AMERICAlSr AND EUROPEAN SWOEDS 99 



a trophy. The reverse bears a foul anchor, a scroll marked " U. S. 

 N.," and various floral and scroll designs. The second sword " in 

 this group ow^ned by Rear Admiral Sigsbee has a much broader 

 blade than the one just described, but the designs it bears are at the 

 present time illegible. 



The ov^^ner of these two sw^ords was born in Albany, N. Y., in 

 1845. He was graduated at the United States Naval Academy in 1863. 

 He served wdth the West Gulf Squadron, 1863-64, and participated 

 in the Battle of Mobile Bay. In 1865, he served in the North 

 Atlantic Squadron and was present during the engagement at Fort 

 Fisher. He was promoted to the rank of captain in 1897 and given 

 command of the U. S. S. Maine. He commanded the Maine at the 

 time of the destruction of that ship in the harbor of Habana, Cuba, 

 February 15, 1898. During the Spanish-American War he com- 

 manded the auxiliary cruiser St. Paul. He was chief of the Bureau 

 of Naval Intelligence, 1900-1903; commanded the South Atlantic 

 Squadron, 1904-1905, and the second division of the North Atlantic 

 Fleet, 1905-1906. He was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in 

 1903 and retired in 1907. He died in 1923, and his swords were pre- 

 sented to the National Museum in 1927 by Mrs. Nellie G. Gunther. 



SWORD OWNED BY REAR ADMIRAL JOHN W. PHILIP 



This section of the National Museum collection also contains a 

 sw^ord ^* owned by Rear Admiral John W. Philip. It is of the 

 regular type in general form and design. The obverse of the blade 

 bears the legend " Capt. J. W. Philip " between a long spray of 

 oak leaves interwined with a rope and a foul anchor. The reverse 

 side of the blade bears a trophy surmounted by a flag, a scroll 

 inscribed " U. S. N.," a foul anchor, and an eagle on a naval gun 

 carriage. 



The owner of this sword was born in New York City in 1840. He 

 was graduated at the United States Naval Academy in 1861. He 

 served with the Gulf Squadron in 1861 and on the James River in 

 1862. He was promoted to the grade of lieutenant in that year 

 and served with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron during 

 the siege of Charleston. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant 

 commander in 1866 and to the rank of commander in 1874. During 

 the period 1876-77 he commanded the Woodruff scientific expedition 

 around the world. He was promoted to the rank of captain in 

 1889 and commanded the U. S. S. Texas during the Battle of San- 

 tiago, July 3, 1898. He was promoted to the rank of commodore 

 in 1898 and commanded the North Atlantic Squadron on the flagship 



" Length, 87.5 cm. Blade, 72.7 cm. long, 2.7 cm. wide, Marked " W. Clauberg 

 Solingen." 

 ■'* Length, 87.7 cm. Blade, 74 cm. long, 2.7 cm. wide. PI. 30, fig. 3. 



