Hi Andrew,
"Son of the Morning Star" (Evan S. Connell, 1984, p.111) describes Custer's fight with a Confederate officer during the Civil War. Apparantly he killed the officer and took his "unusual double edged sword-its blade engraved in Spanish 'no me saques sin razon- no me envaines sin honor'. " It is noted that the eminent Custer historian Lawrence Frost examined the sword with a jewelers loop, presuming this to be a Toledo blade and looking for markings. He found instead Solingen marking in nearly obliterated letters near the hilt.
It says that the blade was 3" longer than the standard cavalry saber (which was 36" long) suggesting this would have had to be 39" long!!
The author notes that "...he liked swords and apparantly collected them with the innocent pleasure of those who collect cognac bottles and postage stamps.One of these weapons which Mr. Frost acquired , has an unusually short blade with an ivory channeled grip, the pommel consisting of a gold plated lions head with ruby like eyes. It probably was made in England and belonged to one of his ancestors.Then there is a militia officers sword with a mother of pearl grip and a brass pommel in the shape of a knights helmet. It dates from mid 19th c. and was manufactured in Chicopee, Mass. but that is all that Mr. Frost could find out".
It seems I recall the note on his sword collection and did see someplace the comment on thirty swords, but need to dig into the files!! It seems that they were once in the holdings of museum or something to do with this Mr. Frost.
The double edged sword with the familiar 'Spanish' motto were very common in colonial Mexico, and these were typically Spanish cavalry blades for M1769 swords. The blades themselves were shipped to Mexico unmounted and often mounted in sabre hilts of the period. The first one I ever encountered seemed very odd in having a broadsword blade in a sabre hilt, but apparantly these were mounted this way in Mexico in the 1820's and 1830's. The blade owned by the Confederate officer may well have been captured in the Mexican-American War 1846 . The Confederate forces also used many foreign swords during the Civil War, particularly British, but often German and undoubtedly even Mexican weapons. Straight cavalry blades of the 18th century often reached huge length as the dragoons often rode on huge draught horses, and required extra length blades. I once owned a M1788 British dragoon sword with a 40" blade..it was a monster!!
As has been noted, the 'Spanish' motto' appeared on many blades mounted worldwide as these were trade blades.
It seems quite familiar about the Roby sabre as well, I'll keep looking.
Best regards,
Jim
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