Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1871 edition. Excerpt: ... EXTRACTS FROM THE SECOND PART, ENTITLED LESSONS OF THE DECADE APPLIED. SABRE EXERCISE AND TOURNAMENTS. The sabre will be the ordinary Ames blade, of trie present United States pattern, to be issued as sharp as a razor from the factory. It will be worn in a scabbard of simple black or brown leather, kept soft and supple and without any wooden lining. Near the mouth of the scabbard will be an outside sheath, to hold a small, flat tablet of soapstone with a wooden handle to act as a whetstone. The sabre will al ways be drawn slowly and individually before exercise, and returned in the same way after it. It will be worn in a frog at the waistbelt, like the infantry sword, and not slung. In dismounted fighting it will be taken out of this frog and left on the stddle in the same bucket provided for the oarbine when mounted. At every halt after a longmarch, and every evening and morning, the sabre will be drawn and tested. If not sharp enough to cut hairs from the head or shave some ff the bare arm, it must bo carefully whetted until it will do so. Dismounted snries shall never mount guard with sabres drawn. Either they shall carry carbines, leaving the sabre in quarters, or they shall take it from the frog and carry it sheathed, and at a port (vide post). The point, whether bare or sheathed, shall never be allowed to rest on the ground. Inspections of sabres and pistols shall be held daily, to keep both weapons in condition. Officers should constantly impress on their commands the value of sharp sabres which will gash, even in the hands of a child, if kept like razors, and cut men in half at the waist in the hands of soldiers of ordinary strength. The men being perfect in drill, the instructor commands as follows, explaining and...
