100 BULLETIN 16 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



New York, September, 1898, to January, 1899. He died in Brooklyn 

 in 1900. His sword was lent to the National Museum in 1901 by 

 Mrs. J. W. Philip. 



NAVAL CUTLASSES, 1840 TO 1865 



The National Museum collection includes a number of naval cut- 

 lasses of the type used by enlisted men during the period between 

 1840 and 1865. These cutlasses are very similar in general design 

 to the foot Artillery sword described above. The blades are short 

 and straight like that of the foot Artillery sword but of diamond 

 shape and without grooves. The grips and pommels are similar in 

 design and decoration to those of the foot Artillery sword. The 

 guards are formed of a wide brass plate with a com^ex surface, Avhich 

 is continued to form a counterguard of the same type. The Alfred 

 F. Hopkins collection contains a number of examples of these cut- 

 lasses." During the Civil War a large number of naval cutlasses 

 were manufactured with curved blades, which bear a very strong 

 resemblance to the blades of the enlisted men's Cavalry sabers of that 

 period. The grips of these cutlasses are very similar to those of 

 the Cavalry sabers of this period, but the guards are formed of solid 

 brass plates of half basket shape. ^"^ The Alfred F. Hopkins 

 collection includes a number of cutlasses of this type. 



MARINE CORPS SWORDS 



The swords of the type carried by officers of the United States 

 Marine Corps varied little in design during the last three-fourths of 

 the nineteenth century. The descriptions of these weapons in the 

 uniform regidations of the Marine Corps prior to 1825, however, 

 are so brief and vague as to leave their exact type in doubt. 

 Probably they varied in accordance with the personal views of the 

 owners. 



In 1825, however, the weapon thereafter known as the sword 

 with the Mameluke hilt was formally adopted for use by officers 

 of the Marine Corps. The blade of this sword is slightly curved, 

 and the hilt in its general design is similar to that of an oriental 

 fecimiter. The exact circumstances under which this type of sword 

 was adopted for the use of the officers of the Marine Corps have 

 apparently not been recorded. It seems probable, however, that the 

 exploits of the personnel of the Marine Corps during the war with 

 Tripoli, 1801-1805, led to the adoption of a sword of oriental design 

 for the use of the officers of that corps. Swords of this type have 



'^ Length, 66 cm. Blade, 52.5 cm. long, 4 cm. wide. Marked " U. S. N. 843, N. P. 

 Ames, Springfield." 



'"•Length, 65.8 cm. Blade. 65,8 cm. long, 3 cm. wide. Marked " U. S. N. 1862, Made 

 by N. P. Ames, Mfg. Co. Chicopee, Mass." 



