E-mail from René Chartrand

Enjoyed the latest El Dorado as always. C. A. Norman's article on Brazilian National Guards reminded me of something I noted years ago, which might make interesting reading for readers.

"….2nd July [1852] during my residence there…[at Bahia]. There was a review of all the troops on that day both cavalry and infantry, including the militia or national guard of the town. The regular Brazilian infantry are dressed in white woolen cloth and caps of the same with blue facings; but the national guard have dark blue short coats, with dark green facings, black covered buttons, black epauletts, white cotton trousers, with green feathers in their caps.

I never saw a more plain elegant dress. The men however were singular looking beings. Nearly one-fifth of them were jet black negroes, and a number of boys, not more than 14 or 15, were interspersed amongst them, some of them not exceeding four feet and a half in height; and the operation of shouldering arms seemed nearly to capsize them altogether….. The cavalry were the most wretched looking beings I ever saw, ill-mounted, ill-dressed, and badly accoutred…." From: "Travels in South and North America" by Alexander Majoribanks, London, 1853, p.103.

( Thanks René for remembering this contemporary source, it all helps in the jigsaw of Latin American Military History, TDH )

Letter from Jim McDougal

My field of study is the identification of swords, all periods and all countries as well as study of ethnographical edged weapons. At the present I have been working on Spanish Colonial swords and have been putting together research on mostly 17th-19th century swords of North American areas settled by the Spanish, including Mexico. Since the areas of Spanish settlement are widespread, they are of course closely connected with the movement of their fleets. With that being the case, much of the research is focused on shipwrecks. I would like to know more about the use of Spanish swords, and for that matter any swords used in the areas of Central and South America, and I would like to communicate with any member / reader that have interests in this subject. I will be glad to share any information that I have or assist in the identification of swords that anyone might desire more information on. While I do not claim to be an expert, I have established many contacts and resources, while also enjoying research to improve my understanding of this subject.

If any of your members / readers are interested in this topic I would very much like to hear from them for their views and queries.

( This is indeed a subject that I have so little on, not through want of trying, but there seems to be very little published on (1) Spanish Colonial swords either produced in Spain or in Spanish America, (2) Locally produced swords after Independence from Spain, (3) The importation of Foreign produced edged weapons into Latin America (4) Latin American Military Academy dirks of the 19th and 20th centuries. I believe that I have only seen 3 such books all published in the U.S.A., only one of these do I own a copy of. Could anyone tell Jim or myself if there has been a book on Spanish produced swords published in Spain with the various designs for infantry and cavalry, officer, n.c.o. and other ranks from 1500-1840? While a book that relates to Mexican produced edged weapons from 1750 - 1900 would be a great help to students of the U.S. - Mexican War etc. Good luck with your research and keep in touch. TDH )