The Fencing Manual 1877 is at once the last of the practical military manuals of swordsmanship and the first of the handbooks of sports fencing. Teaching the swordsmanship is describes was made compulsory for all arms in 1877 and it was in continual use for thirty years until its replacement, a thoroughly modern sports fencing manual, was introduced in 1908. During this time, fencing lost its relevance to the military context and became solely a sporting endeavour. This book stands as the gateway between the old and the new styles of handling both weapons.