Military Manners and Customs

Excerpt: In the present volume I have attempted within the limits of the historical period and of our European civilisation and without recognising any hard and fast line between ancient and modern Christian and Pagan to allude in the places that seemed most appropriate to all points in the history of war that appeared to be either of special interest or of essential importance. As examples of such points I may refer to the treatment of prisoners of war or of surrendered garrisons; the rules about spies and surprises; the introduction of and feeling about new weapons; the meaning of parts of military dress; the origin of peculiar customs like the old one of kissing the earth before a charge; the prevalent rules of honour as displayed in notions of justice in regard to reprisals or of fairness in stratagems and deception.