U.S. Army Military History Institute Weapons-Bladed Historical Services Division 30 Sep 05

SWORDS & SABERS

A Working Bibliography of MHI Sources

CONTENTS Gen/Misc.....p.1 Pre-20th Century.....p.2 20th Century.....p.3 Transition from weapons to Symbols…..p.4

GENERAL/MISCELLANEOUS

Belote, Theodore T. American and European Swords in the Historical Collections of the United States National Museums. Glendale, NY: Benchmark, 1970. 163 p. U850B4.

Foulkes, Charles, & Hopkinson, E.C. Sword, Lance & Bayonet: A Record of Arms of the British Army & Navy. Cambridge, England: Cambridge, UP, 1938. 143 p. U820G7F38.

Mountfort, J.A. "The Evolution of the Sword." Army Ordnance (Sep/Oct 1930): pp. 128-30. Per.

Mowbray, Stuart C., ed. American Swords from the Philip Medicus Collection. Lincoln, RI: Andrew Mowbray, 1999. 271 p. U856U6M44.

Peterson, Harold L. The American Sword, 1775-1945. New Hope, PA: Halter, 1954. 275 p. U856U6P4.

Wagner, Eduard. Cut and Thrust Weapons. London: Spring Books, 1967. 491 p. U850W33.

Wilkinson, Frederick. Edged Weapons. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1970. 270 p. U800W57. See index.

Wilkinson-Latham, Robert. Swords in Color: Including Other Edged Weapons. NY: Arco, 1978. 227 p. U852W53. Hist, illus & color photos.

Wyllie, Arthur. Regulation United States Swords and Their Variations. [S.l.: www.lulu.com]. 2007. 163 p. U856U6W95.

Swords & Sabers p.2

PRE-20TH CENTURY

Albaugh, William A., III. Confederate Edged Weapons. NY: Harper, 1960. 198 p. U856C6A42.

_____ & Steuart, Richard D. Handbook of Confederate Swords. Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot, 1993 reprint of 1951 ed. 128 p. U856C6A422.

Bigelow, John. "The Saber and Bayonet Question." Jrnl of US Mil Srvc Inst (1882): pp. 65-96. Per. Incls opinions on their usefulness on western frontier.

Corbesier, A.J. Theory of Fencing With the Small-Sword Exercise. Wash, DC: GPO, 1873. 57 p. U860C67.

Cotty, G. Harmann. Mémoir sur la Fabrication des Armes Portatives de Guerre. Paris: Chez Magimal, 1806. UL222C67RareBookSWD.

Garigliano, Leonard J. Abstract, Review and Notes Regarding Principal Sword Contractors During the American Civil War. Salisbury, MD: Peninsula, 1983. 119 p. U856U6G37.

Great Britain. War Office. A Military System of Gymnastic Exercises, and a System of Fencing, for the Use of Instructors. London: HMSO, 1882. U325G7A5.

Hewes, Robert. Rules and Regulations for the Sword Exercise of the Cavalry, to Which is Added, the Review Exercise. American ed. Boston: Norman, 1802. UE155G7H4RareBook. See pp. 14-32 on foot drill instructions; pp. 66-73 on horseback instructions.

Hutton, Alfred. Cold Steel: A Practical Treatise on the Sabre...Including the Short Sword-Bayonet.... London: Clowes, 1889. 245 p. U860H8.

_____. The Sword and the Centuries, or Old Sword Days and Old Sword Ways. London: Richards, 1901. 367 p. U850H18.

_____. The Swordsman: A Manual of Fence for the Foil, Sabre, and Bayonet: With an Appendix Consisting of a Code of Rules for Assaults, Competitions, Etc. London: Grevel, 1891. 126 p. U860H88.

The Infantry Exercise of the United States Army, Abridged for the Use of the Militia of the United States. 2d ed. Poughkeepsie: Potter, 1817. pp. 122-23. UD161P96RareBook.

O'Rourke, Matthew J. A New System of Sword Exercise, With a Manual of the Sword for Officers, Mounted and Dismounted.... NY: Gray, 1872. 120 p. U865O74.

Swords & Sabers p.3

Scott, Winfield. Infantry Tactics; or, Rules for the Exercise and Manoevers [sic] of the United States Infantry. Vol. I. NY: Harper, 1846. p. 188. UD160S44RareBook.

Stroud, David V. Inscribed Union Swords: 1861-65. Kilgore, TX: Pinecrest, 1983. 192 p. U856U6S85.

Waite, J.M. Lessons in Sabre, Singlestick, Sabre & Bayonet, and Sword Feats, Or How to Use a Cut- and-Thrust Sword…. London: Weldon, 1880? 151 p. U865W34.

Wayne, Henry C. The Sword Exercise, Arranged for Military Instruction. Wash, DC: Gideon, 1850. ca 100 p., with plates. U865W35. Also 1979 reprint.

20TH CENTURY

Barbasetti, Luigi. The Art of the Sabre and the Épéé. NY: Dutton, 1936. 170 p. U860B3713.

Betts, J. The Sword and How to Use It. London: Gale & Polden, 1908. 73 p. U850B47.

Canfield, Bruce N. U.S. Infantry Weapons of World War II. Lincoln, RI: Mowbray, 1994. 301 p. UC383C36. See Chap. 2.

Breckinridge, Scott D. Sword Play, Based Upon the French School of the Foil. NY: Barnes, 1941. 100 p. U860B73.

Patton, George S., Jr. Diary of the Instructor in Swordsmanship. Ft Riley: Mounted Services School, 1915. 44 p. UE423P3.

_____. "Form and Use of the Saber." Cav Jrnl (Mar 1913): pp. 752-59. Per.

_____. "Present Saber: Its Form and the Use for Which it Was Designed." Cav Jrnl (Apr 1917): pp. 577-80. Per.

Stephens, Frederick J. A Guide to Nazi Daggers, Swords, and Bayonets. Bury, England: n.p., 1965. 55 p. U856G3S73.

Turner, Joseph W. The Last Bright Blades: A Study of the Development and the Demise of the Cavalry Saber from 1904-34. Atascadero, CA: Wagapaw, 1982. 46 p. U856U6T87.

U.S. War Dept. Provisional Regulations for Saber Exercise, United States Army, 1907. Wash, DC: GPO, 1907. 49 p. UD423A5.

_____. Saber Exercise, 1914. Wash, DC: GPO, 1914. 40 p. UD423A5.

Swords & Sabers p.3

TRANSITION FROM WEAPONS TO SYMBOLS

Prior to the 20th century, the swords and sabers of US Army officers differed according to rank, branch, or arm of service of individual officers. They carried their weapons during all military duty occasions, other than stable and fatigue. In 1902 a new standard saber was adopted and prescribed for all officers regardless of rank or branch, except chaplains (who carried no sidearms). The new saber belonged with the service uniform when the officer went on duty under arms or with the dress uniform on certain formal occasions. The pistol replaced the saber as a field arm by 1912. See:

Peterson, Harold L. The American Sword, 1775-1945, cited above, pp. p. 59, 61 & 85-86. U856U6P4.

U.S. War Dept. AGO. Uniform of the United States Army: General Order No. 132, dated 31 Dec 1902, pp. 17 & 42-47. UC483U482.

_____. Regulations of the Army of the United States, 1881. p. 278. MilPub-Regs.

_____. Regulations for the Uniform of the United States Army, 1912. pp. 35 & 39-54. MilPub-Regs.

During the early 1930s, the saber and its accouterments became prescribed articles for service and dress uniforms. Sabers were worn for ceremonies and "on all occasions on duty under arms," except when in the field. (Only cavalry officers when on mounted duty carried sabers in the field.) Col James A. Moss, the Army's unofficial custom arbiter, recommended to newly-appointed officers that they purchase saber and scabbard before reporting to their first duty stations. See:

Matthews, Church M. "The Sword-from Combat to Ceremony." Army Ordnance (Nov/Dec 1928): pp. 177-79. Per.

Moss, James A. Officer's Manual. Menasha, WI: Banta, 1929 & 1932 eds. Chap II. U133M74.

U.S. War Dept. Wearing of the Uniform: AR 600-40, dated Jun 1931. pp. 35-36. AuthPub-AR.

The actual demise of the cavalry saber as a weapon in the US Army can be pinpointed. Based upon the recommendations of the cavalry establishment, the Adjutant General's Office issued the following lucid instructions on 18 Apr 1934: "The saber is hereby discontinued as an item of issue to the cavalry. The saber is completely discarded as a cavalry weapon." This left only the officer's dress saber, which served as a badge of office. See:

Cav Jrnl (May/Jun 1934): p. 44. Per.

Swords & Sabers p.3

Incidentally, British Army Dress Regulations of that same year, 1934, restricted the wearing of swords to the cavalry, thereby ending their use as a fighting weapon by other arms. See:

Foulkes, Charles. Sword, Lance & Bayonet. Cambridge, England: Univ Press, 1938. p. 26. U820G7F38.

After 1934, US Army regulations for the service uniform contained no mention of the saber (see, for example AR 600-40, 28 Aug 1941). Dress uniform regulationss for officers continued to include it (See AR 600-38, 17 Aug 1938). However, with the approach to war, the War Dept no longer required officers to purchase sabers (Circular No 108, 30 Sep 1940, Sec III), but Col Moss in the 1941 ed of his Officer's Manual continued to recommend new officers purchase a dress saber chain (pp. 31-33). More in tune with the changing times, the competing Officers' Guide, (6th ed, 1941, U133M74, p. 156) carried the War Dept announcement of 8 Nov 1940 on the discontinuance of saber instruction for officers.

After World War II, the saber appears to have become an optional item of officer's equipment. If prescribed, it constituted part of the full dress uniforms or, possibly, even the garrison uniform. See:

The Officers' Guide. Harrisburg, PA: Mil Serv Pub, 1948. p. 88. U133O44.

U.S. War Dept. Leadership, Courtesy, and Drill. Field Manual 22-5, Feb 1946. p. 293. FM.

On the US Navy's transition, See:

Lovett, Leland P. Naval Custom, Traditions and Usage. Annapolis, MD: US Naval Inst, 1980: pp. 37-39. V310L68.