Page 104 - 89-FLIPBOOK2

LOT 1123
Historic Civil War Schuyler,
Hartley & Graham Officer’s
Presentation Sword and
Scabbard Inscribed to Lieutenant
William H Wright by Company G, 56th
Regiment, National Guard of the State of New
York, July 28th, 1863 - The 32 inch blade has patriotic, floral, and martial etching patterns with frosted backgrounds, “Schuyler-/Hartley-/& Graham/New-York” etched above the right ricasso and “W./CLAUBERG/knight logo/SOLINGEN” stamped on the left ricasso. The silver plated cast brass hilt has floral patterns and a cast brass rope pattern grip that had a silver plated finish. A gilt sword knot is fitted to the knuckle guard. The scabbard is black leather with gilt brass fittings. The upper suspension band of the scabbard is inscribed “LIEUT WM H. WRIGHT/BY/the Members of Comp G/56th Regt N.G.S.N.Y./July 28th 1863” on the reverse and the rest of the fittings have floral engraving.
The National Park Service Soldier & Sailor Database lists a William H. Wright as a first lieutenant in Company G of the 56th Regiment, New York Infantry National Guard (30 days, 1863). The regiment mustered in on June 18, 1863, and mustered out on July 24, 1863. This was during Robert E. Lee’s famous invasion of Pennsylvania that culminated in the historic Battle of Gettysburg. The New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center has a more in depth look at the “56th Regiment, New York National Guard” taken from “New York in the War of the Rebellion”: “Of this regiment, which was located in Brooklyn, but is not now in service, a number of men volunteered in October, 1862, for nine months. June 18, 1863, it was ordered to Harrisburg, Pa., for a service of thirty days; commanded by Col. John Q. Adams, it left the State June 19, 1863, and served in the Third Brigade, 1st Division, Department Susquehanna, and July 24, 1863, it was mustered out of the service of the United States at Brooklyn. August 2, 1864, it was mustered into the United States service for 100 days and it served, commanded by Col. John Q, Adams, at Elmira, until it was mustered out November 6, 1864. March 15, 1865, Colonel Adams received authority to recruit his regiment for a service of one year as part of the volunteer forces; the necessity for more troops ceasing to exist shortly after, the organization was not carried out. The men enlisted, about 200, were discharged May 3, 1865, at Hart’s Island, New York harbor. The regiment in its service in 1863 took part in a skirmish
near Oyster Point, Pa., June 29, 1863, and it lost in its service in 1864, by death, of disease, two enlisted men.” One veteran of the battle at Oyster Point recounted: “While this skirmish was of no particular account in itself, it is really historic. It was at the
furthest northern point which was reached by the invaders, and marks the crest
of the wave of the invasion of Pennsylvania. The retreat of the Confederate force
there commenced did not end until the Potomac was crossed. The success
obtained must be largely ascribed to the gallant conduct of Landis’ Battery...”
The skirmish lasted for two days and ended when Robert E. Lee issued orders for
the troops to retreat south on June 30th for the Battle of Gettysburg. The Union
militia pursued the invaders and fought them in another skirmish at the Battle of Sporting Hill.
CONDITION: Very fine. The blade is mostly the untouched original bright polish and has crisp acid etching, some faint spotting,, and generally minimal
wear. The hilt has aged patina. The grip has traces
of silver and otherwise aged patina. The sword
knot has moderate age and storage related wear.
The scabbard is fine and has moderate wear on
the leather, mostly aged patina on the fittings,
and distinct engraving and inscription. This is
a very attractive Civil War presentation sword
complete with a historical inscription to a New
York officer from a unit that fought in one of the
northernmost skirmishes of the Civil War just prior
to the Battle of Gettysburg.
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
102