Lances at San Pascual

Jim McDougall · 15th February 2017, 07:59 PM

Philip, thank you so much for this very well placed excerpt regarding the conservation of powder and use of edged weapons with cavalry. It is well known that cavalrymen in Europe and England were taught to rely primarily on the sword in the 19th century.
A great book on these topics is "Charge to Glory" by James Lunt, where it is noted that the cavalryman learned that his weapon was always the sword.

In Spains frontiers in northern Mexico and the American southwest in the 19th century, the most effective weapon was the lance, as they fought against marauding Native American tribes. It seems that firearms were often optional as the serviceability of the weapons and availability of powder were primary issues. The well known espada ancha was more a utilitarian implement used more against rugged chaparral than in fighting.

While your expertise is of course immense in so many aspects of arms and armour, I know you have broad contacts through museums and collections in these areas formerly of Spanish dominion. I wonder if you might have seen examples of lance heads used and information on them in the early 19th c.

Philip · 17th February 2017, 07:23 AM

I'm not aware of any systematic attempt to study lance heads from the era, of course that's not to rule out the existence of such effort which has escaped my notice! Seems to me that on specimens without visible markings, or lacking firm provenance, classification may be difficult because these utilitarian and generic-looking things can resemble each other so closely across national and cultural boundaries.

Interesting to read your comment about the role of the lance in the military history of Spanish America. Reminds me of what I've learned about the hunting of wild boar with spears in Continental Europe. In most countries where it was practiced (to this day, in some areas), it was done on foot but in Spain, the favored method was/is from horseback with a lance. Also, Azorean bull handlers are adept at managing the bovines with long staffs with metal ferrules at the end, resembling the pikes of Renaissance armies except that they have no sharp points -- you see these guys in action when bulls are "run" through the streets during festas, or to prompt them to exit the arena alive since killing the animals in bullfights was banned in Portugal centuries ago.

15th February 2017, 07:59 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Philip, thank you so much for this very well placed excerpt regarding the conservation of powder and use of edged weapons with cavalry. It is well known that cavalrymen in Europe and England were taught to rely primarily on the sword in the 19th century. A great book on these topics is "Charge to Glory" by James Lunt, where it is noted that the cavalryman learned that his weapon was always the sword. In Spains frontiers in northern Mexico and the American southwest in the 19th century, the most effective weapon was the lance, as they fought against marauding Native American tribes. It seems that firearms were often optional as the serviceability of the weapons and availability of powder were primary issues. The well known espada ancha was more a utilitarian implement used more against rugged chaparral than in fighting. While your expertise is of course immense in so many aspects of arms and armour, I know you have broad contacts through museums and collections in these areas formerly of Spanish dominion. I wonder if you might have seen examples of lance heads used and information on them in the early 19th c.

17th February 2017, 07:23 AM	#2
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	I'm not aware of any systematic attempt to study lance heads from the era, of course that's not to rule out the existence of such effort which has escaped my notice! Seems to me that on specimens without visible markings, or lacking firm provenance, classification may be difficult because these utilitarian and generic-looking things can resemble each other so closely across national and cultural boundaries. Interesting to read your comment about the role of the lance in the military history of Spanish America. Reminds me of what I've learned about the hunting of wild boar with spears in Continental Europe. In most countries where it was practiced (to this day, in some areas), it was done on foot but in Spain, the favored method was/is from horseback with a lance. Also, Azorean bull handlers are adept at managing the bovines with long staffs with metal ferrules at the end, resembling the pikes of Renaissance armies except that they have no sharp points -- you see these guys in action when bulls are "run" through the streets during festas, or to prompt them to exit the arena alive since killing the animals in bullfights was banned in Portugal centuries ago.