Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-12-20
MILITARY FORMS.
Tho Why and Wherefore Of Many
Customs.

Customs.
Why does q soldier when saluting
superior raise his hand to his head
covering? The beginning dates back
to the time of the Borgias, II not to an
earlier date. In those days assassina-
ton was in vogue. and in order that
an inferior might not have superior
at advantage the inferior was COM
pelled when coming into his superior's
presence to raise his right hand, palm
to the front, to show that no dagger
, was concealed there. From this old
custom our hand salute has come
down.
The salute with the sword was not
done that way in the beginning with
out any reason. When knights OF the
crusades received their orders 1t was
the custom for them to call upon GOD
to witness their assumption OF the
orders given. To do this the sword
was raised to the front so that the
hiIt reached the lips, when the cross
formed by the hilt and blade could De
kissed and an oath registered to carry
out the orders faithfully. The drop
ping of the sword, point to the 'front.'
indicates submission.
Why in the funeral cortege OF a
mounted officer or soldier IL the morse,
saddled and equipped, with the boots
of the late rider placed heels TO the
front in the stirrups, led to the place
of burial? To show by reversal OF the
boots the owners march has ended.
We must go back to the days OF the
Romans for the reason why IN the
service three volleys are fired over the
omen grave of a comrade. Among the
Romans the burial consisted OF the
throwing Of earth three times on the
coffin. Three times was the dead man
called by name, which ended the cere-
mony, and as the friends and relatives
departed each said vale" three
times. So as a farewell to our deao
comrades we fire three volleys over
the grave. Then the service called taps
is sounded, this closing the ceremony;
Why should the call taps be sounded
in preference to any other? Because
taps Is the call for lights out, ana
the lights Of life are out In the com.
rade who has Joined the silens
bivouac of the dead" This ending OF
a service funeral dates back to the
early forties, but did not become
fixed custom till late in the civil war
There was a reason for causing all
witnesses before military court 10
remove the glove from the right hand
before taking the oath. This raising
of the hand and eyes toward heaven
when taking an oath Is OF great an
tiouity. When the Bible was printed
the bare hand was laid on the book,
which was afterward kissed. But tne
Bible was not always at hand wnen
needed. So the custom OF raising the
right hand and uncovering the heao
has grown into general practlce' Ii
olden days the criminal was pranoea a
in the palm of the right hand, and for
this reason the custom Of requiring
the removal Of the glove came INTO
vogue in order that the hand might De
inspected. -,
officers of our army, which for many
wears has ceased to form part OF the
uniform, except for general omcers,
was not adopted simply because IL
looked pretty. 1t was originally IN
tended that this sash, which was very
strong, woven Of silk and couio De
stretched out to cover a yard In widtn,
should he lfsed as a hammock In which
wounded officers could be carried or
the battlefield.
And likewise the gaudy colored
horsehair plume that flowed from the
helmet was, not placed there because II
looked so we'll. The original har
plume hung down on the shoulders OF
the wearer, and 1t was intended that II
should be a safeguard against saper
cut aimed at the back OF the neck, LOT
the long thick hair would turn the
blow and save decapitation or an ugly
wound. Today the little halr TUT seen
on the headdress Of mounted solulers
Is the result.
There is a reason why the nag al
half mast, as an indication Of sorrow,
must always be hoisted to the top OF
the staff before being lowered. the
flag Is saluted when raised and low
cred only when II Is at the peak OF
the staff. So when 1t Is necessary 10
display 1t at half mast 1t must be rails
ed to the top before being hnally low
cred, for at this time the gun hres its
salute, and either the band or tne
trumpeters are sounding appropriate
music or call.
Twenty-one guns, the number fired
in the international salute, were not
selected at random. The number was
chosen by our government because IL
was the number long used by the Brit
ish for their international salute. why
the British used twenty-one guns was
no doubt due to an early custom wnlch
had for a warship salute seven guns.
fort was allowed to fire three times
az MANY guns as a warship, because
in those DAYS 1t was difficult to keep
powder in good condition at sea. 1t
could be kept in good condition on
land, and consequently the shore bat
terry was allowed a larger number, or
twenty-one. When the time arrived
that better powder was made and II
could be carried at sea without DE,
terioration the warship was allowed
the same number Of guns as the shore
battery, and the twenty-one or To-Day
are the result.-Major B. w. Atkinson
U. S. A., in Chicago-Record Herald.