Beautifully put, Jim and, of course, you are right. I just got caught up in the wasted destruction of these amazing pieces. In reality, this type of thing goes on even when it isn't war-related. Back in the Art Deco period of the '20's-30's, there was a complete disrespect for anything 'old'. Fine jewelry from a century before was cut up, melted down, reworked, etc. I've seen Bavarian swords from the Crimean war turned into candle sticks, Indo-Persian helmets and old Japanese incense burners turned into modern lamps during this period. What a shame...
You brought up an interesting point concerning basket hilts that made it over the pond to America back in the day. I just read up on frontier British forts during the French and Indian War. many of the officers at these garrisons had older baskets from pre-1750. Likewise, Neumann, in his monumental work on swords of the Revolution rightly shows many basket hilts that 'made it over here' for the conflict. Another route of the Scots, like a terrible shadow of Culloden, happened right here in North Carolina during the war at the Battle of Moore's Creek.
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news...-moores-creek/
Having read up on that battle, I believe terrain was the most significant factor versus the terribly inaccurate firearms, however. In any case, I bring this up because my basket was purchased in Vancouver, Canada, a British province once the war ended and the English traveled north. I know it's a stretch, but you never know where some of these items might have traveled to or been!
