Martial History Magazine » Western M.A.

Old Soldier Ancestors

Jason Couch — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:57:30 +0000

The other week I posted about the database where you can search muster rolls from the Hundred Years War (1300s-1400s). It looks like wildcard searches are the way to go, because I found soldiers in the database that share the surname of both sides of my family by searching on the first couple of letters [...]

Manly Arts Day in Maryland

Jason Couch — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:47:32 +0000

Last week I attended a couple hours of this day long event in Towson, MD at the historic Hampton House, a National Park Service site. There's nothing like the thrill of sunny day filled with martial arts at a historic mansion...

Oprishki

Jason Couch — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:18:15 +0000

I remember seeing a cane once based on the Polish Ciupaga or a variant. While all wood, it had an axe-shaped head, sturdy body, and a nice point at the tip. I thought it was intriguing from the self-defense perspective: there was a lot going on and it looked like you could explore the possibilities [...]

Quarterstaff vs. Rapiers: Peeke’s Three to One

Jason Couch — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:53:48 +0000

The tale of Richard Peeke, an English sailor captured during a raid on Spanish coastal towns in 1625, was popular during his own time, but showed renewed interest during the Victorian era for Peeke’s display of manly virtue. Today, the tale is often told honoring the efficacy of the traditional quarterstaff, which, common weapon though [...]

The Cane as a Weapon (1912)

Jason Couch — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:13:04 +0000

In 1912, A.C. Cunningham published The Cane as a Weapon, which even today remains the best book I have ever seen on fighting with a cane. It is amazingly succinct and conveys what is as nearly a complete system of cane fighting as a reader could desire, all within 25 pages.