William Preble Hall

This blue leather-bound pocket-sized manual was written and published by a US Army Brigadier General. He received a Medal of Honor for Valor in 1879 near White River, Colorado, and served throughout the west. This handbook, published in 1901, is subtitled "A Simple and Easy Method for Becoming An Expert Revolver Shot"; my in-laws gifted me with it for research purposes because I write steampunk. I am quite pleased with the book as a historical work that places pistols in the proper context of the period.

I must say, for such a short book (43 pages) it's very impressive. I expected more... bias, I suppose. Other books I have read from that time are steeped in racism, sexism, and other passing remarks that wouldn't have garnered a second look at the the turn of that century. In contrast, I finished this volume with considerable respect for Colonel Hall, because he came across as such a respectful figure. His approach is very common sense and he speaks of men and women as absolute equals: "We believe that there are few men or women in our country who do not or will not at some future time own a revolver..."

But what truly earned my respect was how he spoke of horses. He served in the 5th Cavalry, and in succinct words he comes across as a horseman in the finest sense of the word. "We believe that a gun cannot be discharged very close to a horse's head without producing the same painful effect upon the ear drum that is made by its discharge near the head of a man. Many good cavalry horses are ruined for service by carelessness on this point." He goes into great detail about how horses should be conditioned to handle gunfire, by having them grow accustomed to the sound at a distance and then gradually moving closer.

Of course, he details how to use a gun on foot before trying it mounted. He recommends the Cal. 38 hammer-less Smith & Wesson as the best in the market. Instructions include how to practice drawing a pistol, common errors such as shifting to the left or right, and much more.… (mehr)