The National Rifle Association (NRA) was founded in 1871 by a group of ex-US Army officers who were aghast at the exceedingly poor marksmanship of soldiers who fought for the United States during the American Civil War.
The group chose as its first president a former US army general, Ambrose Burnside. Other ex-generals would also serve as president, including former president Ulysses Grant and General Philip Sheridan.
