Observations Regarding A British Musicians Sword of the Revolutionary Period

by Hugh Stephenson

     Neumann's "Battle Weapons of the American Revolution" is one of the most authoritative surveys of American revolutionary arms, and indispensable to collectors. It reviews the many weapons of many different national origins that were used in the conflict.

     One of the great difficulties in identifying arms of the period is that the weapons of the Continental army were frequently crude and unmarked. In addition the systems of purchase and distribution were not institutionalized enough to provide more than a sketchy or patchy record of the arms used. Further complicating the picture is the fact that arms of many nations were used in the war of independence, and the same arms were often used by both sides. Initially, Neumann's surveys were inclusive rather than exclusive and over the years the record has been made more accurate by new and correct attribution of specific weapons. This usually narrows the range of identified American weapons but occasionally results in the addition of weapons to the record of the continental army.

     In the former case for example, Don Trioani has recently suggested in Man at Arms that the "Model 1751" brass-hilted hanger, which is often described as dating to the revolutionary period, may in fact be later, and produced in England largely for use by militias during the period of the Napoleonic threat. It seems that many were imported since the war and many bear militia inscriptions that clearly post-date the war.

     In this case we are addressing only a particular sword of a much rarer class. Dog, horse and lionhead pommels are frequently encountered on both American and English weapons of the 18^th century. Generally, but not always, the English weapons reflect the sophistication and manufacturing skills of the empire at its height, and often, but again not always, the reverse holds true for American weapons, particularly those produced under the hardship of war conditions. These are often relatively crude and frequently are frequently made up from parts of other swords. They are rarely marked by the manufacturer or smith.

     In Battle Weapons of the Revolution, sword number 50.SS is identified as an American hanger. The blade is identified as a British musicians' pierced scimitar blade, another example of which can be seen in the Trioani's article referred to above. The ivory horse head is assumed to be American because of its rural artistry. The broad iron hilt has two parallel rows of slots on the outboard guard. Overall it is thought to be an American sword incorporating a British blade.

     Recently I acquired a virtually identical sword in relic condition from Ireland. The sword was purchased at auction in Dublin and was reported to have been found in a mud wall and given to a local monastery. It is misidentified on an old attached label as a Cromwellian period sword. Its guard has two additional bars gracefully curved to protect the hand but apart from this it appears to be the same in every respect to the Neumann sword. Only 8 inches of the blade remain but the pierced dot design is present. The lower jaw of the horse is absent but its original form is clearly elongated and not a snub dog or lion hilt. Possibly the sword referred to in Neumann once had an identical guard that has since been modified?

     In light of the examination of this relic and its provenance what can we say about the two swords? On balance it appears that we have two examples of British musicians' swords of the revolutionary period, one with an American provenance and another with an Irish provenance. Are these swords that were attached to regiments who saw service in both Ireland and America? Did the sword travel with a regiment such as the 20^th foot who left Ireland in 1776 for the US. Did the sword listed in Battle Weapons of the Revolution arrive more recently? The answers, no doubt, will be the product of further research.

References

Neumann George C. Battle Weapons of the American Revolution. Scurlock Publishers: Texarkana TX, 1998.

Troiani, Don. "British Infantry Swords of the American Revolution" Man at Arms, No. 6, 1996.

Troiani, Don, Earl Coates and James Kochan. Don Troiani's Soldiers in America: 1754-1865.  Stackpole Books: PA, 1998.