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Civil War & Reconstruction Civil War First Union Occupation Model 1850 Field and Staff Officers Sword

Model 1850 Field and Staff Officers Sword

This Model 1850 Field and Staff Officer’s Sword was the type carried in Stafford by some majors and higher in line and staff positions. This sword, although decorative, was a fully-capable fighting weapon preferred by senior officers at risk of actually engaging the enemy.  It was replaced by a lighter, smaller model in 1860 (reflecting the sword as increasingly symbolic of rank and position in pre-modern war). This one was manufactured in Germany and sold by an American outfitter, Horstmann and Sons, to officers.