On November 17, 1871, The National Rifle Association (NRA) was first chartered in the state of New York by William Church, the editor of the Army and Navy Journal and General George Wood Wingate. The first president of the NRA was Union General Ambrose Burnside who had also worked as a gunsmith in Rhode Island. (Hey! this author has been to Rhode Island, have you?)
Digging Deeper
It is believed that during the Civil War, the Union Army fired about 1,000 rifle shots for every Confederate soldier hit. Burnside was well aware of the sorry state of marksmanship among his troops. As a result, the organization has sought to train a pool of Americans in the art of marksmanship through various programs, matches, education and the promotion of shooting sports. Education in terms of firearm safety, especially in regard to kids, is another goal of the NRA.
