Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-12-02
MILITARY FORMS.
The Why and Wherefore of Many
Army Customs.
HAND AND SWORD SALUTES.
Tho Origin of the Former Goes Back
to tho Time Of the Borsias and tho
Latter to the Knights of the Cru
sades-Funerai VoIleys and Taps.

70 tno limo VI tno S'aS oHa S'S
Latter to the Knights of tho Cru
sades-Funeral VoIleys and Taps.
Why does a soldier when saluting
superior raise his hand to his head
covering? The beginning dates back
to the time of the Borgias, If not to an
earlier date In those days assassina-
ton was In vogue and in order that
all inferior might not have a superior
at advantage the inferior was COM
PEELED 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
hilt reached the lips, when the cross
formed by the hill and blade could be
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
mounted officer or soldier is the horse,
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 20 back to the days OF the
Romans for the reason why In the
service three volleys are fired over the
open grave Of 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 dead
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 flights out" and
the lights Of life are out In the COM
rade who has 'joined the silent
bivouac of the dead" This ending OF
q service funeral dates back to the
early forties, but did not become a
fixed custom till late In the civil war.
There was q reason for causing all
witnesses before a military court to
remove the glove from the right hand
before taking the oath. The raising
of the hands and eyes toward heaven
when taking an oath is Of great an
tiuuity. When the Bible was printed
the bare hand was laid on the book,
which was afterward kissed. But the
Bible was not always at hand when
needed. So the custom Of raising the
right hand and uncovering the head
has grown into general practice. In
oden days the criminal was branded
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 be
inspected.
The coored silk sash long worn by
officers Of our army, which for many
years has ceased to form part OF the
uniform. except for general officers,
was not adopted simply because 1t
looked pretty. 1t was originally in
tended that this sash, which was very
strong woven Of silk and could be
stretched out TO over yard in width,
should be used as q hammock in which
wounded officers could be carried off
the battlefield.
And likewise the guady colored
h0rsehair plume that flowed from the
helmet was not placed there because 1t
looked so well. The original hair plume
hung down on the shoulders Of the
wearer. and It was intended that 1t
should be n safeguard against saber
cut aimed at the back Of the neck, for
, the long thick hair would turn the
blow aud save decapitation or an ugly
wound. Today the little hair tuft seen
OH the headdress Of mounted soldiers
IL the result.
There is reason why the flag at
half staff. 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
Ell ed only when 1t is at the peak OF
the staff. So when 1t is necessary to
display II at half mast 1t must be rails
ed to the top before being finally low
cred, for at this time the gun fires Its
salute. and either the band or the
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 1t
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 which
! had for warShip salute seven guns.
A fort was allowed to fire three times
as many guns as warship, because
in those days It was difficult to keep
powder In good condition at sea. 1t
could be kept in good condition on land,
and consequently the shore battery was
allowed larger number, or twenty-one.
When the time arrived that better
powder was made and 1t could be car
ried ut sen without deterioration the
wnrship was allowed the same num-
, bcr Of guns as the shore battery. and
the twenty~nne Of today are the result.
-Ns,or p. W, Atkinson, u. 8. A., In