Category: History - Warfare

Military Manners and Customs

_Ce sont des lois de la guerre. Il faut estre bien cruel bien souvent pour venir au bout de son ennemi; Dieu doit estre bien miséricordieux en nostre endroict, qui faisons tant de maux._--MARSHAL MONTLUC.

Chapters

1. CHAPTER I.

2. CHAPTER II.

3. CHAPTER III.

4. CHAPTER IV.

5. CHAPTER V.

6. CHAPTER VI.

7. CHAPTER VII.

8. CHAPTER VIII.

9. CHAPTER IX.

10. CHAPTER I.

_Ce sont des lois de la guerre. Il faut estre bien cruel bien souvent pour venir au bout de son ennemi; Dieu doit estre bien miséricordieux en nostre endroict, qui faisons tant...

11. CHAPTER II.

Delusion about character of war in days of chivalry--The common slaughter of women and children--The Earl of Derby’s sack of Poitiers--The massacres of Grammont and Gravelines--...

12. CHAPTER III.

Robbery the first object of maritime warfare--The piratical origin of European navies--Merciless character of wars at sea--Fortunes made by privateering in England--Privateers c...

13. CHAPTER IV.

International law on legitimate reprisals--The Brussels Conference on the subject--Illustrations of barbarous reprisals--Instances of non-retaliation--Savage reprisals in days o...

14. CHAPTER V.

Grotius’ theory of fair stratagems--The teaching of international law--Ancient and modern naval stratagems--Early Roman dislike of such stratagems as ambuscades, feigned retreat...

15. CHAPTER VI.

Variable notions of honour--Primitive ideas of a military life--What is civilised warfare--Advanced laws of war among several savage tribes--Symbols of peace among savages--The...

16. CHAPTER VII.

The war question at the time of the Reformation--The remonstrances of Erasmus against the custom--Influence of Grotius on the side of war--The war question in the early Church--...

17. CHAPTER VIII.

Increased severity of discipline--Limitation of the right of matrimony--Compulsory Church parade, and its origin--Atrocious military punishments--Reasons for the military love o...

18. CHAPTER IX.

_‘I confess when I went into arms at the beginning of this war, I never troubled myself to examine sides; I was glad to hear the drums beat for soldiers, as if I had been a mere...