Post by TRK on Feb 6, 2008 18:51:11 GMT -5
A cavalry manual by Don Julian López de la Cuesta, first published in Madrid in 1824 and titled Instruccion manual para el arma de caballería went through at least six editions in the following 22 years. One edition under a different title, Reglamento para el ejercicio y maniobras de la caballeria, was published in 1836 with a dual imprint of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Mexico City, Libreria de Galvan, Portal de Agustinos. It's unclear if this manual was adopted for use in the Mexican cavalry at that time, but the 1836 edition appears to have been marketed toward the Mexican military. It includes a fairly detailed description of what was expected of a cavalry lance, and may be indicative of the composition of lances that would have been found in Mexican use during the Texas campaign. For what it's worth (1836 edition, vol. 1, pp. 49-50):
"Of the Lance.
190. The lance shall be some 3 varas [8.25'] long from the point to the ferrule. It must consist of a blade of about eight inches in length or a bit more, similar in style to bayonets with three or four cutting edges separated by concave grooves. At the lower end of the spearhead there must be a crosspiece of iron with a cutting edge along the bottom. The bottom end of the spearhead must be hollow; from this also extend two iron shanks of a vara [2.75'] in length, to which is attached the shaft, the point of which is introduced into the end of the spearhead. the shanks are fastened to the lance shaft by well-secured screws, the object of the shanks being to prevent the shaft from being severed by a saber stroke. The lance shaft must have a thickness of about 1.5" pulgadas [inches] in diameter. Not all woods are suitable for lance shafts, but they should be of straight grain, hard, and flexible. Beechwood is the best, and also hazelnut. The ferrule will be 8" long, and half of it is hollow, to accept the base of the lance shaft; the ferrule will not terminate in a point, and it must not have any crook, because these have been seen to cause injuries. Below the crosspiece of the spearhead there will be a pennon of about a tercia [approx. 11"], which serves two purposes: to frighten the horses of the enemy when they see the pennon fluttering before their eyes in an engagement, and to adorn the lance. The pennon should have two points and be of the colors of the emblem of the regiment.
191. At a convenient height on the lance there will be a leather strap fastened at its ends, called a portalanza, which serves to suspend the lance from the right arm. The portalanza should be fastened to the shaft and bound to it with two or three turns and tacked through the first and last turns. The portalanza allows the lancer to carry the lance comfortably on the march and in other situations, in order that he may carry it securely suspended from the inside of the right forearm. it also serves to facilitate the thrust and prevent the hand from sliding on the shaft in case resistance is encountered.
192. On the right-hand stirrup there should be attached a cylinder of sole leather to hold and support the lance ferrule. this is to be called the portaregatón.
193. It is important that a leather strap of a tercia in length be fastened to the master cinch adjacent to the right stirrup and fastened to the stirrup with a small buckle, allowing any movement, so that when the horseman takes his foot from the stirrup, the lance will have more firmness, not moving forward or backward until the rider recovers his stirrup."
"Of the Lance.
190. The lance shall be some 3 varas [8.25'] long from the point to the ferrule. It must consist of a blade of about eight inches in length or a bit more, similar in style to bayonets with three or four cutting edges separated by concave grooves. At the lower end of the spearhead there must be a crosspiece of iron with a cutting edge along the bottom. The bottom end of the spearhead must be hollow; from this also extend two iron shanks of a vara [2.75'] in length, to which is attached the shaft, the point of which is introduced into the end of the spearhead. the shanks are fastened to the lance shaft by well-secured screws, the object of the shanks being to prevent the shaft from being severed by a saber stroke. The lance shaft must have a thickness of about 1.5" pulgadas [inches] in diameter. Not all woods are suitable for lance shafts, but they should be of straight grain, hard, and flexible. Beechwood is the best, and also hazelnut. The ferrule will be 8" long, and half of it is hollow, to accept the base of the lance shaft; the ferrule will not terminate in a point, and it must not have any crook, because these have been seen to cause injuries. Below the crosspiece of the spearhead there will be a pennon of about a tercia [approx. 11"], which serves two purposes: to frighten the horses of the enemy when they see the pennon fluttering before their eyes in an engagement, and to adorn the lance. The pennon should have two points and be of the colors of the emblem of the regiment.
191. At a convenient height on the lance there will be a leather strap fastened at its ends, called a portalanza, which serves to suspend the lance from the right arm. The portalanza should be fastened to the shaft and bound to it with two or three turns and tacked through the first and last turns. The portalanza allows the lancer to carry the lance comfortably on the march and in other situations, in order that he may carry it securely suspended from the inside of the right forearm. it also serves to facilitate the thrust and prevent the hand from sliding on the shaft in case resistance is encountered.
192. On the right-hand stirrup there should be attached a cylinder of sole leather to hold and support the lance ferrule. this is to be called the portaregatón.
193. It is important that a leather strap of a tercia in length be fastened to the master cinch adjacent to the right stirrup and fastened to the stirrup with a small buckle, allowing any movement, so that when the horseman takes his foot from the stirrup, the lance will have more firmness, not moving forward or backward until the rider recovers his stirrup."