to Saratoga, much less Fraser. Historian John Luzader spent his career researching the Revolution for the National Parks Service. The Saratoga campaign was his special interest. In retirement he wrote the book “SARATOGA: A Military History of The Decisive Campaign of the American Revolution.” In the short bio of Fraser early in the book, he ends with: “Nineteenth century writers, upon no contemporary evidence, attributed his death to rifleman Timothy Murphy, a man who, on the basis of his widow’s pension application, was not even present at Saratoga.” It’s obvious that Luzader didn’t think he shot Fraser.
In 1958 Luzader was Park Historian at Saratoga and wrote a report on the death and burial of Simon Fraser. He concluded that there was no evidence to justify the story that Arnold or Morgan gave orders to shoot Fraser. He uncovered two accounts, given years later, by soldiers who were at the battle. Morgan Lewis claimed that Fraser was on foot when shot, where the smoke was so thick that he must have been hit by a random shot.
Ebenezer Mattson commanded an artillery battery at Saratoga. He said that an elderly man with a long hunting gun came up to him. “The smoke then rising again, several officers, led by a general, appeared moving to the northward, in rear of the Hessian line. The old man at that instant discharged his gun and the general officer pitched forward on the neck of his horse, and instantly they all wheeled about, the old man observing, “I have killed that officer…”.
The point is that there are other stories that have a more authentic basis than the Murphy one.
Great story, and great replies to that story.
In the photo, I notice the soldier is firing his musket with the bayonet attached. I thought those bayonets covered the barrel. I guess that bayonet is affixed differently.
For those interested in this story I would suggest considering attending a weekend Project Appleseed event. Besides teaching rifle marksmanship (including shooting 350 to 450 rounds at a scaled target representing 100, 200, 300 and 400 yards including a “shingle” target scaled at 250 yards from off-hand, seated and prone positions) an oral history presentation covering the battles of Lexington and Concord is also presented. More information can be found here: https://appleseedinfo.org/
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