AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN SWORDS 50 



Rufus King was born in New York City in 1814 and was gradu- 

 ated at the United States Military Academy in 1833. He resigned 

 from the service in 1836 and became assistant engineer of the New 

 York & Erie Eailroad. He later took up newspaper work, and 

 from 1845 to 1861 he was editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel. In 

 1861 he was made brigadier general of Volunteers and commanded 

 a division at Fredericksburg, Groveton, Manassas, Yorktown, and 

 Fairfax. He had already served as United States minister to Rome 

 from March until August, 1861, and in 1863 he was reappointed 

 minister to Rome, where he resided until 1867. He died in New York 

 City in 1876. His sword was lent to the National Museum in 1916 

 by Lieut. Rufus King, United States Navy. 



SWORDS OWNED BY MAJ. GEN. GEORGE B. McCLELLAN 



Two swords of this type in the National Museum were owned by 

 Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, United States Army. The grip of 

 one '"^ is made of tortoise shell and is wound with 13 turns of gilt 

 wire. The pommel, knuckle guard, quillons, and counterguard are 

 all of the regular type. The end of tlie pommel, however, bears 

 four classical heads. A second sword ^^ of this type, also owned by 

 General McClellan, has on the reverse of the quillons a small, plain, 

 brass plate. These two swords were presented to the National 

 Museum by the Hon, George B. McClellan in 1917. 



SWORD OWNED BY BVT. MAJ. GEN. RANDOLPH B. MARCY 



A sword of a very similar type is one which was owned during 

 the Civil War by Bvt. Maj. Gen. Randolph B. Marcy, United States 

 Volunteers, when chief of staff of ]Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan. 

 This sword,^^ like the one described above, lacks the plate on the 

 reverse of the counterguard. The plate on the obverse bears the 

 American eagle flanked by six standards executed in a modern style, 

 and the grip is covered with black grained leather. The decorations 

 on the pommel and the guard are of the regular type. The blade 

 bears the letters " U. S." vertically on the obverse side between two 

 sunbursts, and the reverse is decorated with trophy and other de- 

 signs, which do not, however, cover more than half the length of the 

 blade. The scabbard is steel with three brass mounts. 



The owner of this sword was born in Greenwich, Mass., in 1812. 

 He was graduated at the United States Military Academy in 1832 

 and immediately saw service during the Black Hawk War and later 

 on the western frontier. During the war with Mexico he participated 



*» Length, 95.6 cm. Blade, 80 cm. long, 1.5 cm. wide. Marked "Ames Mfg. Co., 

 Chicopee, Mass." PI. 21, flg. 3. 



" Length, 94.8 cm. Blade, 79.2 cm. long, 1.7 cm. wide. Marked as above. 



« Length, 81.8 cm. Blade, 67.7 cm. long, l.S cm. wide. Inscribed "Tiffany & Co., N. Y." 



