Rebs With Fighting Knifes

[Manassas 1861]

I found this picture of early war Confederates with fighting knifes. Knifes like these were common in the early days of the war, but were thrown away because they were heavy and there was little hand to hand to need them.

 

[Pollaco]

Depending on how much response you get, you should get an "eye full". There were numerous photos taken with big knives both props and real.

 

[Rhea Cole]

As a blacksmith I always enjoy seeing images like this one. Communities joined together & commissioned giant fighting knives for their loved ones. I have made one for a friend to use in early war living history scenarios.

This image is easy to date because of the Havelocks on their hats. There is a fixed sword bayonet camera right. The men are robust, well fed & optimistic. Compare that with the images of the garrison of Fort Donelson about a year later.

All along the line of march in 1860-61 the roadside was littered with the fighting knives, Havelocks & sword bayonets in this image. Virtually every one of the existing examples of the fighting knives of 1860 were sent home. As SirArthur Fremantle & many others noted, CSA infantry didn't carry bayonets, let alone the clunky sword bayonet in this image.

There is a reason that fighting knives are only seen in images floated in photographic studios. The only people who owned them were families back home, photographers & junk dealers.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Ambrotype of the Pattillo Brothers, Company K, 22nd Regt. Georgia Volunteer Infantry.
The four Pattillo brothers were from Henry County and enlisted together on August 31, 1861, in Company K, 22nd Regiment of the Georgia Volunteer Infantry.

Benjamin is seated on the far left and appears to be holding a Confederate hand grenade. On August 30, 1862, during the Battle of 2nd Manassas he was shot in the stomach and died the next day in the General Hospital in Warrenton, Virginia.

George, who is seated second from the left, was assigned for making shoes for the Confederacy at Augusta, Georgia from November 1862 until the end of the war. He was the only Pattillo brother to live through the Civil War without sustaining any injury.

James, seated third from the left, was discharged in March of 1862 and later reenlisted. During the Battle of Second Deep Bottom on August 16, 1864, he was shot in the foot. He had to have his third toe removed due to this injury.

John, seated on the far right, suffered from a case of Dysentery and was admitted to Chimborazo Hospital #2 in Richmond, Virginia on May 31, 1862. He was released from the hospital and returned to duty on June 14, 1862. Not long after returning to duty he was wounded during the Seven Days' battles near Richmond, Virginia, on June 28, 1862. He never fully recovered and pension records show he was discharged from service on account of wounds in March of 1863.

Courtesy the David Wynn Vaughan Collection.

 

[Coonewah Creek]

I borrowed the below snippet from Starke Miller's Facebook Page where he explained that he did not take the article seriously either. But I thought it'd be fun to post as a part of this thread. The first illustration is a colorized version from Harper's Weekly, August 31, 1861, and depicts Mississippi troops practicing with their Bowie knives. The second illustration shows the 2nd and 11th Mississippi regiments passing in review in front of General Beauregard, some seen brandishing their Bowie knives as they pass.

MISSISSIPPI TROOPS AT FIRST MANASSAS - THEIR BOWIE KNIVES

In an article from the Baltimore Sun newspaper, after the Battle of First Manassas, the Mississippi troops in that Battle were described.

"The Mississippians charged the Union troops, fired a volley at them from their single shot muskets, they threw the muskets aside, and then closed the distance wielding their bowie knives. When within 10 feet, they expertly threw the Bowie knives into the chest of a yankee. The bowie knives were said to be eighteen to 20 inches long, and two edged to the point. The knives also had a cord tied to the handle, with the other end tied to the wrist of the Mississippi Soldier. Once the knife had skewered the yankee, they were then pulled out by the cord, and thrown again into another yankee! Somewhat like an "experienced harpooner striking at a whale". After a few rounds of knife throwing, the Mississippians then pulled their pistols out, and started shooting."

 

[Borderruffian]

Some Texas Cavalry units were issued D Guard Bowie knives.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Closely study this image. What do you see?

 

[Manassas 1861]

Closely study this image. What do you see?

View attachment 501073

View attachment 501074

View attachment 501075

Sword bayonets, and what looks like a hand grenade

 

[Bentonville]

I borrowed the below snippet from Starke Miller's Facebook Page where he explained that he did not take the article seriously either. But I thought it'd be fun to post as a part of this thread. The first illustration is a colorized version from Harper's Weekly, August 31, 1861, and depicts Mississippi troops practicing with their Bowie knives. The second illustration shows the 2nd and 11th Mississippi regiments passing in review in front of General Beauregard, some seen brandishing their Bowie knives as they pass.

MISSISSIPPI TROOPS AT FIRST MANASSAS - THEIR BOWIE KNIVES

In an article from the Baltimore Sun newspaper, after the Battle of First Manassas, the Mississippi troops in that Battle were described.

"The Mississippians charged the Union troops, fired a volley at them from their single shot muskets, they threw the muskets aside, and then closed the distance wielding their bowie knives. When within 10 feet, they expertly threw the Bowie knives into the chest of a yankee. The bowie knives were said to be eighteen to 20 inches long, and two edged to the point. The knives also had a cord tied to the handle, with the other end tied to the wrist of the Mississippi Soldier. Once the knife had skewered the yankee, they were then pulled out by the cord, and thrown again into another yankee! Somewhat like an "experienced harpooner striking at a whale". After a few rounds of knife throwing, the Mississippians then pulled their pistols out, and started shooting."

View attachment 501070View attachment 501071

And those Confederates all joined a sideshow after the war.

 

[7thWisconsin]

I love that ¨throwing away their muskets and charging with big knives part.¨ I guess they really were expecting a short war, weren´t they?

 

[Rhea Cole]

I borrowed the below snippet from Starke Miller's Facebook Page where he explained that he did not take the article seriously either. But I thought it'd be fun to post as a part of this thread. The first illustration is a colorized version from Harper's Weekly, August 31, 1861, and depicts Mississippi troops practicing with their Bowie knives. The second illustration shows the 2nd and 11th Mississippi regiments passing in review in front of General Beauregard, some seen brandishing their Bowie knives as they pass.

MISSISSIPPI TROOPS AT FIRST MANASSAS - THEIR BOWIE KNIVES

In an article from the Baltimore Sun newspaper, after the Battle of First Manassas, the Mississippi troops in that Battle were described.

"The Mississippians charged the Union troops, fired a volley at them from their single shot muskets, they threw the muskets aside, and then closed the distance wielding their bowie knives. When within 10 feet, they expertly threw the Bowie knives into the chest of a yankee. The bowie knives were said to be eighteen to 20 inches long, and two edged to the point. The knives also had a cord tied to the handle, with the other end tied to the wrist of the Mississippi Soldier. Once the knife had skewered the yankee, they were then pulled out by the cord, and thrown again into another yankee! Somewhat like an "experienced harpooner striking at a whale". After a few rounds of knife throwing, the Mississippians then pulled their pistols out, and started shooting."

View attachment 501070View attachment 501071

Sgt Rock & Ice cream Soldier did the same thing to Nazi tanks in the Sargent Rock comic books I read in 1960. Some tall tales never change.

 

[Pollaco]

There is a very famous photo of Andrew Chandler and his body servant, Silas, both brandishing (prop?) knives. I am really surprised that nobody has shown it yet. There is probably no need, that photo has graced this forum many times and I'm sure we are all familiar with it.

 

[Borderruffian]

Sgt Rock & Ice cream Soldier did the same thing to Nazi tanks in the Sargent Rock comic books I read in 1960. Some tall tales never change.

And Dum- Dum Dugan !!!

 

[Nathan Stuart]

At Gettysburg, in the fighting around Devil's Den and the subsequent assault on LRT, the soldiers of the Texas Brigade (1TX, 4TX & 5TX) were reportedly heavily armed. Large bowie knives (carried as much for symbolic significance, as for practical uses) were extremely popular weapons carried by these soldiers together with their favored long-arm weapon, the .577 Enfield rifle; the officers preferring hand-held firearms, like the Colt and Navy revolvers (six-shooters).

But have not read any accounts in the close quarters combat around Devil's Den, of any blade wounds being inflicted by knife-wielding Texans.

 

[Bentonville]

At Gettysburg, in the fighting around Devil's Den and the subsequent assault on LRT, the soldiers of the Texas Brigade (1TX, 4TX & 5TX) were reportedly heavily armed. Large bowie knives (carried as much for symbolic significance, as for practical uses) were extremely popular weapons carried by these soldiers together with their favored long-arm weapon, the .577 Enfield rifle; the officers preferring hand-held firearms, like the Colt and Navy revolvers (six-shooters).

But have not read any accounts in the close quarters combat around Devil's Den, of any blade wounds being inflicted by knife-wielding Texans.

That was what I suspected all aling. Not the Texans, but them too. It's the uniformity of 'everything was dumped on the side of the road'.

I think I mentioned this in another thread; I wouldn't be caught dead without a large knife in 99.64% of the situations I'm in now. And those are extremely sedate compared to that era.

I woder if it wasn't part of the culture coming out of the Alamo?

 

[Nathan Stuart]

I woder if it wasn't part of the culture coming out of the Alamo?

Agree - thought the symbolic meaning/connection had something to do with Jim Bowie and his fate at the Alamo.

 

[RedRover]

That was what I suspected all aling. Not the Texans, but them too. It's the uniformity of 'everything was dumped on the side of the road'.

I think I mentioned this in another thread; I wouldn't be caught dead without a large knife in 99.64% of the situations I'm in now. And those are extremely sedate compared to that era.

I woder if it wasn't part of the culture coming out of the Alamo?

The Bowie Knives were turned out in large numbers at the outbreak of the war, and in many cases were the only arms some volunteer companies could procure for a time. With Jeff Davis as President, his 1st Mississippi Rifles regiment in the War with Mexico became something of the mode... Mississippi rifles and bowies are what they carried in the Battle of Buena Vista in 1847, and many units wanted to outfit in a similar manner...

By Gettysburg, most of the bowies were gone. Col. Fremantle of the British service didn't see any among the infantry...

Fremantle says Hood's division, including the Texas Brigade, carried less equipage than the others generally.

 

[Bentonville]

The Bowie Knives were turned out in large numbers at the outbreak of the war, and in many cases were the only arms some volunteer companies could procure for a time. With Jeff Davis as President, his 1st Mississippi Rifles regiment in the War with Mexico became something of the mode... Mississippi rifles and bowies are what they carried in the Battle of Buena Vista in 1847, and many units wanted to outfit in a similar manner...

By Gettysburg, most of the bowies were gone. Col. Fremantle of the British service didn't see any among the infantry...

View attachment 501112

Fremantle says Hood's division, including the Texas Brigade, carried less equipage than the others generally.

View attachment 501113

I'm not going to say anything about Freemantle as I'm not done with his book. Its interesting to read it from his perspective. The ANV must have been quite the sight for him.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

I'm not going to say anything about Freemantle as I'm not done with his book. Its interesting to read it from his perspective. The ANV must have been quite the sight for him.

Don't know much about Fremantle's observing movements at Gettysburg. Wonder whether he was in the vicinity of the congregating Texans preparing for their assault on July 2?

 

[Rhea Cole]

If you want to know what CSA Bowie knives actually looked like, the salvaged cargo of the blockade runner Modern Greece had several patterns.

You can Google the report of the blockade runner Modern Greece & see them for yourselves.