Scottish Fencing: Five 18th Century Texts on the Use of the Small-sword, Broadsword, Spadroon, Cavalry Sword, and Highland Battlefield Tactics

Description

The martial heritage of Scotland and its legendary swordsmen have captured the imagination of readers worldwide for centuries. Likewise, enthusiasts of swordsmanship have cherished classic Scottish fencing treatises by those such as William Hope and Donald McBane. However, up until now, a number of obscure Scottish treatises on the use of the sword have evaded the notice of authors, scholars and researchers. Presented here are five such texts, now published again for the first time in more than two centuries. They include: I. Examination & Vindication of the Highlander's Manner of Attacking and Fighting the Enemy in a Day of Action. -- Though not a fencing text, this is an unique early eighteenth century manuscript on battlefield techniques that has never before been published, and is now presented here with the permission of the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. Authored by an anonymous Highland veteran, it includes a spirited defense of the native manner of fighting, and provides new insight into the use of the targe during the period of the great Jacobite conflicts. II. The Sword's-Man; Containing a Series of Observations on the Use of the Sword . -- This treatise, authored in 1788 by Edinburgh fencing instructor John Ferdinand, contains instruction in the use of the most popular side-arms of the period: the broadsword, small-sword, and spadroon. III. A Dictionary, Explaining the Terms, Guards, and Positions, Used in the Art of the Small Sword . -- This useful and interesting glossary on the art of fencing is embedded with numerous instructions, and was written by Hary Fergusson, a native of Aberdeenshire who taught fencing in Edinburgh and North America during the 1760s and 1770s. IV. A Treatise on the New Sword Exercise . -- This treatise on the use of the cavalry saber was first published in 1797, shortly after the widespread adoption of the 1796 pattern cavalry sword. Its author was Sholto Douglas Sorlie, a native of Edinburgh, Sergeant in the 7th Queen's Own Light Dragoons, and later a veteran of Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrennees, Navelle, Orthes, and the Peninsular War. V. This final chapter explores the life and career of Donald McAlpine, a soldier from Inverness and officer in the famed Queens Rangers (an early Special Operations unit), who taught the use of the back-sword in Boston during the American War of Independence. His student sketched what is currently the earliest known illustration of fencing technique in the American colonies. The full, original page containing the illustration of McAlpine's instruction is faithfully reproduced herein for the first time ever. CONTENTS Acknowledgments I. Introduction and Notes by Paul Macdonald II. Examination & Vindication of the Highlanders' Manner of Attacking and Fighting the Enemy in a Day of Action III. John Ferdinand by Ben Miller IV. The Sword's-Man by John Ferdinand V. Hary Fergusson by Ben Miller VI. A Dictionary, Explaining the Terms, Guards, and Positions, Used in the Art of the Small-Sword by Hary Fergusson VII. Sholto Douglas Sorlie by Ben Miller VIII. A Treatise on the New Sword Exercise by Sholto Douglas Sorlie IX. Donald McAlpine by Ben Miller About the Contributors Review: Excellent source for Scottish fencing history - "Scottish Fencing" is actually a compilation of five more obscure Scottish sources from the mid 1700s to early 1800s. Overall, the text has very interesting historical information and works as an excellent reference book when working with other sources of a similar era (especially the dictionary therein). However, there is very little information in this book about fencing on foot, and what is in the book is geared towards intermediate to advanced fencers over beginners. Despite this, the collection was a very interesting read because of the well researched biographies of each writer and the insights that it gives regarding the life of a fencing master. “Scottish Fencing” is an excellent book for it’s historical overviews regarding both the personal lives of masters and larger battlefield tactics of the time, however if you are looking for fencing techniques, you will only find it useful if you already know a contemporary European sword system. Below I’ll give a brief description of each of the texts in this collection. Examination and Vindication of the Highlanders - Anonymous The first text is an anonymous piece of writing from an English Soldier who fought against Scottish Highlanders during the Jacobite Risings. The author gives a first hand account of how the highlanders fought in open battle, continually lauding their excellent discipline and martial prowess. The description is of a fighting force that begins with muskets, advancing and firing until their enemy returns fire. Then they use the time when their enemy is reloading to charge in with their distinctive broadsword and targe combination. The author describes the general strategies and formations of both sides in a good bit of detail, giving the reader unique insights into the warfare of the late 1700s. The Sword’s-Man - John Ferdinand Ferdinand touts the only text in this collection that is really an instructional book on how to fence. He openly states that the pamphlet in question is intended for more advanced fencers and so descriptions of the fundamental guards and actions are completely omitted and no pictures are included in the book. His book is split into three sections: the small-sword, broad-sword, and the spadroon. Each section has little more than a numbered list of techniques. What is more interesting about this piece is the biographical description of John Ferdinand. It gives an in-depth view of how a fencing master of Ferdinand’s era would have plied his trade as a large number of personal letters by Ferdinand have managed to survive the passage of time. A Dictionary - Hary Fergusson As the title states, Fergusson’s book is a dictionary of important terms relating to fencing. This is a very useful text when looking at contemporary fencing manuals as it gives clear and concise definitions of terms that may be loosely defined in other texts. There are a few fencing tips scattered throughout the dictionary, but they are not anything that you would not find in any fundamental fencing text. A Treatise on the New Sword Exercise - Sholto Douglas Sorlie Sorlie’s text is a military drill book for fighting with a broadsword from horseback. As such, this text focuses more on describing military drills then teaching the ins and outs of a fencing system. Many of the cuts and parries are glossed over rather quickly and could leave a reader with little understanding of what needed to be done if they are not already aware of other horseback fencing techniques. Sorlie’s book is interesting, but lacking any depth to his techniques. Donald McAlpine The final text in this book is hardly even a text at all. It is, instead, the biography of one Donald McAlpine. This Scottish born man moved to America and taught fencing in Boston. He would fight as a royalist during the American Revolution. However, little is known about his fencing method as he left no text behind. All that exists are various descriptions of his fencing system that have been recorded by his students. One such student is Sir Benjamin Thompson who, in addition to his other accolades, left us one of the first pictures of fencing from the United States. Overall, this section is an interesting biography but gives little if any information about how McAlpine fenced, and so is only useful as a historical piece. Review: Excellent Scholarship - Really enjoyed learning more about the lives, tactics, and strategies of various Highlanders and their works. The first treatise is quite dense but full of useful information if you wanted to know more about how Highlanders fought in formations and their tactics. Later texts cover a fencing dictionary of the 18th century, an advanced course of historical fencing instruction in broadsword, spadroon, and smallsword, a cavalry text, and some research on the life of Donald McAlpine who taught backsword during the American Revolution. Plenty here for the scholar looking for some first time publishing info and for the historical fencer wanting to learn more about the period that the treatises they study was like.