A New System of Sword Exercise for Infantry

by Sir Richard Francis Burton

Again the “Inside Moulinet,” which ends with the Cut from above downwards (the French enlevé), may be inverted so as to cut from downwards upwards (the brisé). The same may be done with the “Outside Moulinet,” when the wrist must be turned upwards, and the Cut given in the ascending line. This difficult movement should be practised in order to ensure a flexible wrist, but it exposes the whole arm. In the four latter “Cuts,” the one invariable rule is to circle the point as vertically as possible. The French Manuel (pp. 234, 235) gives: 1, the enlevé cutting from above downwards; and it may be either à gauche (Tierce Moulinet) or à droite (Carte Moulinet); 2, the Moulinet proper; and 3, the brisé, cutting from downwards upwards, thus reversing the enlevé; and this also may be done à gauche (Tierce Moulinet) or à droite (Carte Moulinet).

Vertical Moulinet.

The “Moulinet” should be practised first without, then with, the sword, and on foot, before attempting it on horseback. In the earlier stage the recruit must turn the hand, with the arm nearly extended, in the horizontal and vertical movements, without stiffness and displacement of the elbow. In the second he may, if no Target be procurable, work before a cross chalked on the wall so as to secure horizontality and verticality. Finally, the soldier will combine the two, Tierce and Carte, by passing rapidly from one to the other.

Whilst practising the Moulinet the recruit must be taught the two main divisions of the sword-blade. Fencers have introduced an immense complication into this simple matter; and some have proposed eight parts: for broadsword it is sufficient to divide the length. The “Feeble,” or weak half, is that contained between the point and the centre; this, the proper part for the Cut or attack is ground to a thinner edge, and consequently is more liable to an injury from another sword if the Cut be not very true. The “Fort,” or strong half, is from the centre to the hilt, and upon this we must rely for defence.

A few hours’ practice and a few pressings upon the different parts of the blade under the surveillance of the instructor will teach the recruit the high importance of this lesson. He will learn that in opposing the adversary’s sword the strength of the defence decreases from the hilt upwards in proportion as the Cut is received towards the point; and that, vice versâ, it increases from the point downwards to the hand. The strongest man cannot “force in” the opponent’s Guard if the Cut or Thrust be received upon the part near the handle. With a true Guard the ordinary fencing foil can turn off the thrust of a musket and bayonet weighing 10 lbs. The practised swordsman always attempts, when attacking, to gain with his “Fort” the “Feeble” of the opponent’s weapon, in which case the superior leverage will often beat down the parry; and this manœuvre should be carefully practised by men of superior muscular strength. The Cuts must, as a rule, be delivered within eight inches of the point and at the “centre of percussion,”[10] so that the sword may clear itself and the arm escape a “jar.”

The two virtues of the Cut are its trueness and its velocity. Unless true it will become a blow with the flat that would shiver to pieces any brittle Eastern blade. Assuming the vis viva or force of a moving body to be its weight multiplied by the square of the velocity, let us suppose a strong man cutting with a sword weighing 4 lbs., to which he can give a velocity which we will call 1, or 4 × 1 = 4: a weaker man who applies double the velocity to a 2 lb. sword will thus produce a momentum of 8, doubling the force of the blow. But let the stronger man take the lighter sword, evidently he will obtain a higher velocity, which we will assume at 3: in this case the effect will be 18. Thus the power of the Cut is enormously increased by increased velocity, but much less by increased weight in the moving body.

§ 3. The Cuts.

The Target prefixed to the ‘Infantry Sword Exercise’ gives Seven Cuts, an insufficient number. The German systems add an eighth blow perpendicularly upwards, when the whole of the swordsman’s arm from wrist to shoulder would be completely at the opponent’s mercy.

The French Manuel has only seven, viz. the Coup de Tête; 2, the Coup de Banderole; 3, the Coup de Figure à droite; 4, the Coup de Figure à gauche; 5, the Coup de Flanc; 6, the Coup de Ventre; and 7, the Coup de Manchette.