Super honest field used Civil War Staff and Field sword, Model 1850, field metal scabbard WILDER’s BRIGADE!

Description

This is a really nice and honest field carried combat sword as carried by staff and field officers in the Union Army as well as Confederate officers who may have been in the regular army prior to the War.  Stonewall Jackson carried one like it!  It has 85%+ of the original shagreen grip, full wire and a well articulated iron scabbard with scalloped brass mounts.  It shows honest use and wear and the blade is 3/4 deeply chisel etched with military motifs, US and other similar icons.

The sword “walked in” the recent Baltimore, Maryland antique arms show with a family verbal history of being carried by a Lt. Preston from Illinois.  A records search finds only one man who could have carried a Field and Staff–the regimental Quartermaster of the 98th Illinois Infantry!

The 98th Illinois Infantry was organized at Centralia, Illinois and mustered into Federal service on September 3, 1862.

The regiment was converted to mounted infantry on March 8, 1863 and became an element of “Wilder’s Lightning Brigade“, a unit that pioneered the use of mounted infantry. As part of that brigade, it performed admirably in the Tullahoma and Chickamauga campaigns.

Its superior firepower due to its Spencers was found to allow it to take on an enemy that outnumbered them on several occasions and triumph. Also, the rapidity of movement afforded by their mounts gave them a rapid response ability that could take and maintain the initiative from the rebels. This combat power prevented much larger Confederate units from crossing a bridge on the first day of Chickamauga and stopped the left column of the Bragg’s key breakthrough on the second day.

The regiment was mustered out on June 27, 1865, and discharged at Springfield, Illinois, on July 7, 1865.