Snowball Rules

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Snowball Rules
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Kit Carson Snow Battle
Snowball Shield
An Old Snow Battle

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By Dan Beard

The rules of warfare governing a snowball battle are as follows:

Sides are divided by Patrols. The defenders of the fort it being supposed that one-third behind fortifications are equal to two-thirds outside. One Patrol might defend the fort, while two Patrols can join forces to attack. The Patrol Leaders decide, by lot, the choice of position.  Only the attacking party is allowed shields and ammunition sleds.

At least thirty yards from the fort a camp must be established by the outsiders or attacking army, and stakes driven at the four corners to locate the camp.  Imaginary lines from stake to stake mark its limits. Each party will have its Patrol Flag which it carries with it in the assault.  The defenders of the fort must see to it that all damages to the fortifications are promptly repaired.

Any soldier from the fort who shall be carried off within the limits of the camp becomes a prisoner of war, and cannot leave the camp until rescued by his own comrades.

Any one of the attacking force pulled into the fort becomes a prisoner of war, and must remain in the fort until it is captured.  Prisoners of war cannot be made to fight against their own side, but they may be employed in making snowballs or repairing damages to fortifications.  Any deserter recaptured must suffer the penalty of being made to work with the prisoners of war.

When the outsiders, or attacking army, can replace the enemy's colors with their battle-flag, the fort is captured and the battle is won by the attacking party; all fighting must then immediately cease.

But if, in a sally, or, by any means, the soldiers of the fort can take the colors of the opposite party from the camp and bring them inside their fortifications, they have not only successfully defended their fort, but have defeated the attacking army; and this ends the battle, with double honors to the brave defenders.

No water-soaked or icy snow-balls are allowed. No honorable boy uses them, and any one caught in the ungentlemanly act of throwing such "soakers" should be forever ruled out of the game.

No blows are allowed to be struck by the hand, or by anything but the regulation snowball, and, of course, no kicking is permitted.

SNOWBALL WARFARE!

How to Build Snow Forts;
Kit Carson Snow Fort & Battle;
How to Make Ammunition Sleds; 
How to Make the Shield; 
Snowball Fight Rules;
Other Snowball Games; 
A Snow Battle from Dan Beard's Youth; 
        How to Bind a Prisoner without a Cord; 
          Company Rest. 
See Also:
Snow Tag Game;
Other Winter Snow Games;
Other Winter Activities.

American Boys Handy Book