Your safety and that of your comrades in the 7th Texas Cavalry is of the utmost importance to the officers and NCOs on the drill field and particularly on the battlefield. Always remember that the weapons you are carrying are real and are capable of causing serious injury. Even though we do not fire live rounds, the 60 grains of black powder in your musket or the powder in your pistol chamber, when fired at close range, can do serious damage. This cannot be stressed enough. You will hear it before every battle at every re-enactment from your officers and NCOs; you are carrying deadly weapons, so handle them accordingly.
“... a private soldier got the top of his head blown off by the discharge of a musket in the hands of another comrade. The two were sporting with each other in a friendly play, not knowing the gun was loaded, and the carelessness caused the loss of life of one.”
o Handle every musket, carbine, shotgun, and pistol as if it were loaded. Never assume anything about a firearm.
o Never point your weapon directly at anyone, even if you know it is not loaded.
o
On
the battlefield, when at close range (within 50 yards of the enemy), always
elevate your weapon over their heads when firing. If you are overrun, do not
fire your weapon ... period.
o Never draw your rammer on the battlefield. This is a very serious safety violation and, in a major re-enactment, will be cause for your removal from the field.
o When loading your musket, never allow your hand to be in front of the muzzle. The musket should be held at arm’s length, butt at your feet, with the barrel angled out and away from your body. Even when standing at ease, do not let your hand rest over the muzzle of your musket.
“...was standing with the butt of his gun on a railroad tie, and his hands on the muzzle, and allowing his head to rest on his hands. As he shifted his feet, the gun slipped off the tie, the hammer coming in contact with the tie, and the gun discharged. The ball tore off the thumb and went into the head, under the jaw, and came out at the crown of the head. It could not have done its work more thoroughly had it taken the head completely off.”
o Never put a cap on the nipple before you load the powder charge. Charge powder first, then cap.
o If you “take a hit” (pretend to be wounded), never go down with a loaded musket. Make sure your musket has been fired before you fall.
o When you do take a hit, avoid a lot of Hollywood theatrics. If you go flying back into the man behind you, and he has a loaded musket, you are endangering both yourself and your file mate.
o If your musket misfires, or otherwise malfunctions, step out of line and give it to an NCO; he will attempt to clear it for you and/or fix the problem.
o When advancing in a skirmish line, especially when leapfrogging, never fire when your comrades are to your front. That is one reason why maintaining dress in a skirmish line is critical.
o When rolling cartridges in camp, do it in a safe place, away from open fires or other sources of ignition. Do not bring large amounts of powder; bring only what you will need, and keep it in a proper metal “powder safe.”
o
Do not bring a loaded weapon back
into camp from the battlefield. As a general safety precaution, weapons are
always cleared at the end of the battle and before leaving the field.
“He had taken the pistol from the holster, not knowing that it was loaded, and commenced swinging the pistol around, discharging it, the ball striking him in the temple and passing through the brain on a diagonal course and lodged in the skull in the back of his head.”
o When test firing a weapon in camp after repairs or after clearing a jam or misfire, go to the edge of the camp, point the weapon away from the camp, and in a loud voice, yell “fire in the hole” before firing. DO NOT do this anywhere near a picket line of horses.
Mounted Safety
o When mounted, you often will use carbine, pistol, and saber while in battle. Always remember to elevate your weapon, never directly pointing it at your foe, and to observe proper safety distances before firing your weapon.
o When mounted, try to fire off to your left or right side and NEVER fire directly over your horse’s ears to your front. That is a quick way to make a good horse gun shy!
o When saber fighting, always keep the tip pointed up (skyward) and don’t let it come down, even in a saber melee. Never point the tip of your saber at your opponent. This is a major safety violation.
o Typically, you will charge an opponent and strike blade-to-blade two or three times before moving on to engage another foe. Some mounted troopers like to saber fight blade-to-blade, others prefer to fight edge-to-edge.
o Always fight in the same style as your opponent. When you (or your opponent) have had enough, yell, “break” and then move on to the next combatant.
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