32 BULLETIN 16 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



verse of the blade is decorated with the United States coat of arms 

 between floral sprays. The grip and knuckle guard are very similar 

 in design to those of the sword described above, but the quillons are 

 without decorations. The shield on the obverse is also a large oval 

 and bears the standing figure of Ulysses strangling the lion. The 

 scabbard, which, in common with the parts just described, is gilded, 

 bears on the obverse a tablet inscribed " Major General E. W. Ripley, 

 U. S. Army " and three panels engraved with a representation of 

 the Battle of Erie, a view of Niagara Falls, and a trophy of arms. 

 The reverse is inscribed in three lines : 



" Presented by His Excellency, Daniel D. Tompkins, Governor of 

 the State of New York, pursuant to the Resolution of the Senate 

 and Assembly of the said State, to Brigadier General E. W. Ripley, 

 as a testimonial to the high sense entertained of his talents, patriotism 

 and conduct." 



The recipient of this sword was born in Hanover, N. H., in 1782, 

 and at the beginning of the War of 1812 was appointed lieutenant 

 in the Twenty-first Infantry. He rose rapidly in rank and in 1814 

 was appointed brigadier general. He participated in the Battles 

 of Chippewa, Niagara, and Erie. On the reduction of the Army in 

 1815, he was retained in the service, but he resigned in 1820. He 

 died in West Feliciana, La., in 1839. His sword was transferred 

 from the Patent Office to the National Museum in 1883. 



SABERS OF EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY 



The development of the American saber during the early part of 

 the nineteenth century was very similar to that of the sword. The 

 sabers of this period in the National Museum collection may be 

 divided into two general classes — weapons of foreign type and 

 weapons of American design. Thus the early part of the nineteenth 

 century represented a period of transition for the American saber 

 as well as for the sword. 



An interesting saber of this period is included in the Alfred F. 

 Hopkins collection. This weapon ^^ has a long, heavy, curved blade, 

 the obverse of which is decorated with two small floral designs and 

 the reverse with a trophy and a floral design. The grip of this saber 

 is made of ivory ; the top and bottom are decorated with four parallel 

 grooves and the sides with diagonal grooves running in opposite 

 directions and dividing the surface into a number of diamond- 

 shaped designs. The pommel is a brass eagle's head with the plum- 

 age in high relief, and the knuckle guard is formed of a circular 

 brass strip with five bands in the center of the lower portion. The 

 quillons consist of a single plain brass strip meeting the guard at 



^ Length, 87.5 cm. Blade, 73 cm. long, 2.8 cm. wide. 



