Western Reserve Volunteer
Sergeant
- Joined
- May 12, 2018
So, I have seen in written that the Model 1832 Heavy Artillery Sword was used by Infantry NCOs pre-War, and also Musicians, as the later NCO and Musician Swords were not yet adopted. I know the CSA used some for much the same purpose during the war. Did the Union ever issue the weapon outside of Heavy Artillery units, say among early war volunteers or state controlled units?
Also, are there any texts, prewar, postwar, confederate or union that describe the theroretical use of these swords in combat? All manuals I have found thus far cover only the use of the later NCO swords, and while I know the old 1832 gladius wasn’t exactly the most practical battlefield weapon, neither was their successor and I cannot imagine that some clever person would not have written about how it was intended to be used.
I honestly wonder why the earlier pattern sword did not continue as a regulation NCO weapon outside of Heavy Artillery units, since although it was an imperfect sword it better answered the need of brush clearing, entrenching, and other utility implement than the later NCO swords which where based on the infamously lackluster spadroons of the British and French. Most probably it was a fashion thing, as it was based on the gentleman’s sidesword.
Also, are there any texts, prewar, postwar, confederate or union that describe the theroretical use of these swords in combat? All manuals I have found thus far cover only the use of the later NCO swords, and while I know the old 1832 gladius wasn’t exactly the most practical battlefield weapon, neither was their successor and I cannot imagine that some clever person would not have written about how it was intended to be used.
I honestly wonder why the earlier pattern sword did not continue as a regulation NCO weapon outside of Heavy Artillery units, since although it was an imperfect sword it better answered the need of brush clearing, entrenching, and other utility implement than the later NCO swords which where based on the infamously lackluster spadroons of the British and French. Most probably it was a fashion thing, as it was based on the gentleman’s sidesword.