Pringle Green (1812)

 Back in 2016 at our Hungarian forum we discussed at length this source -- Instructions for Training a Ship’s Crew to the use of Arms in Attack and Defence (1812) -- written by Lieutenant William Pringle Green. At that time it was painfully obvious - we had only 2-3 images from this handwritten source, and the text itself was not available at all. [1]

  Fortunately the situation has changed drastically!

 The members of the Academy of Historical Fencing -- Nick Thomas, Alex Timmerman & Esther Gibson -- transcribed the text and put together a really nice book containing the whole source, with all images, and also with a good introduction about W. Pringle Green, weapons relevant to this work (cutlass, pistol, musket, boarding pike). And they made it available online for free, in the true spirit of genuine HEMA research. Well done!!

Plate No. 2

  This drawing is probably the most interesting thing in the whole source, and till now it was not widely available to those who are interested in sabres, cutlasses etc. It shows an ingenious and very practical idea of Pringle, namely how to protect your head against the most common attack. Lieutenant wrote: „...as it has been already noticed, that the only cut an untrained man can make is a downright blow at the head, the Note No.2 will show the manner in which the sword should be held to guard against it; in this instance the pistol is also used as a guard, and is a sufficient guard against any man of the present mode of using the cutlass.” 

  Prior to that he remarked: „To obviate these difficulties, it is proposed, that the men should reserve their pistols in their belts when attacking until they gain the gunwale or deck of the enemies ship using the cutlass for their defence; this leaves the left hand disengaged to assist their movements and to secure a footing. 

   Having gained the deck or a footing, the pistol can be drawn from the belt with the left hand, and being thrown across the arm, as is shown in Plate No.1 letter B. serves as a guard, preserves a formidable weapon in case of any accident depriving a man of his cutlass or right hand, and if attacked by an untrained man it is only for him to receive the blow (aimed at his head) on the pistol, and with the cutlass dispatch his opponent, who has thrown himself quite open to that blow, or thrust.”

  Many other interesting details can be found in this book. Enjoy it!

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1. One of our members obtained this source as pdf from the Royal Maritime Museum, but he was not too keen to share it with us. How sad!
2. I came across this new book by AHF on Matt Easton's YT channel: Napoleonic Naval Close Combat with Cutlass, Pistol & Bayonet (12 November 2019).