AMEBIGAN AND EUKOPEAN SWORDS 81 



sprays, respectively. This sword was presented to the National 

 Museum in 1916 by P. T. Sherman. 



SWORD OWNED BY BVT. LIEUT. COL. AUGUSTUS G. TASSIN 



One of the most ornate swords in the entire collection is a sword *° 

 that was presented to Bvt. Lieut. Col. Augustus G. Tassin, United 

 States Army, by Company I, Twelfth United States Infantry, in 

 1870. The blade is very slightly curved and bears a broad shallow 

 groove on each side. The obverse is decorated in gold and silver 

 chasing with the figure of Columbia standing, a trophy, a scroll in- 

 scribed " Sub Hoc Signo Vinces," and with floral designs ; the re- 

 verse is similarly decorated with the figures of two Zouaves standing, 

 one with a rifle and the other with a drum, the letters " U. S.," and 

 floral and scroll designs. The grip consists of the silver gilt figure 

 of a Zouave standing erect about to draw his sword. The quillons 

 are formed of a very heavy, ornate, S-shaped strip, which terminates 

 above the blade in a monster's head and below in a phoenix. A 

 heavy ornate oval shield appears on the obverse of the blade with a 

 solid center inscribed " U. S.," with a laurel wreath below and a 

 female figure on either side, one representing Columbia, the other 

 Victory. A small shield on the reverse of the blade is inscribed: 

 " Presented to A. G. Tassin, U. S. Army by Co. I, 12th Regiment, 

 U. S. Infantry, Camp Halleck, Nevada, March 17, 1870, St. Pat- 

 rick's Day, as a token of love, respect, esteem and admiration." The 

 scabbard is gold mounted, the obverse being decorated in the center 

 with a group of Civil War trophies in high relief with two engraved 

 designs, one representing a Zouave encampment and a Zouave charge 

 upon a battery, the other a Zouave review. The end near the hilt 

 bears a Medusa head in relief, and the tip bears a standard between 

 two cupids. The reverse of the scabbard is ornately inscribed with 

 a scroll design and the inscription : " From Mill Spring to Nash- 

 ville; from Atlanta to the sea; on the Atlantic and on the Pacific 

 through more than one hundred battles with honor and glory every- 

 where." This sword was lent to the National Museum in 1898 by 

 Mrs. Mary Tassin. 



SWORDS OWNED BY MA J. GEN. FRANK WHEATON 



The National Museum has a number of interesting presentation 

 swords once owned by Maj. Gen. Frank Wheaton, United States 

 Army. One of these was presented to him by the noncommissioned 

 officers and the enlisted men of the Second Regiment, Rhode Island 

 Volunteers in 1862. The blade of this sword,*^ which is of the Cav- 



<" Length, 97.8 cm. Blade, 81.3 cm. long, 2.8 cm. wide. Inscribed "Burt & Bush, 

 Boston, Mass." PI. 26, flg. 2. 



" Length, 95.8 cm. Blade, 82 cm. long, 2.8 cm. wide. Marked " Clauberg, Solingen." 



