Military - Overview
The Museum's superb military collections document the history of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States. The collections include ordnance, firearms, and swords; uniforms and insignia; national and military flags and banners; and many other objects.
The strength of the collections lies in their enormous depth. Some 3,000 military small arms and 2,400 civilian firearms document the mechanical and technological history of the infantryman's weapons from the beginning of the gunpowder era to the present. Among the 4,000 swords and knives in the collection are many spectacular presentation pieces. The collections also include Civil War era telegraph equipment, home front artifacts from both world wars, early computers such as ENIAC, Whirlwind, and Sage, and materials carried at antiwar demonstrations.
"Military - Overview" showing 3 items.
Sword Presented to James Crall
- Description (Brief)
- Presented to Major James Crall by the non-commissioned officers and privates of the 82nd Ohio Regiment
- Description
- James S. Crall was an officer of the 82nd Ohio Infantry Regiment throughout the Civil War. He mustered out with his regiment in July, 1865.
- The blade of this sword is long, slightly curved, and single edged. The fuller extends about two thirds of the way to the tip of the blade, and both sides are decorated in floral designs in silver chasing. The obverse features US arms, a banner reading "E PLURIBUS / UNUM", an eagle, a small etched scene with a field and mountains, and the inscription “MAJOR / JAMES S. CRALL / 182d. REG. / OHIO VOL.” The grip is cylindrical. On the obverse, there is a cast of Columbia holding a sword in her right hand and a US shield in her left. The reverse is decorated with a "US" monogram that is surrounded in scroll and floral designs. The pommel bears oak scrolls on the bottom and is surmounted by an eagle standing on a ball. The knuckle guard is a thin strip of gold metal decorated in oak scrolls. The counterguard is decorated in casting of military trophies, including a US shield and a liberty pole and cap. All of this terminates in a quillon which extends downward toward the blade and bears a scroll pattern.
- The scabbard bears three gold mounts, two of which are decorated with war trophies and the third with a US cavalryman. The reverse of the mounts feature scroll designs. Between the first two mounts is the inscription “PRESENTED TO / Major Games S. Crall / BY THE / NON COMMISSIONED OFFICERS / & PRIVATES OF THE 82nd REGT. O.V. IN. / FOR / MERITORIOUS CONDUCT DISPLAYED ON THE / BATTLE FIELDS OF / Manassas Plains, Chancellorsville / & Gettysburg.” There are two carrying rings on this scabbard. They are found on the right side of the top two mounts. The carrying rings are gripped by castings of a hands.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1864
- recipient
- Crall, James S.
- maker
- W. Clauberg
- ID Number
- AF*25460 [dup1]
- catalog number
- 25460
- accession number
- 64204
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Sword Presented to Frank Wheaton
- Description (Brief)
- Presented to Brevet Major General Frank Wheaton by the State of Rhode Island through Governor James Y. Smith, January 1865
- Description
- Presented to Frank Wheaton by the state of Rhode Island in 1865, the blade of this sword is long, straight, and double edged. It is decorated in gold and silver chasing on both sides. The obverse features a "US" monogram and a US shield of arms, while the reverse features and eagle, a face, and a cluster of military trophies. Both sides are also heavily decorated in floral and scroll patterns. The grip of the sword is a woman, perhaps Columbia or Nike, wearing a toga with her right arm raised; originally her right hand held a laurel wreath. There are two stars on her toga. The sword lacks a pommel and knuckle guard. There are two quillons and a counterguard. The smaller quillon is a simple scroll shape, while the larger quillon extends half way up the hilt, and is the same height as the woman figure's waist. This quillon features a very large purple amethyst, surrounded by casts of four cherubs. The counterguard bears a large blue enamel medallion with the initials "FW" cast in the center. The medallion is surrounded by a large laurel wreath and ribbon.
- The scabbard has three gold mounts. The first mount features the seal of Rhode Island on the obverse and a dagger between laurel leaves on the reverse. The second bears a medieval trophy of arms on the obverse and a shield inscribed with the monogram "US" on the reverse. The third mount bears a spray of oak leaves on both sides. Between the second and third mounts is the inscription “BREVET MAJOR GENERAL FRANK WHEATON U.S.V. / For gallant and meritorious service during the war, and especially in the battles of / OPEQUAN, FISHERS HILL AND MIDDLETOWN / BY / The State of Rhode Island THROUGH James Y. Smith Governor, / in conformity with a RESOLUTION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY passed at its Jan'y Session / A.D. 1865” The scabbard has three carrying rings, one on each side of the first mount, and one on the right side of the second mount.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1865
- associated date
- 1865
- recipient
- Wheaton, Frank
- maker
- Collins & Co.
- ID Number
- AF*34845A
- catalog number
- 34845
- accession number
- 84827
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Sword Presented to A. H. Foster
- Description (Brief)
- Presented to Captain A.H. Foster by Company D of the 25th Massachusetts Volunteers Regiment on February 8, 1862.
- Description
- Albert H Foster mustered in as a Captain of the 25th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment on Oct. 12, 1861. He mustered out on Oct. 20, 1864.
- The blade of this Model 1850 presentation sword is single edged and slightly curved. There is a broad, shallow fuller on three quarters of the blade. Floral designs and military trophies decorate both sides. There is an eagle on the obverse and a "US" monogram on the reverse. The shark skin grip is wrapped 14 times with a thin gold metal wire. The counterguard is an ornate sculpture of three parallel gold strips connected with floral sprays and laurel leaves and a “US” monogram. The reverse of the counterguard is a small gold ova. The quillon is a basic solid spiral decorated with a palm leaf engraving on the front.
- The scabbard is gold plated and has two simple, thin gold mounts decorated with laurel leaves. Between the mounts are ornate scroll designs and the inscription “Presented to / Capt. A. H. Foster Co. D. 25 REG. Mass. Vo. / BY / HIS COMPANY / As a token of their regard and esteem for him. / and for his bravery at the battle of Roanoke. / Feb. 8th 1862.” Between the second mount and the drag, there is a complex military trophy and floral spray engraving. The reverse of the scabbard bears no decoration. The scabbard has two carrying rings—one on the right side of the top mount, and the other on the right side of the middle mount.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1862
- date presented
- 1862
- recipient
- Foster, Albert H.
- maker
- Ames Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- AF*5836 [dup1]
- catalog number
- 5836
- accession number
- 24418
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center