M1840 Saber Spine Mark

[Hotspur]

A start here. He was too young to have had an early S&K in the Mexican war but look to this as his war sword and what the first issue of it was. Likely prewar militia arsenal stores. His entire bio should come up pretty easily. A number over S&K may be exactly what you are seeing on the spine (my first post). Then again, it could be just about anyone's trophy to begin with.

John G. Wallace. Papers, 1840–1910. Accession 41524.
Papers, 1861–1865, of John G. Wallace (1840–1910) of Norfolk County, Virginia, while serving as captain in the 61st Virginia Infantry. Includes accounts, certificates, vouchers, daybook, orders, ordnance records, receipts, regulations and instructions, published manuals and guides, clippings, clothing rolls, payrolls, muster rolls, and other items.

http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/g...r/Soldiers.htm

Wrong John Wallace mebbe

[celtan]

No, it's the right John Wallace. There was only one John Wallace serving in the 61st at Cold Harbor. Specially when you add the other details as rank and being in C Company, the Blanchard Grays. AFAIK, no other John Wallace ever served with them. That's what I wanted to confirm through the actual regimental roster.

The only caveat is that the sword states W as John's middle initial, a mistake?. It's not that farfetched, since the letters W and G in cursive handwriting (specially if stylized), look similar. Either the sword art or the documents themselves are wrong. That's another thing I need to clear.

G, I'm always learning. I though that when you commissioned a presentation sword, you always used a new sword, since the etching needed to be done at the manufacturer/forge level. Am I wrong? I have never etched anything. Are you saying that old blades were etched too?

Thank you kindly for your assistance, now I know that John survived the War !

Best-est regards

Manuel

Originally Posted by Hotspur

A start here. He was too young to have had an early S&K in the Mexican war but look to this as his war sword and what the first issue of it was. Likely prewar militia arsenal stores. His entire bio should come up pretty easily. A number over S&K may be exactly what you are seeing on the spine (my first post). Then again, it could be just about anyone's trophy to begin with.

John G. Wallace. Papers, 1840–1910. Accession 41524.
Papers, 1861–1865, of John G. Wallace (1840–1910) of Norfolk County, Virginia, while serving as captain in the 61st Virginia Infantry. Includes accounts, certificates, vouchers, daybook, orders, ordnance records, receipts, regulations and instructions, published manuals and guides, clippings, clothing rolls, payrolls, muster rolls, and other items.

http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/g...r/Soldiers.htm

Wrong John Wallace mebbe

[Jim McDougall]

Nicely done guys! Its great to see more on this swords history unfolding, and I really like the teamwork
Glen, its nice to have you here posting again, especially on this topic, as your knowledge and background with American swords has long been well established. Thank you for bringing it in on this one.

Manolo, thanks again for sharing this....we really dont get to see much on the Confederate weapons, and regardless of what side anybody was on...the entire history of it all is monumentally moving. After growing up in essentially a Northern environment, and living the past decades essentially in the South from Tennessee to Texas, I honestly see a larger perspective. I think Sherman had it right, "..it is good that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it".

Thank you for the great Christmas wreath and greetings!!! and wishing you and yours wonderful holidays as well.

All the very best guys!
Jim

[celtan]

Hi Guys, interesting news,

Just got my digital copy of three books written about Norfolk, VA.
In one of them I found this tasty tidbit:


THE H I S T O R Y OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

A review of Important Events and Incidents which occurred from 1736 to 1877

BY H. W. BURTON, .

" HARRY SCRATCH” OF THE NORFOLK VIRGINIAN.

NORFOLK, VA.

Norfolk Virginian Job Print; 36 and 38 Roanoke Avenue., 1877

page 93

/"...the charge, about fifty yards from ihe ditch, Captain John W. Wallace, of Company C, Sixty-first Virginia Regiment, was stricken down with a broken thigh. He lay upon his back, refusing to allow his men to take him from the field till the battle was over, waving his hat and urging his men to " Go on; go forward ."/

So it seems that some documents refer to Captain Wallace as John W., yet others refer to him as John G., which makes my suspicion this is a matter of a W/G cursive handwriting misinterpretation very likely.


Now, which one would be the correct version?




Manuel

[Hotspur]

Good find,

Something else to consider is that the William mentioned, may well be the John W. Wallace of the blade. I have not spent more than superficial time with this but this William Wallace was (iirc) from the Carolinas (google notes of). It is and was no surprise to have folk going by their middle name and not their first (or Christian) name. My family was no different in the Americas of the 19th century and continues today with me often referred to as Alan (my middle name), just as my father Alan was more often referred to as Robert (his middle name). I have come across it even in musters of the American Civil War and company records differing from enlistment lists (the commander's notes sometimes using the middle names). In a sense, some of this also goes back to surname and descendants of the UK history with Mc and Mac.

I would (if me) pursue both Wallaces until better reckoning of the sword might be made.

Cheers and Happy Holidays

GC

Originally Posted by celtan

Hi Guys, interesting news,

Just got my digital copy of three books written about Norfolk, VA.
In one of them I found this tasty tidbit:


THE H I S T O R Y OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

A review of Important Events and Incidents which occurred from 1736 to 1877

BY H. W. BURTON, .

" HARRY SCRATCH” OF THE NORFOLK VIRGINIAN.

NORFOLK, VA.

Norfolk Virginian Job Print; 36 and 38 Roanoke Avenue., 1877

page 93

/"...the charge, about fifty yards from ihe ditch, Captain John W. Wallace, of Company C, Sixty-first Virginia Regiment, was stricken down with a broken thigh. He lay upon his back, refusing to allow his men to take him from the field till the battle was over, waving his hat and urging his men to " Go on; go forward ."/

So it seems that some documents refer to Captain Wallace as John W., yet others refer to him as John G., which makes my suspicion this is a matter of a W/G cursive handwriting misinterpretation very likely.


Now, which one would be the correct version?




Manuel

[celtan]

Hi G.,

No, I don't think so. The other Captain's name was William C. Wallace, and he was a close friend of Col Stewart, there's no way he'd mistake one for the other in his accounts. They were both from Norfolk, and, as a matter of fact, from a place called (sic.) Wallaceton...(Wallacetown?).

...small wonder!

Best

M

Originally Posted by Hotspur

Good find,

Something else to consider is that the William mentioned, may well be the John W. Wallace of the blade. I have not spent more than superficial time with this but this William Wallace was (iirc) from the Carolinas (google notes of). It is and was no surprise to have folk going by their middle name and not their first (or Christian) name. My family was no different in the Americas of the 19th century and continues today with me often referred to as Alan (my middle name), just as my father Alan was more often referred to as Robert (his middle name). I have come across it even in musters of the American Civil War and company records differing from enlistment lists (the commander's notes sometimes using the middle names). In a sense, some of this also goes back to surname and descendants of the UK history with Mc and Mac.

I would (if me) pursue both Wallaces until better reckoning of the sword might be made.

Cheers and Happy Holidays

GC

[celtan]

Got more info from the " Wallace Company Records, 1783-1975".

Seems our friend's middle name was Gallaudette, and William C (Curtiss) Wallace (The KIA Captain of 61st Inf. Va Company A) was his brother. The G/W conundrum seems to arise from a mistake in Norfolk's documents. I suspect the sword was commissioned by the city.

They belonged to well known and prosperous family in Wallaceton / VA, owners of the "Wallace Company". Their plantation was named "Dover Farm" and their mansion grounds "Glencoe" John died at 71 yrs, of age and left numerous descendants. The company disappeared after WWII.

Captain John Wallace is also mentined in "Canoeing Sketches, by John Boyle O'Reilly": Canoeing in the Dismal Swamp, From Athletics and Manly Sport, Boston: Pilot Publishing Company, 1890, 350-452.

Other mentions to the Wallaces appear on the book "The Great Dismal: A Carolinian's Swamp Memoir" (UNC Press, 1990) by Bland Simpson.


Best!


M