Known colloquially by its acronym AOD, the manual teaches a universal system of swordsmanship that is applicable to all military swords used on foot at that time. This includes the Broad Sword, Sabre, Spadroon and Hanger. It also includes a section on walking stick defence and opposing bayonets with a sword. The AOD system is a predominately linear (footwork) system that is deeply grounded in the back, broad and sheering (spadroon) sword sources of the late 17th and early 18th century.
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The spadroon was universally unpopular, and many officers began to unofficially purchase and carry sabres once more. In 1799, the army accepted this under regulation for some units, and in 1803, produced a dedicated pattern of sabre for certain infantry officers (flank, rifle and staff officers). The 1803 pattern quickly saw much more widespread use than the regulation intended due to its effectiveness in combat, and fashionable appeal.
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The sword was introduced by General Order in 1796, replacing the previous 1786 Pattern. It was similar to its predecessor in having a spadroon blade, i.e. one straight, flat backed and single edged with a single fuller on each side. The hilt was of gilt brass or gunmetal, with a knucklebow, vestigial quillon and a twin-shell guard somewhat similar in appearance to that of the smallswords which had been common civilian wear until shortly before this period.
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In many of the chronicles detailing agriculture and plants, no distinction is made between the two. Potatoes are occasionally referred to as Irish potatoes or white potatoes in the United States, to distinguish them from sweet potatoes. The name spud for a small potato comes from the digging of soil (or a hole) prior to the planting of potatoes. The word has an unknown origin and was originally () used as a term for a short knife or dagger, probably related to the Latin a word root meaning "sword"; compare Spanish , English "spade", and spadroon.
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65 calibre,Germany at war including the Prussian Potzdam horse pistols of 1733, 1774 and 1789.Royal armories collection British light cavalry such as the hussars fought as pistoliers during the Napoleonic Wars, being trained to draw and fire both pistols before closing in with the sabre.Enlarged military dictionary Dragoons were issued with a pair, or brace, of pistols as secondary weapons to their carbines. Although designed for use by cavalry, horse pistols were also issued to mounted staff officers for personal defence, and it was a widespread if unauthorised practice for colour sergeants to carry a pistol in addition to the half-pike and spadroon.
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This influence was predominately from southern and eastern Europe, with the Hungarians and Austrians listed as sources of influence for the sword and style of swordsmanship in British sources. The popularity of sabres had spread rapidly through Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, and finally came to dominance as a military weapon in the British army in the 18th century, though straight blades remained in use by some, such as heavy cavalry units. (These were also replaced by sabres soon after the Napoleonic era). The introduction of 'pattern' swords in the British army in 1788 led to a brief departure from the sabre in infantry use (though not for light cavalry), in favour of the lighter and straight bladed spadroon.
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The 1822 dress regulations mandated the introduction of a new sword, to replace the 1803 flank officer's sabre and the spadroon bladed 1796 line infantry officer's sword. The sword featured a 32.5 inches (826mm) long, slightly curved blade of what was known as the 'pipe- back' design, a cross-section sometimes referred to as 'key-hole' shape in Victorian sources. This consisted of a flat, un-fullered, single edged blade with a nearly straight rod running along the back of the blade, with a 'false- edge' being formed on the back edge near to the tip, sometimes described as a 'quill-point'. This style of blade seems to have been the innovation of the maker Prosser of Charing Cross, London, and first appeared on 1796 light cavalry style blades from around 1810–1815.
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