84 BULLETIN 16 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



etched with various floral and scroll designs. The barrel-shaped 

 grip of the staff and line officer's sword is covered with shark skin or 

 leather wound with brass wire. The grip of the general officer's 

 sword is silver plated and decorated with fine vertical grooves. The 

 vase-shaped pommel bears on one side the arms of the United States 

 and on the other the shield. The knuckle guard consists of a flat- 

 tened brass strip, which is continued to form a circular quillon. The 

 lower part of the knuckle guard is decorated with thunderbolts and 

 the quillon bears a laurel spray. To the quillon is attached a double- 

 heart-shaped counterguard, the reverse side of which is hinged. The 

 scabbard of the general officers' sword bears the requisite number of 

 stars to indicate the rank of the owner. The National Museum col- 

 lection contains one example of the general officers' sword *^ and 

 several examples of the staff and line officers' sword," which were 

 acquired from the War Department. 



The cadet sword of this period ''^ has a straight diamond-shaped 

 blade. The grip is barrel-shaped, silver mounted, and decorated 

 with fine vertical grooves. The brass pommel is vase-shaped and 

 bears on each side the American eagle displayed. To the end of the 

 pommel is attached a brass scroll. The quillons are cylindrical in 

 shape and terminate above and below the blade in an eagle's head, 

 the beak grasping a serpent, which is coiled around the eagle's neck. 

 The juncture of the quillons with the grip bears the Old English 

 initials " M. A." within an oval. The scabbard is made of steel with 

 two brass mounts. 



During this period an effort was made to eliminate the use of the 

 saber and the bayonet from the United States military system. "^ 

 In January, 1878, the Chief of Ordnance, Brig. Gen. S. V. Bennet, 

 addressed a communication to the Secretary of War inviting his con- 

 sideration of the question whether the saber and the bayonet should 

 any longer form part of the arms of the Cavalry and the Infantry 

 soldier. The medical history of the Civil War, the Chief of Ord- 

 nance maintained, indicated that a very small percentage of wounds 

 from the two weapons mentioned were recorded. The vast improve- 

 ments in firearms rendered the saber and bayonet in his estimation 

 practically useless. They were, he was informed, seldom, if ever, 

 used against the Indians. These two weapons were frequently used 

 in action against disarmed and wounded men. Thus from the 

 three viewpoints of efficiency, economy, and humaneness, he thought 

 the saber and the bayonet might both be eliminated from use in the 

 United States Army. 



*' Length, 94.5 cm. Blade, 7S.S cm. long, 1.8 cm. wide. PI. 26, fig. 5. 

 " Length, 95 cm. Blade, 79 cm. long, 2 cm. wide. PI. 26, figs. 4, C. 

 « Length, 87.2 cm. Blade, 73 cm. long, 1.5 cm. wide. Marked " U. S. Armory, Spring- 

 field." 



« See Ordnance Reports, vol. 3, p. 101, 1890. 



