Although this thread is now over two years old, and I doubt if GAC is still around, I wanted to add some new information that those so inclined might find interesting. Before adding that I would like to note on the last post from Jeff, the hilt does look like the U.S. M1850 officers, and the blade appears to me to be one of the German M1889 Imperial officers pattern blades just as Jeff suggests.
I have been here in Montana at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument and visited the museum. There in a glass case is the huge sword we were discussing in this thread! The caption lists the sword as having been taken from a Confederate adversary by Custer just after he killed him during a running fight. This event is alleged to have taken place during the Battle of White Oak Swamp (Virginia) in August 1862.
In the resources I have consulted there is no mention of such an event involving Custer taking a sword in combat, though Robert Utley in "Cavalier in Buckskin" describing him on p.30 notes he wore "...a heavy sword, trophy of an earlier exploit, hung from his belt".
The sword is indeed extremely large with the heavy double edged dragoon type blade actually being about 37" long. With the heavy three bar brass hilt probably at least 6 " long that makes this imposing weapon pretty huge. While I could not examine the sword up close, the markings are incredibly crisp and clear except for the obscured script described at the forte of the blade. It is unusually high quality for this very familiar type of blade which was produced in large numbers in Solingen for the Spanish market. It seems that the script marking was indicative probably of special order, as obviously most of these had only the 'Spanish motto' over the central triple fuller blade and were typically narrower.
It seems unclear whether Custer actually obtained this sword as described, and it would seem quite possible that the usual 'romanticizing' of later writers may have inadvertantly 'created' this provenance. In another reference I saw with a photo and description of the sword, it is noted that the sword was given to Custer by someone in his command. This is supported by Custer's wife who wrote later in her book "Boots and Saddles" where she notes "...one of the sabres was remarkably large, and when it was given to the general during the war". In further text she notes, "...the sabre was a Damascus blade, and made of such finely tempered steel that it could be bent nearly double. It had been captured during the war, and looked as if it might have been handed down from some Spanish ancestor. On the blade was engraved a motto in that high flown language which ran " do not draw me without cause; do not sheath me without honor".
Naturally the 'sabre' was a straight dragoon broadsword and the blade had nothing to do with Damascus. It seems clear though that the term itself was construed to indicate it was of high quality. The note that it was captured during the war makes no mention of her husband making the capture.
Regardless, the sword blade itself is breathtaking, one of the highest quality I have seen of these Solingen blades, and I wanted to share this update on where it is actually located. According to the acquisition records, which I was able to view, the sword has been here since 1943 (accession #19, cat. #163 last catalogued in 1960).
All best regards,
Jim
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