22 BULLETIN 1G3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



less used as insignia of rank rather than as weapons of war. The 

 campaigns of the Revolution were decided by rifle bullets and 

 bayonets and not by swords. The continental armorers were engaged 

 in repairing firearms and had no opportunity to manufacture swords, 

 which would have been of secondary value. 



SWORD PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO COL. RETURN J. MEIGS 



The period of the American presentation sword proper, that is, 

 typically American in design and workmanship, begins subsequent 

 to the War of 1812. The National Museum collection, however, con- 

 tains a single presentation sword of the period of the Revolution 

 Gif exceptional historical interest. This sword ^^ was presented by act 

 of Congress of July 25, 1777,^- to Col. Return Jonathan Meigs, 

 of the Continental Army, in recognition of special services. The 

 blade is triangular with a deep groove on each side and is finished 

 in deep blue with small trophy and floral decorations in gold. The 

 sides of the grip, which is silver plated, are decorated with laurel 

 sprays ; the top and bottom bear a group of liberty caps and arrows. 

 The obverse side bears a pole surmounted by a liberty cap passing 

 through three wreaths of laurel, the central one of which incloses 

 the United States arms ; the reverse side of the grip bears a similar 

 design, the central wreath inclosing a plain shield engraved in script 

 " Congress to Colonel Meigs, July 25, 1777." The pommel is oval- 

 shaped and bears on each side a trophy within a laurel wreath. The 

 knuckle guard, which is slender and round, is continued to form 

 a quillon ending above the blade in a serpent's head ; the sides of the 

 lower portion are adorned with a troph}^ flanked by sprays of laurel 

 leaves. The counterguard is double-heart-shaped; the obverse and 

 reverse of both front and back are decorated with oval medallions 

 containing trophies; the whole is flanked by laurel sprays and sur- 

 rounded by laurel wreaths, which encircle the entire rim of the 

 counterguard. 



The recipient of this sword was born in Middletown, Conn., in 

 1734. After the battle of Lexington, he joined the Continental 

 forces and was given the rank of major. He participated in the 

 expedition against Canada and was captured during the assault on 

 Quebec, which ended so disastrously. After being exchanged in 

 the following year, he was promoted to the rank of colonel, and in 

 May, 1777, with a force of less than 200 men, he attacked the British 

 troops at Sag Harbor, Long Island. He succeeded in taking 90 

 prisoners and destroying 12 vessels and a large quantity of supplies 



" Length, 99 cm. Blade, 82 cm. long, 2 cm. wide. Marked " Liger Fourbisseur de S. A. 

 Mfgr. Le Due de Chartre & Comte de Clermont Rue Coquilliere k Paris." PI. 3, flg. 2. 

 " See Journals of the Continental Congress, vol. 8, p. 580, 1777. 



