Sword Presented to George Batcheller
Sword Presented to George Batcheller
- Description (Brief)
- Presented to George Batcheller by the 1st Brigade of Cavalry, New York on April 9th, 1866.
- Description
- George Sherman Batcheller raised a company of New York volunteers at the beginning of the Civil War. By the war’s end he was appointed Inspector General of the Volunteers and National Guard of New York.
- The blade of this sword is slightly curved and single edged. It has a shallow, wide fuller that runs along its length. There are silver decorations on a gold backdrop on both sides of the blade. On the obverse, there are floral sprays and scroll designs. There is an engraving that reads, "One and Inseparable" and on the base of the blade there is an engraving of a canon and three flags. The reverse also has a canon and flag design on the base, and floral sprays. The monogram "US" is engraved in the middle of the decorations, and there is an eagle perched on the top of it. The eagle holds a scroll in its beak reading, "E PLURIBUS / UNUM". The grip of the sword is a figure of Athena slaying a dragon with her sword. The knuckle guard consists of a gold chain and a bust of a cherub, and it terminates in a small quillon in a scroll design. The gold chain attaches at the top of the grip near the goddess’ shoulder and at the bottom on the neck of the cherub. The counterguard is a gold plated ovular shape. The obverse has the initials "GB" cast in the center. The monogram is covered with approximately 24 small diamonds. Scroll designs surround the cast. The reverse of the counterguard is a simple scroll design.
- The scabbard is gold plated and has three gold mounts. The first mount features a medallion with a diamond encrusted star. Under the medallion is an eagle with its wings spread perched atop a shield with a stars and stripes theme. To either side of the medallion are laurel sprays, and on top there are two flags and an axe. Between the mount is the inscription “1st Brigade of Cavalry / to / Genl. G.S. Batcheller / April 9th 1866.” The middle mount features two gold laurel wreaths with a small gold rope tying them together. The drag has a very simple laurel spray design. There are two carrying rings on the mount, 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
- Object Name
- sword
- Other Terms
- sword; Edged Weapons; Presentation
- date made
- ca 1866
- associated date
- 1866
- recipient
- Batcheller, George Sherman
- maker
- W. Clauberg
- place made
- Germany: North Rhine-Westphalia, Solingen
- Physical Description
- metal, gilt (scabbard material)
- steel (blade material)
- metal, gilt (hilt material)
- Measurements
- scabbard: 32 3/4 in x 2 1/4 in; 83.185 cm x 5.715 cm
- blade: 31 7/8 in x 1 1/8 in; 80.9625 cm x 2.8575 cm
- overall: 39 in x 6 in; 99.06 cm x 15.24 cm
- ID Number
- AF.36873
- catalog number
- 36873
- accession number
- 112477
- Credit Line
- Katherine Batcheller
- subject
- Edged Weapons
- Civil War
- Civil War
- See more items in
- Political and Military History: Armed Forces History, Military
- Military
- Civil War Presentation Swords
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.