We principally work from Charles Roworth’s ‘The Art of Defence on Foot’ (1798-1824), and Thomas Mathewson’s ‘Fencing Familiarized’ (1805). With supporting info from Angelo’s ‘Highland Broadsword Ten Divisions’, and ‘Guards of Highland Broadsword’. The original sources for all can be found on the downloads page in the resources section of our website.
The system of swordsmanship was a universal one for all military cut and thrust swords of the era. That includes the broadsword, sabre, spadroon, hanger & cutlass. It is broadly similar to cut and thrust fencing styles a century before and a century after, for it was a long lineage of British military or cut and thrust fencing. This system can be described as predominately, but not entirely linear footwork, with the lead foot (right for a right-handed fencer) remaining in front during almost all actions. There is a great emphasis on being well protected at all times. Holding defensive guard positions which oppose and counter your opponent’s position, and not leaving yourself unprotected. Cutting is predominately made from the wrist, and time should be spend developing dexterity and speed in cutting and recovering to guard with wrist rotations. There are no back edge cuts in this system, and the majority of swords used for this system did not have a sharpened back edge to enable them to be made, there are always exceptions to the rule of course.
Whilst most people think of sabre as a cutting weapon, thrusts are still a very large and necessary part of the system and are conducted in much the same way they are in smallsword. Disarms and grappling (on the feet in the manuals, and also on the ground in reality) are also part of the system, where both sparring participants are happy to do so.
It is useful to know the parts of the blade as shown in the diagram below. As a general rule we parry (block) the opponent’s blade with the forte, or strong, and we strike them with the foible, or weak. In most actions the front edge of the sword will be directed towards our opponent, not just to strike them, but to have a good strong structure in the arm, and to make use of the guard of the sword. The back edge was rarely sharpened on most swords used in this system and there are no methods for striking with it. There are however other systems of sabre which do employ the back edge.
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