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LOT 216
Historic Civil War W.H. Horstmann &
Sons Etched Blade M1850 Foot Officer’s
Sword with Engraved German Silver
Grip and Scabbard Presented to Captain
Edward S.E. Newbury of the 3rd New
Jersey Volunteer Infantry - Manufactured
c. 1862-1863 by W.H. Horstmann & Sons of
Philadelphia, this is a solid representative
example of a Civil War presentation sword.
Through a previous sale of this sword,
reportedly by one of his descendants, this
sword is attributed as having been presented
to Edward S.E. Newbury. The sword itself is of
the typical M1850 Foot Officer’s pattern and
has the W.H. Horstmann & Sons maker’s mark
and crowned head mark on the lower right of
the blade. The spine is etched with “Iron Proof”,
and both sides of the blade have etched floral
and martial motifs along about half of the
length. The brass guard is of a fairly typical
pattern with a cast American eagle, shield, and
stand of arms on the knuckle guard. The grip is
German silver and finely engraved with floral
motifs surrounding two panel scenes featuring
“Liberty and Prosperity”, from the Great Seal
of the State of New Jersey. The pommel is
also brass and cast with an American shield
and floral motifs. The scabbard is iron with
brass fittings, all cast with martial motifs. The
front side of the top fitting is engraved with
“N”, for Newbury, and there are four small
holes between the two hanger fittings, likely
the remaining evidence of a presentation
plaque. The back sides of the top two fittings
list major engagements that Newbury took
part in, including Bull Run, Brick House Point,
Gaines’ Mills, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hills,
Fredericksburg, and Chancellorville [sic], with
the two wounds also listed by their respective
engagements. Includes a printout of a sale
from 2000 indicating the swords sale out of
the Newbury family as well as a printed article
by Michael S. Mitchell regarding the incident
at Bog Wallow and containing a plethora of
information about Newbury/Newberry and his
military career.
An article from the New Jersey Herald in 2013
provides some background knowledge on
Newbury. It states that he was born in North
Carolina in 1839, and he reportedly went north
to live with his mother’s relatives sometime in
the 1850s, possibly after the John Brown Raid
due to abolitionist sympathies. It appears that
Newbury (sometimes notated as “Newberry”)
initially mustered into the 3rd New Jersey
Volunteer Infantry as a private. They became
part of the 1st New Jersey Brigade. It appears
that he was detailed as a fifer for the regiment
to free him from company duties so he could
undertake the responsibilities of a scout and
spy. It is noted that he received significant
ridicule from the men in his regiment due
to his ties to the South and his southern
accent, and may be part of why he took on
such a dangerous role in the regiment. The
regiment was initially stationed in northern
Virginia where their pickets were being
raided regularly by Confederate cavalry,
particularly a unit they called the “Loudoun
County Scouts”, which Newbury set out to
gather information on. Information obtained
by Newbury eventually led to elements of
the 3rd New Jersey laying an ambush for the
rebel cavalry, and, on the night of 4 December
1861, a group of rebel cavalry rode right
into the trap, which included two lengths of
telegraph wire to dismount them. The cavalry
was actually a small group of Georgia Hussars
under the command of captain J. Fred Waring,
who rode headlong into a swamp and a “sheet
of fire” presented by the 3rd N.J. shortly after
midnight. There were a handful of casualties
on both sides, including Newbury himself,
who reportedly was hit with buckshot in
the left arm (accounting for the first wound
noted on the scabbard as 5 December 1861).
This engagement became known as the “Bog
Wallow Ambush”. In June of 1862, commander
of the 1st New Jersey Brigade Phillip Kearney
recommended Newbury as an officer for
one of the fresh New Jersey regiments being
raised, saying that Newbury “has evinced great
aptitude and daring as a scout and was badly
wounded and particularly distinguished in the
ambush fight of the 3rd N. J. Vols under then
Col Taylor on the 5th Dec’r last.” In August of
1862, Newbury accepted a commission in the
11th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry as a second
lieutenant. With the 11th N.J.V.I. at the Battle
of Chancellorsville in May of 1863, Newbury
was struck in the leg by a bullet while helping
his wounded captain from the field. This
second wound sidelined Newbury until late
1863, but, upon his return, he was promoted
to captain and served as aide-de-camp to
colonel McAllister of the 11th N.J.V.I. and to
General French. In January of 1864, Newbury
was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps,
serving with the 21st Regiment Veteran
Infantry. Newbury died in 1920 and is
buried at Rahway Cemetery in New
Jersey, where his headstone simply
lists him as “PVT. CO. D 3 REGT. N.J.
VOL. INF.” It is likely that this sword
was presented to him either by
the men under his command
in the 11th N.J.V.I. or at
the end of the war
by members of his
veteran reserve
regiment.
CONDITION:
Good, the blade
showing mostly
grey patina with
some scattered
patches of
light pitting,
moderate
pitting and a
few nicks in the
spine near the
tip, and mostly
distinct etching.
The guard is
bent with the
brass showing an
attractively aged
patina overall
and the German
silver is bright with
a dent in the grip
area. The scabbard
shows a brown patina with evidence of a
removed plaque, some mild oxidation, and
attractively aged brass. A historic presentation
sword attributed to a well-documented Union
veteran of the Civil War!
Provenance: Captain Edward S.E. Newbury;
The Family of Captain Edward S.E.
Newbury; The Jere Brunton Collection;
Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
Captain
Edward
S.E.
Newbury
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