The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-04-15
MILITARY FORMS,
The Why and Wherefore of Manv
Army Customs.
HAND AND SWORD SALUTEs.
The Origin of the Former Goes Back
to the Time of the Borsias and the
Latter to the Knights of the Cru.
sades-Funeral VoIIeys and Taps.

Latter to the Knights of the Cru.
sades-Funeral VoIIeys and Taps.
Why does a soldier when salutinp q
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
an inferior might not have a superior
at advantage the inferior was com.
PEELED when coming into his SUPERIOR
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 it 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 hilt 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 81
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 go back to the days Of the
Romans for the reason why in the
service three volleys are fired over the
open grave Of q 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-
Inony. and as the friends and relatives
departed each said "Valew three
times. So as 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
" preference to any other? Because
taps is the call for lights out" and
the lights Of life are out in the COM
rade who has Joined the silent
bivOuac of the dead" This ending of
service funeral dates back to the
early forties. but did not become a
fixed custom till late in the civil war.
n
witnesses before q military court -
remove tEe glove from ;he right hand
before takins the oath The raising
or the hands and eyes toward heaven
when talking IN oath IS OF great an
uquity. 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
olden 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 colored 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 it
looked pretty. 1t was originally in
tended that this sash. which was very
strong. woven Of silk and could be
stretched out to over a yard in width,
should be used as q hammock in which
wounded officers could be carried Off
the battlefield
And likewise the guady colored
horsehair plume that flowed from the
helmet was not placed there because it
looked so well. The original hair plume
hung down on the shoulders Of the
wearer. and 1t was intended that 1t
should be safeguard against a saber
cut aimed Mt the back Of the neck. for
the long thick hair would turn the
blow and save decapitation or an ugly
wound. Today the little hair tuft seen
on the headdress Of mounted soldiers
Is 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
cred only when it is at the peak of
the staff. So when it is necessary to
display it ut half mast it must be rails
ed TO the top before bpinp finally low
ered. Tor at this time the gun fires its
salute. and either the band or the
trumpeterS are sounding appropriate
music or call.
IWcnty-One guns, the number fired
In the international salute. were not
selected at random. The number was
CHOSEN by our government because it
was the number long used by the Brit
1sh for their international salute. Why