An American 1850 Pattern Infantry Officers Sword. 37 ½” overall, 32" slightly curved single fullered blued blade engraved with military trophies, floral swags & 'US' on one side, named ‘M.G.S. Grey’ on the other, etched on the forte ‘C Roby W. Chelmsford, Mass’. Gilded cast brass guard pierced with foliage & floral decoration, single scroll quillon & integral knucklebow joining the Phrygian helmet pommel with acanthus border. Fish skin grip. In its original steel & gilt brass mounted scabbard.
Circa 1862.
Sword in good condition, blue has faded to black & wire binding is missing from the grip.
On April 9 1850 the War Department adopted a standard pattern sword for all foot officers of infantry, artillery, and riflemen. It was patterned after a model then in use by the French Army and meant for company officers through the rank of captain. Officers of the rank of major and above wore the M1850 Staff & Field Officer’s Sword; the only difference between them being that the staff & field sword featured a pierced “US” in the guard. The rank distinction for the two swords, however, was rarely enforced.
Christopher Roby scythe mill established 1853 made swords from 1861 making a total of 32,000 Cavalry Troopers swords in the Civil War, factory closed in 1875. See Man at Arms Jan/Feb 1980.