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Officer’s Sword Inscribed to Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston with Scabbard - This 19th century French officer’s sword has a 29 3/4 inch
trefoil blade. The blade has scroll and classical martial etching and a difficult to read maker’s mark. The hilt has floral patterns, fulmen (thunderbolts), a twisted
wire wrapped antique ivory grip, artillery, colors, a liberty pole, and a banner with illegible markings along with three silver stars on the fixed languet; and a folding languet inscribed “General/Joseph Eggleston Johnson/***/AUGUST 31, 1861/C.S.A.” The brass scabbard has laurel, oak leaf and acorn, and other floral patterns on the fittings.
Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891) was among the most senior of the Confederate generals during the Civil War. As was common, he had previously had a career as a U.S.
officer. He began his career by attending West Point after being nominated by prominent
southern statesman John C. Calhoun, then the Secretary of War, and graduated in 1829 along with Robert E. Lee. He was assigned to the 4th U.S. Artillery as a second lieutenant after graduating and
rose through the ranks during the Second Seminole War and Mexican-American War and was wounded
multiple times. After the latter, he reverted to his rank of captain in the topographical engineers but was soon promoted to lieutenant
colonel of the 1st U.S. Cavalry at Fort Leavenworth. As the tensions that erupted in the Civil War came to a head in 1860, Johnston was
promoted to brigadier general and Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army. When Virginia seceded, Johnston followed his statesmen and
resigned and joined the Confederacy making him the highest ranking former U.S. Army officer to fight against the Union. On August 31, 1861,
Johnston was promoted to full general, and he was officially the fourth-highest ranking Confederate officer despite having the highest rank prior to the war. He remained overshadowed by Lee and clashed with President Jefferson Davis. Johnston led the Confederates in many battles and outlasted Lee briefly before surrendering to General William Tecumseh Sherman. After the war, he remained Sherman’s friend and was a businessman with roles in the railroads and canals and also served in Congress in 1879-1881 and as railroad commissioner in the 1880s.
CONDITION: Fine overall with mottled gray patina on the blade, attractive aged patina on the brass, and mild overall wear including some faint age cracks
LOT 220
General Joseph E. Johnston
GENERAL JOHNSTON IS THE 2ND FROM THE RIGHT.
in the grip.
Estimate: 7,500 - 15,000
stamped with a small eagle and shield above “C.S.A.” followed by “FAYETTEVILLE”. The left quarter of the barrel is stamped with “eagle head”, “P” and
“V” proof and inspection marks. The two barrel bands are stamped “U” facing the band springs. The heel of the buttplate is stamped “CSA” in front of the buttplate screw. Initials that appear to read “WBR” are carved on the right of the buttstock above a circular cutout.
CONDITION: Good as Confederate used and converted to smoothbore, likely for post-Civil War use in the American West, exhibits mostly a smooth
brown patina on the barrel with some period characteristic flash pitting on the top of the breech and around the bolster suggesting this was a working gun, reapplied proofmarks on the left quarter of the breech, and sharp markings on the lock with scattered pitting. Brass exhibits an attractive darkened golden patina. Stock is fair as period
sanded and revarnished, with attractive frontier wear and characteristic scars overall, and the circular cutout in the right of the buttstock where a lucky coin or plug of some sort may have
resided with carved initials above that applied in the period by a Confederate soldier or Western explorer. Both sling swivels are period removed. Mechanically fine. As a long arm that saw use in the American Civil War and subsequent use out in the American West, this would make a fine addition to any antique American firearms collection!
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
189
LOT 2210
Civil War Confederate Fayetteville Armory Smoothbored Percussion Rifle - NSN, 62 cal., 33 inch round bbl., brown finish, walnut stock. The
Fayetteville rifles were similar copies of the U.S. Harpers Ferry Model 1855 rifle
manufactured with machinery captured from the U.S. arsenals at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and Fayetteville,
North Carolina. An estimated 8,000-9,000 of these well-made rifles were manufactured between 1862-1855. Features
a blade/stud front sight that doubles for use with a socket bayonet, iron ramrod with tulip head, brass forearm cap, trigger
guard, buttplate, and flat barrel bands secured by band springs. In addition to the “1864” date behind the hammer, the lock plate is