The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1911-02-08
MILITARY FORMS.
The Why and Wherefore of MANY
Army Customs.
HAND AND SWORD SALUTES.
The Origin of the Former Goes Back
to the Time Of the Boreias and the
Latter to the Knights Of the Cru
sades-Funeral VolIeys and Taps.

why does q soldier when saluting a
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 Il 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 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 a
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 Il comradc. Among the
Romans the burial consisted Of 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 lights out" and
the lights Of life are out in the CON-
rade who has 'joined the silent
bivouac Of the dead" This ending Of
a service funeral dates back to the
early forties. but did not become a
fixed custom till late in the civil war.
There was a reaso 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
tquity. 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.