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It literally shouts out its historic usage in one of the most famous & hard fought campaigns of the Civil War at which the Confederacy reached its ‘high tide.’ Carried by Brig. General Paul J. Semmes...of Georgia as he led his brigade...in an assault on the Little Round Top at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, where he fell mortally wounded.” Coming from the most respected man in his field, this is a remarkable statement.
He continued “Mortally wounded at Gettysburg the Confederate (Georgia) general asked for this sword and his Bible with his last breath...holding both as he died.”
Mr. Flayderman further explained that this sword was “obviously revered by Semmes as a true ‘sword of honor,’ remaining at his side from the moment of its presentation to the moment of his death.” In addition,
it is most important to note that when the sword was cataloged by Flayderman, he pointed out that it was accompanied by several original documents from Semmes, including an envelope from his wife that was with him when he was wounded. On the back of the envelope, Semmes had written details of his division and brigade at Gettysburg on June 30, 1863, just days before he was shot and mortally wounded on the
battlefield. This envelope and the other documents have since been lost by its previous owner and no longer accompany the sword. However, we have included two original copies of Flaydermans catalog detailing these documents that unequivocally prove this sword to be with Semmes when he died. Steve Sylvia of North South Trader’s Civil War commenting on this historic sword stated,
“There are few Confederate edged weapons that can compare to the silver and diamond-studded sword of Brig. Gen. Paul Jones Semmes. His treasured sword by Ames, the Rolls Royce of American sword makers, embodied all that was dear to a Southern patriotic gentleman - stature, elegance, duty, and valor. He was mortally wounded in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg while wielding it. He died grasping it. Robert E. Lee wrote that Semmes, ‘died as he had lived, discharging the highest duty of a patriot with devotion that never faltered and courage that shrank from no danger.”
Sword author John H. Thilmann wrote about this sword,“This sword is without question, one of the most important of all Confederate artifacts. In a letter to Samuel Rice in 1837, Nathan P. Ames relates that the best
high-grade swords the company made were of the cruciform hilt with straight blade style. Presented to Paul J. Semmes in 1854, this diamond- eyed Ames sword in silver and gilt and with exceptional engraving and chasing (including the high grade blade etching) is one of the finest Ames presentation swords I have had the pleasure to examine. Its association with the great ‘Battle of Gettysburg’ place it among the most desirable and elite of collectible swords from any period in American History.”
The sword was purchased and disappeared after being pictured and described in Daniel Hartzlers’ book “Confederate Presentation & Inscribed Swords and Revolvers.” Now, after over 30 years, this wonderful artifact
is again available to the collecting fraternity. Weapons of such incredible significance are typically only found in select few Civil War museums
and are rarely available. Other significant Semmes artifacts have long been locked away in museum collections, such as his kepi, and the blood stained frock coat he wore at Gettysburg which are all part of the collection of The American Civil War Museum in Virginia.
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