Tweet
Specifically talking about how we link our horses together....
Most of our hobby tends to "Prepare to fight-ON FOOT" by dismounting and having the #1 man take HIS link strap and snap it to the #2 horse, the #2 man who takes his own link strap and clip it to the #3 horse, and the #3 man handing his lead strap to the #4 man who becomes the horse holder. Where did this procedure come from? Is this the correct historical representation or deep seeded tradition we made up out of convenience.
Additionally, there tends to be a continuing discussion on exactly where to secure and "store" the unused link strap. The most common method used seems to buckle the base of the link strap to the bottom halter ring and clip the end on the left cheek. Is this correct or also a tradition that is historically incorrect?
Much of the discussion I have heard on where and how to store the link strap revolves around horse safety and not allowing the horse to have enough room to stick his foot into the loop created by the strap. While horse safety is of concern, authenticity in our dismounted drill should also be heavily considered. If it worked for the guys back then, it should work for us today. As always, we must go to drill manuals or first hand accounts.
Unfortunately, there is little documentation on exactly how to secure the link strap while riding and what the exact procedure should be when utilizing it with your file mates. Poinsett's doesn't specify anything more than just the command to link. Cooke's also doesn't specify how to execute this. From what I have found the only period instructional source that goes in depth on how to link is "Skirmish Drill for Mounted Troops" Printed by Ritchie & Dunnavant in 1861.
So lets look at what this manual states for our two questions:
1. Where to secure and "store" the link strap when not in use
2. The procedure to link horses when the order of "Prepare to fight-ON FOOT" is given.
In Article II: Page 13, the manual states the following:
In addition to the usual equipment of a cavalry
soldier, each man will be provided with a "link," for the
purpose of securing his horse whenever he dismounts. It
will be buckled in the halter-ring of the headstall, and when
not wanted for immediate use, will be hooked up by the snap
in the same ring.
Additionally on page 11 it states:
To link after dismounting, the man stands to horse, faces
about to the rear, takes the link which hangs from the halter
ring of the horse
So, to answer our first question; our link straps should be secured to the halter ring from both ends when not employed.
Now on to the next question...The correct procedure for linking to other horses...
On that same page 11, it states the following procedure:
To link after dismounting, the man stands to horse, faces
about to the rear, takes the link which hangs from the halter
ring of the horse of his left file in his right hand, seizes his
own horse by the bit near the mouth, and draws the horse of
his left file towards his own until he can hook the snap into
the curb ring ; in hooking, the nails of his right hand are
down.....To facilitate the linking, the horse-holder should bear his
horse's head well towards number three.
This description completely changes the procedure for how our hobby traditionally links. Instead of #1 using his strap to link to #2, who uses his own to link to #3.....it is the exact opposite.
#1 should manipulate the strap from the #2 horse and move the #2 horse close to him and link to the curb ring. Then the #2 man reaches over to handle the #3 horse closer to him linking the #3 horse to his...not the other way around.
While variation almost certainly occurred in the field and on campaign and troopers may have done things slightly different out of ease or greater efficiency, it is still important to note how they were trained while drilling.
So, as a challenge to our small sect of the hobby, lets put just as much focus on increasing the authenticity of our behavior on the field just as we try to increase the authenticity of our uniform and gear.
What say you? Anyone up for linking to the Curb!?
Most of our hobby tends to "Prepare to fight-ON FOOT" by dismounting and having the #1 man take HIS link strap and snap it to the #2 horse, the #2 man who takes his own link strap and clip it to the #3 horse, and the #3 man handing his lead strap to the #4 man who becomes the horse holder. Where did this procedure come from? Is this the correct historical representation or deep seeded tradition we made up out of convenience.
Additionally, there tends to be a continuing discussion on exactly where to secure and "store" the unused link strap. The most common method used seems to buckle the base of the link strap to the bottom halter ring and clip the end on the left cheek. Is this correct or also a tradition that is historically incorrect?
Much of the discussion I have heard on where and how to store the link strap revolves around horse safety and not allowing the horse to have enough room to stick his foot into the loop created by the strap. While horse safety is of concern, authenticity in our dismounted drill should also be heavily considered. If it worked for the guys back then, it should work for us today. As always, we must go to drill manuals or first hand accounts.
Unfortunately, there is little documentation on exactly how to secure the link strap while riding and what the exact procedure should be when utilizing it with your file mates. Poinsett's doesn't specify anything more than just the command to link. Cooke's also doesn't specify how to execute this. From what I have found the only period instructional source that goes in depth on how to link is "Skirmish Drill for Mounted Troops" Printed by Ritchie & Dunnavant in 1861.
So lets look at what this manual states for our two questions:
1. Where to secure and "store" the link strap when not in use
2. The procedure to link horses when the order of "Prepare to fight-ON FOOT" is given.
In Article II: Page 13, the manual states the following:
In addition to the usual equipment of a cavalry
soldier, each man will be provided with a "link," for the
purpose of securing his horse whenever he dismounts. It
will be buckled in the halter-ring of the headstall, and when
not wanted for immediate use, will be hooked up by the snap
in the same ring.
Additionally on page 11 it states:
To link after dismounting, the man stands to horse, faces
about to the rear, takes the link which hangs from the halter
ring of the horse
So, to answer our first question; our link straps should be secured to the halter ring from both ends when not employed.
Now on to the next question...The correct procedure for linking to other horses...
On that same page 11, it states the following procedure:
To link after dismounting, the man stands to horse, faces
about to the rear, takes the link which hangs from the halter
ring of the horse of his left file in his right hand, seizes his
own horse by the bit near the mouth, and draws the horse of
his left file towards his own until he can hook the snap into
the curb ring ; in hooking, the nails of his right hand are
down.....To facilitate the linking, the horse-holder should bear his
horse's head well towards number three.
This description completely changes the procedure for how our hobby traditionally links. Instead of #1 using his strap to link to #2, who uses his own to link to #3.....it is the exact opposite.
#1 should manipulate the strap from the #2 horse and move the #2 horse close to him and link to the curb ring. Then the #2 man reaches over to handle the #3 horse closer to him linking the #3 horse to his...not the other way around.
While variation almost certainly occurred in the field and on campaign and troopers may have done things slightly different out of ease or greater efficiency, it is still important to note how they were trained while drilling.
So, as a challenge to our small sect of the hobby, lets put just as much focus on increasing the authenticity of our behavior on the field just as we try to increase the authenticity of our uniform and gear.
What say you? Anyone up for linking to the Curb!?
Attached Files
Comment