Present Sabre

[10nycav]

Am I missing something? I have been practicing "Present Sabre" as described in the Poinsett Tactics. The sabre should be held at the vertical during the salute, unless I am missing something. However I see folks who use Cooke's Tactics bringing the sabre to the vertical and then dropping the point, so that the sabre is at about a 30 degree angle, and holding it in that position until Shoulder Arms is called. It looks bad to have one unit doing it one way, and one unit another. Does Cooke's Manual have a different way of doing Present Arms than Poinsett?

Thanks!
Ken Morris

[CJSchumacher]

Re: Present Sabre

Am I missing something? I have been practicing "Present Sabre" as described in the Poinsett Tactics. The sabre should be held at the vertical during the salute, unless I am missing something. However I see folks who use Cooke's Tactics bringing the sabre to the vertical and then dropping the point, so that the sabre is at about a 30 degree angle, and holding it in that position until Shoulder Arms is called. It looks bad to have one unit doing it one way, and one unit another. Does Cooke's Manual have a different way of doing Present Arms than Poinsett?

Thanks!
Ken Morris

Ken, I don't believe Cooke's states it any differently than Poinsett's. I know that the first motion of return saber by Cooke's states:

31.—At the command, SABRE, carry the sabre vertically to the front, the thumb opposite to and 6 inches from the neck, the blade vertical (my emphasis), the edge to the left, the thumb extended on the right side of the gripe, the little finger by the side of the others.

This is generally understood to be the same position as present saber. I think its a clear case of reenactorism on their behalf. By the way...it is Carry Arms, not Shoulder in the cav. :wink_smil

[10nycav]

Re: Present Sabre

Yeah, that's what I get for going to morning parade with infantrymen! ;)

Ken

By the way...it is Carry Arms, not Shoulder in the cav.

[GeraldTodd]

Re: Present Sabre

I've seen the modern military presenting sabre in that droopey manner and figure that is where reenactors get it from. In some foriegn militaries they nearly have the blade horizontal!

It's down right Freudian how reenactors will twist the manual to fit some notion gleened from the modern military or even things seen in movies, then fight anything to the contrary.

Below is how it's described by Poinsett & Cooke:

[Jefferson Guards]

Re: Present Sabre

From Hunt, Barry, & French's Artillery Tactics:

Officer's salute with the sabre:

564. When officers are to salute, whether on horseback or on foot, at a halt or in a march, they execute it in four motions:
1st At six yards from the person to be saluted, raise the sabre perpendicularly, the point upwards, edge to the left, the hand opposite to and 1 foot from the right shoulder, the wrist 6 inches form the body.
2d. Lower the blade, extending the arm to its ful length, the hand in quarte, until the point of the sabre is near the foot.
3d. Raise the sabre quickly, the point upwards as in the first motion, after the person saluted is passed 4 yards
4th. Bring the sabre to a carry

Thanks to Ryan Weddle for bringing this back to my attention.

I know this deals with the artillery, not the cavalry, however, it suggests a different method of presenting sabre for officers as opposed to enlisted men of the same branch (light artillery).

[CJSchumacher]

Re: Present Sabre

From Hunt, Barry, & French's Artillery Tactics:

Officer's salute with the sabre:

564. When officers are to salute, whether on horseback or on foot, at a halt or in a march, they execute it in four motions:
1st At six yards from the person to be saluted, raise the sabre perpendicularly, the point upwards, edge to the left, the hand opposite to and 1 foot from the right shoulder, the wrist 6 inches form the body.
2d. Lower the blade, extending the arm to its ful length, the hand in quarte, until the point of the sabre is near the foot.
3d. Raise the sabre quickly, the point upwards as in the first motion, after the person saluted is passed 4 yards
4th. Bring the sabre to a carry

Thanks to Ryan Weddle for bringing this back to my attention.

I know this deals with the artillery, not the cavalry, however, it suggests a different method of presenting sabre for officers as opposed to enlisted men of the same branch (light artillery).

Actually, the SALUTE with the saber for officers in general is conducted as you've quoted. No difference is made.

The quote I referenced was specifically to PRESENT Saber for enlisted men and differed not for either branch of the mounted services, cavalry or artillery.

Chris