Roswell C. Coleman (1840-1923) was born in Goshen, Orange County, NY, USA #onthisday 3 December 1840. Coleman’s interest in target shooting at long distances was first aroused by the accounts given in the newspapers of the International rifle match at Creedmoor, between Ireland and America, in the summer of 1874.
This incited a few in Goshen to form a rifle club that summer which they called the Leather Stocking Rifle Club (inspired by James Fenimore Cooper’s novels). The Club had a 500 yard range, but wanting to try longer distances a range was later laid out on Coleman’s father’s farm. This was in January 1875 and a call had already gone out for competitors to make up an American team to go to Ireland.
So, Coleman set to with training at 800, 900 and 1,000 yards. He also read all he could on the subject. With his decided shooting ability, he secured a place as one of the reserves, with the possibility of shooting on the American team against Ireland.
The match took place at Dollymount Range, about two miles from Dublin, Ireland, on 29 June 1875. Teams of six were to fire 15 shots each, at each distance, 800, 900 and 1,000 yards. Coleman, who used a Remington rifle, was selected to shoot for the American team. The match result was an American victory, the team scoring 967 against Ireland’s 929.