Sword my GG Grandpappy carried.

ArmisteadNC

Private
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
sword.png
Sword of Capt. M. Wolfe, 22nd NC, Company E

Not the best photo, got my father to send it.
 
I think that's a U.S Army pattern foot officer's pattern of 1850. Present-day Marine Corps NCOs carry one very similar.
 
I think that's a U.S Army pattern foot officer's pattern of 1850. Present-day Marine Corps NCOs carry one very similar.

The present day USMC NCO Sword is identical to the Marine NCO swords of the Civil War-just a little shorter maybe.
 
Full size, not that you can see much

Although this IS definitely a M.1850 Sword for foot officers, the REAL question is, is it Union or Confederate? I KNOW HE was Confederate, making it "Confederate-used", BUT... There's a HUGE difference in value for Confederate-manufactured pieces. I also know YOU consider it priceless ( and rightly so! ), and are not considering selling it, but this is still a feature of it you should know. Since it's in a case, YOU may not even know, but IS IT MARKED? Usually manufacturers engrave or stamp their names and sometimes locations on the flat of the blade near the hilt ( handle ). Even if unmarked ( often the case with Confederate-made pieces ) it may be likely to determine whether or not it's of Confederate manufacture, but for that better pictures are necessary.

My computer will NOT allow me to see more than the thumbnails. In order to post better copies of your pictures, WAIT until they have completely downloaded to the site, showing you the thumbnail and 2 boxes saying Thumbnail or Full Image, then CLICK on either - full size is preferable unless they're TOO big. Please do this when you are able to show the other items you mention as well - I especially look forward to seeing his photograph! Here's an ambrotype photo of a North Carolina officer in my collection:

Civil War Ambrotype.jpg
 
Although this IS definitely a M.1850 Sword for foot officers, the REAL question is, is it Union or Confederate? I KNOW HE was Confederate, making it "Confederate-used", BUT... There's a HUGE difference in value for Confederate-manufactured pieces. I also know YOU consider it priceless ( and rightly so! ), and are not considering selling it, but this is still a feature of it you should know. Since it's in a case, YOU may not even know, but IS IT MARKED? Usually manufacturers engrave or stamp their names and sometimes locations on the flat of the blade near the hilt ( handle ). Even if unmarked ( often the case with Confederate-made pieces ) it may be likely to determine whether or not it's of Confederate manufacture, but for that better pictures are necessary.

My computer will NOT allow me to see more than the thumbnails. In order to post better copies of your pictures, WAIT until they have completely downloaded to the site, showing you the thumbnail and 2 boxes saying Thumbnail or Full Image, then CLICK on either - full size is preferable unless they're TOO big. Please do this when you are able to show the other items you mention as well - I especially look forward to seeing his photograph! Here's an ambrotype photo of a North Carolina officer in my collection:

View attachment 14344

It may be a dumb question, but if it's a 1850 sword, how would it be Confederate? Or, are you referring the pattern was used for both sides during the war? I plan to go down and take it out of the case for pictures, so obviously will look more.
 
It would be a Model 1850-the year it was adopted.
 
It may be a dumb question, but if it's a 1850 sword, how would it be Confederate? Or, are you referring the pattern was used for both sides during the war? I plan to go down and take it out of the case for pictures, so obviously will look more.

The M in M.1850 stands for Model; most military-issue items are regulation models and denoted by the date of their adoption. Your CW "namesake", Lewis Addison Armistead, for example carried one this model, the same one he wore as an officer serving under A. S. Johnston in California. When he was killed at Gettysburg, one of the Federal lieutenants "relieved" him of it and wore it throughout the remainder of the war before returning it to the family postwar. Because of the scarcity ( and crudity ) of Confederate manufacture, arms produced during the short span of the Confederacy are generally worth 3, 4, 5 or even more times what almost identical Federal or imported specimens are worth.
 
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