Edged Wpns Daggers and Dirks during the Civil War

Some detail of the scabbard, an eagle, an anchor and on the obverse of the blade a faint image of an anchor.
An image of the medal I described as well, an amazing thing

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I'm looking at the engraving on the blade, which doesn't seem at all serious, more like a fantasy cartoon. It's certainly not something one would expect on a serious weapon. And from the style of the hand guard and the scabbard, I think it is most likely ceremonial, and therefore, that it is probably from one of the fraternal organizations.
If you go to one of the websites that allow research in old newspapers, you might search the names of some of your ancestors. Sometimes the newspapers would have articles on the activities of those organizations. They were very popular from about 1880 to 1940.
I have a subscription to Newspapers.com that I use for family history, this is a great idea, now off to go hunting and see what I can find.
 
As we have an anchor on the scabbard and blade, it is a bit moot. He may have worn it for dress, or may have been part of the medal presentation but it seems to have more age. Yes, ceremonial but a real dagger.

Cheers
GC
 
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Knights of Pythias from Michigan. I especially like the headsman with his block. Anybody ever seen one of those axes?
That’s a great photo, that axe is similar to a type of axe that the Templar Knights are thought to have occasionally used during the crusades although personally Ive yet to see any real evidence of that. Its definitely a specialist weapon and given that Templar Knights were incredibly skilled horsemen they would have needed an axe with a long shaft to enable them to use it from horseback. To be honest, most of the axes used by the Templars were single bladed simply because a rear spike or (Ravensbill) added to much weight which obviously resulted in a weapon that was heavy and unwieldy. When the Templar Knights attacked they were trained to ride knee to knee this was known as the ‘Conrois’, they were very good at keeping formation and shocking their enemy with speed and accuracy. A knight on horseback in close formation and swinging an unwieldy axe wasn’t really practical, foot soldiers would have been the guys that used double edged axes, Templar Knights using double edged axes is a bit of a myth methinks.
I have seen a number of axes similar to that of the one in the photo but they are mostly used for ceremonial or religious purposes, like I said earlier, its a great photo but to use an American saying, ‘its all a bit Farb.’

Apologies for my lengthy post but I have a slight fascination with the Templar Knights.
 
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I might have missed it, but I don't believe anyone has commented on the engraved cannon barrel that clearly shows in the second photo. It is partially covered by a trapezoidal shape. Would that represent a naval gun carriage?
 
Seeing the fouled anchor also appears on the blade etching along with the cannon, I am now more inclined to think this was a naval dirk rather than fraternal regalia. The cross guard still looks funky, but the scabbard and blade designs are exactly what I'd expect in a naval dirk from the 1840s - 1850s.
 
The Model 1849 Rifleman's Knife was procured as a special weapon for the U.S. Regiment of Mounted Riflemen who were armed with Colt Dragoon revolvers and U.S. Model 1841 rifles but did not carry sabers.

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I might have missed it, but I don't believe anyone has commented on the engraved cannon barrel that clearly shows in the second photo. It is partially covered by a trapezoidal shape. Would that represent a naval gun carriage?
[/QUOTE I saw this and wondered the same, more so the supposed cannon barrel, and the shaped form, maybe to calculate barrel inclination etc or as you say a naval gun carriage. The plot thickens
 
Because I wrote an article about the Knights of Pythias building that was a part of the 1896 Tennessee Centennial Exhibition I took a look at my file. The building was moved to a prominent site on HWY 96 a few miles west of Franklin TN & became a private house. The Pythians were an especially colorful group. I didn't find an image of a dirk in my file or an online search. Gotta admit, the geezer with the fancy axe just has to be shared.

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Knights of Pythias from Michigan. I especially like the headsman with his block. Anybody ever seen one of those axes?

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Knights with swords. The highly decorative swords are quite rare. I found no dirks online.

That sword is quite interesting! I have one. It came to me through my paternal grandfather, the one rode with Forrest, and I know nothing else about it. The Pythians used to meet in a big cave way out in the valley - it's empty now but there used to be a set of wooden benches around inside it. The handle on mine is plainer but it's very, very similar.
 
That sword is quite interesting! I have one. It came to me through my paternal grandfather, the one rode with Forrest, and I know nothing else about it. The Pythians used to meet in a big cave way out in the valley - it's empty now but there used to be a set of wooden benches around inside it. The handle on mine is plainer but it's very, very similar.
My ancient relations were Odd Fellows. The photos of them with their stoles, aprons & great geezer beards puzzled me greatly as a child. If you live anywhere near Franklin, the Pythian building from the centennial is on the right a few miles west of the square. It would be an interesting piece of your heritage to put into your photos. One of my g-g-greats was a farrier. He galvanized as the situation demanded, including a stint with Forrest.
 
That’s a great photo, that axe is similar to a type of axe that the Templar Knights are thought to have occasionally used during the crusades although personally Ive yet to see any real evidence of that. Its definitely a specialist weapon and given that Templar Knights were incredibly skilled horsemen they would have needed an axe with a long shaft to enable them to use it from horseback. To be honest, most of the axes used by the Templars were single bladed simply because a rear spike or (Ravensbill) added to much weight which obviously resulted in a weapon that was heavy and unwieldy. When the Templar Knights attacked they were trained to ride knee to knee this was known as the ‘Conrois’, they were very good at keeping formation and shocking their enemy with speed and accuracy. A knight on horseback in close formation and swinging an unwieldy axe wasn’t really practical, foot soldiers would have been the guys that used double edged axes, Templar Knights using double edged axes is a bit of a myth methinks.
I have seen a number of axes similar to that of the one in the photo but they are mostly used for ceremonial or religious purposes, like I said earlier, its a great photo but to use an American saying, ‘its all a bit Farb.’

Apologies for my lengthy post but I have a slight fascination with the Templar Knights.
If you have something to say, keep on writing.
 
My ancient relations were Odd Fellows. The photos of them with their stoles, aprons & great geezer beards puzzled me greatly as a child. If you live anywhere near Franklin, the Pythian building from the centennial is on the right a few miles west of the square. It would be an interesting piece of your heritage to put into your photos. One of my g-g-greats was a farrier. He galvanized as the situation demanded, including a stint with Forrest.

Forrest was a member of the Odd Fellows. He also took the first levels of being a Mason but the war interrupted his membership progress - not sure he was a Mason or just on his way to being one.

These fraternal organizations have always fascinated me. Town here has a Redman's Hall...but no red men in it! :laugh: That's why having the Pythian sword is a mystery to me - granddad was Choctaw/Chickasaw and a few others. Being in these organizations was a very, very important part of being an upstanding member of the community.
 
Seeing the fouled anchor also appears on the blade etching along with the cannon, I am now more inclined to think this was a naval dirk rather than fraternal regalia. The cross guard still looks funky, but the scabbard and blade designs are exactly what I'd expect in a naval dirk from the 1840s - 1850s.

If we look at some of the stuff from abroad of the period the guard is not so strange. The balls fit on many guards. While the langet shape might be familiar to some as just fraternal, it goes back to earlier than the US militia cruciform types from which many fraternities adopted. Pyramids of cannonballs?

I'm still guilty in not cracking a book on this one.


Cheers
GC
 
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