56 BULLETIN- 16 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



age of 16 received a commission as lieutenant in the army of the 

 Kepublic of Texas. In 1841 he entered the United States Military 

 Academy at West Point but resigned in 1843 and removed to Mount 

 Vernon, Ohio, where he began to practice law. During the war with 

 Mexico he served as colonel of the Second Ohio Volunteers and later 

 as colonel of the Fifteenth United States Infantry. He received 

 the brevet of brigadier general for his gallant services at the Battles 

 of Contreras and Churubusco. After the termination of the war 

 with Mexico he practiced law until 1856, when he was appointed 

 consul to the port of Marseilles, France. From 1858 to 1861 he was 

 United States minister to Portugal. He returned to the United 

 States at the outbreak of the Civil War and served with distinction 

 during that conflict as brigadier general of volunteers. He resigned 

 from the Army in 1863 and after the close of the war was elected 

 to Congress as a Democrat, serving from 1869 to 1873 in that 

 capacity. He died at Fortress Monroe, Va., in 1893. His sword 

 was presented to the National Museum in 1900 by Mrs. Morgan. 



SWORD OWNED BY BRIG. GEN. STRONG VINCENT 



A fifth sword of this type ^^ in the national collection is one owned 

 during the Civil War by Brig. Gen. Strong Vincent, United States 

 Army. The scabbard bears a gilt plate inscribed as follows: 



" Presented to the National Museum, Washington, D. C, by Eliza- 

 beth Carter Vincent, widow of Strong Vincent, Brigadier General, 

 U. S. Volunteers. This sword was carried by Strong Vincent from 

 April, 1861 to July 2, 1863 as Ad jut. three months Volunteers, Lieu- 

 tenant colonel, and Colonel Eighty-third Kegiment, Pennsylvania 

 Volunteers, commanding Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Army 

 Corps at Little Kound Top, Gettysburg. Mortally wounded July 2, 

 died at Gettysburg, July 7, 1863." 



The owner of this sword was born in Waterford, Erie County, 

 Pa., in 1837. He was graduated at Harvard College in 1859 and 

 after devoting a year to the study of law was admitted to the bar in 

 Erie and began to practice there in 1860. At the outbreak of the 

 Civil War he enlisted as a private in the volunteer forces, was made 

 second lieutenant, and later became adjutant. In September, 1861, 

 he was promoted to the grade of lieutenant colonel of the Eighty- 

 third Pennsylvania Infantry. He participated in the peninsular 

 campaign and after the Battle of Hanover Court House contracted 

 the swamp fever. In October, 1862, he returned to his regiment as its 

 colonel, and in April, 1863, commanded a brigade that performed 

 effective service at Aldie. During the Battle of Gettysburg he was 



88 Length, 93.3 cm. Blade, 79 cm. long, 2.8 cm. wide. Inscribed " W. H. Horstmann 

 & Co., Plilla." 



