Model 1832 foot artillery sword
Model 1832 foot artillery sword | |
---|---|
Type | Short-sword |
Place of origin | United States of America |
Service history | |
In service | 1832–1872 |
Used by | United States Army |
Wars | Second Seminole War American Civil War |
Production history | |
Manufacturer | Ames Manufacturing Company |
No. built | 16,200[1] |
Specifications | |
Length | 25 in (640 mm) |
Blade length | 19 in (480 mm) |
Blade type | Double-edged, steel |
Hilt type | Brass |
Scabbard/sheath | Leather scabbard |
The Model 1832 foot artillery sword was a 25-inch (64 cm) short-sword with a straight, double-edged blade and brass-mounted leather scabbard.
History
The U.S. Model 1832 foot artillery short-sword has a 6-inch (15 cm) solid brass hilt, a 4-inch (10 cm) crossguard, and a blade usually 19 inches (48 cm) in length. This model was the first sword contracted by the U.S. with the Ames Manufacturing Company of Springfield (later Chicopee), Massachusetts, with production starting in 1832. In later years, it was also imported and supplied by W.H. Horstmann & Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a personal side arm, it was intended for use by the regular or foot artillery regiments of the United States Army and remained in service until 1872 for use of foot artillerymen. It was the issue sword for sergeants and musicians of infantry regiments from 1832 until 1840. As most artillery regiments were trained and equipped as infantry prior to 1861 a single weapon for both types of troops made sense. It replaced the earlier Starr pattern sword used throughout the 1820s. While the design was impractical for actual combat, it is believed that artillerymen put this weapon to other uses, such as clearing brush or creating trails. It was an effective tool for cutting paths through the Florida swamps during the Second Seminole War, which occurred during the time it was issued to infantry sergeants, drummers and fifers. This is somewhat corroborated by the French nickname for their version of the sword, coupe choux (cabbage cutter). The last Ames contract for this sword was completed in 1862, although as a stock item it continued to be listed in company catalogs for decades afterwards.
The design was based on the French foot artillery short sword of 1816, which with minor changes was basically repeated in 1831. The French model was largely inspired by the Roman gladius, the standard sword of the Roman legionaries.
Distinguishing features
French versions can be distinguished from American versions by the hilt design, manufacturers' marks (French manufacturers include Châtellerault, St. Etienne, Talabot, and Thiebaut), and the lack of U.S. markings. Swords supplied by Ames typically bore an eagle on the blade until the Mexican–American War, whereas those made during the civil war by Confederate arsenals were typically unmarked. The Ames Model 1832 has a hilt with an eagle cast into the pommel and a scaled grip surface. French versions have either textured grips (model 1816) or ringed grips (model 1831), and like later English models a plain or smooth pommel on the hilt.
References
- ^ Lanham, Howard G. "Enlisted Swords Model-1832 Foot Artillery Sword". Union Army Uniforms and Insignia of the American Civil War 1861-1865. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
External links
- Union Army Uniforms and Insignia of the Civil War
- Roman Weapons and Armor, by the Eclectic Historian, retrieved from Internet Archive
- v
- t
- e
- Arkansas toothpick
- Bayonet
- Bowie knife
- M1832 foot artillery sword
- M1833 dragoon saber
- M1840 army noncommissioned officer's sword
- M1840 cavalry saber
- M1840 light artillery saber
- M1850 army staff & field officer's sword
- M1852 naval officer's sword
- M1860 cutlass
- M1860 light cavalry saber
- Mameluke sword
- USMC noncommissioned officer's sword
- Adams M1851 revolver
- Allen & Thurber M1837 revolver pepperbox
- Allen & Wheelock M1861 revolver
- Beaumont–Adams M1862 revolver
- Butterfield M1855 transitional revolver
- Colt M1836 Paterson revolver
- Colt M1847 Walker revolver
- Colt M1848 Dragoon revolver
- Colt M1849 Pocket revolver
- Colt M1851 Navy revolver
- Colt M1860 Army revolver
- Colt M1861 Navy revolver
- Colt M1862 Police revolver
- Colt Root M1855 revolver
- Deringer M1825 Philadelphia caplock pistol
- Elgin M1838 cutlass caplock pistol
- Kerr M1855 revolver
- Lefaucheux M1854 revolver
- Lefaucheux M1858 revolver
- LeMat M1856 revolver
- Moore M1864 revolver
- Remington M1858 revolver
- Remington M1860 Elliot revolver pepperbox
- Savage-North M1861 Navy revolver
- Smith & Wesson Model 1
- Smith & Wesson Model No. 2 Army
- Spiller & Burr M1861 revolver
- Starr M1858 and M1863 revolver
- Tranter M1856 revolver
- Volcanic M1855 repeating pistol
- Walch M1859 revolver
- Wesson and Leavitt M1850 Dragoon revolver
- Whitney M1857 revolver
- Augustin M1842 musket
- Ballard M1861 rifle
- Brunswick P1836 and P1841 rifle
- Burnside M1855 carbine
- Charleville M1816 and M1822 musket
- Colt M1855 revolver carbine and rifle
- Deringer M1814 Common rifle
- Deringer M1817 Common rifle
- Enfield P1853 rifled musket
- Enfield P1861 musketoon
- Fayetteville M1862 rifle
- Gallager M1861 carbine
- Hall M1819 rifle
- Hall-North M1843 carbine
- Harper Ferry M1803 rifle
- Henry M1860 repeating rifle
- Jenks M1841 Mule ear carbine
- Joslyn M1855, M1861, M1862, M1864, M1865 carbine and rifle
- Lorenz M1854 rifled musket
- Maynard M1851 carbine
- Merrill M1858 carbine
- Mississippi M1841 rifle
- P1839 and P1842 Brown Bess musket
- Potzdam M1831 musket
- Richmond M1861 rifled musket
- Sharps M1848, M1850, M1851, M1852, M1853, M1855, M1859, M1863, M1865 carbine and rifle
- Sharps & Hankins M1862 carbine
- Smith M1857 carbine
- Spencer M1860, M1865 repeating carbine and rifle
- Springfield M1795 musket
- Springfield M1812 musket
- Springfield M1816 musket
- Springfield M1822 musket
- Springfield M1835 musket
- Springfield M1840 musket
- Springfield M1842 musket
- Springfield M1847 musketoon
- Springfield M1855 rifled musket
- Springfield M1861 rifled musket
- Springfield M1863 rifled musket
- Starr M1858 carbine
- Tarpley M1863 carbine
- Volcanic M1855 repeating rifle
- Wesson M1859 carbine and rifle
- Whitworth P1857 rifle
- Adams grenade
- Coach gun
- Congreve rocket
- Double-barreled shotgun
- Hale rocket launcher
- Ketchum Grenade
- Rains grenade
- Rains landmine
- Sea mine
- Winans Steam Gun
and equipment