AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN SWORDS 51 



strips of gold plate and iiiother-of-pearl. The former are engraved 

 with floral and scroll designs, and the latter are set with small gold 

 globules. The pommel is vase-shaped, the sides are decorated with 

 iscroll designs, and the end is encircled with an oak wreath and set 

 with a large emerald. The quillons are composed of four narrow, 

 flat scrolls bound together with oak and palm sprays. The center 

 of the obverse of the quillons is set with a ruby above a gold shield 

 engraved with a scene showing the American troops attacking the 

 City of Mexico. The scabbard is decorated on the obverse near the 

 top with a palmetto tree in heavy relief bearing on the trunk two 

 oval shields, one inscribed " Churubusco, Aug. 20, 1847," and the 

 other " Chapultepec, Sept. 11, 12, 13." A second design in relief 

 shows the United States shield superimposed upon oak sprays, with 

 an engraved design below showing a military trophy with a central 

 shield inscribed " Mexico." Between the two relief designs is en- 

 graved the inscription, in five lines, with a scroll border : " From 

 the State of South Carolina to General Shields in testimony of her 

 admiration of his gallantry in the Mexican War and as a tribute of 

 gratitude for his parental attention to the Palmetto Regiment." 

 The recipient of these two swords was born in Dungannon, County 

 Tyrone, Ireland, in 1810 and emigrated to the United States in 1826. 

 He began the practice of law in Illinois in 1832 and became a mem- 

 ber of the State Legislature in 1836. At the beginning of the war 

 with Mexico he was appointed brigadier general and assigned to the 

 command of the Illinois contingent. He rendered distinguished 

 service during this conflict and received the brevet of major general 

 for his gallant conduct at Cerro Gordo, where he was severely 

 wounded. After his recovery from this injury he participated in 

 the operations in the valley of Mexico and during this period com- 

 manded a brigade composed of marines and New York and South 

 Carolina volunteers. After the close of the War with Mexico he 

 was elected United States Senator from Illinois, serving in that 

 capacity from 1849 to 1855. Three years later he returned to the 

 Senate as a member from Minnesota. At the outbreak of the Civil 

 War, he was appointed brigadier general of Volunteers and in 1862 

 operated in the Shenandoah Valle3^ He resigned from the Army 

 in 1863 and was elected United States Senator from Missouri in 

 1879. He died in Ottumwa, Iowa, in that year, and his swords 

 were transferred from the War Department to the National Museum 

 in 1890. 



SWORD OWNED BY CAPT. LOUIS LE CLERC 



A presentation sword of special interest in the collection, because it 

 was made in time of peace, is one " that was presented to Capt. Louis 



"Length, 96.5 cm. Blade, 81 cm. long, 2.5 cm. wide. PI. 18, fig. 1. 



