Original Item: Only One Available. This is a wonderful example of an Ames Model 1832 Artillery Short sword, made just before the Mexican–American War of 1846-1848, a VERY desirable era for this type of sword. While unfortunately we have no way to verify it, this sword definitely could have been involved in the conflict! These were also kept in service for decades, so if it was still in service, it almost certainly saw service in the U.S. civil war! A great sword with some great history!

This design of foot artillery sword has a straight, heavy double-edged steel blade. There are two side-by-side fullers, starting just below the hilt. Then, after a space of 11/16", there is a single center fuller that extends toward the blade's spear shaped point. The overall blade length is approximately 19 1/4''.

The blade is stamped on the reverse, near the hilt:

US
1845
NWP

On the obverse, near the hilt stamped is:

(Eagle Logo)
N.P. AMES
CABOTVILLE

The hilt and cross guard are cast and partly machined brass, inspector marked on the logo side of the crossguard with another NWP, for Nahum W. Patch, a known U.S. government inspector who worked 1831-1849 and inspected a wide variety of small arms. He is a known inspector of this era of 1832 Short Swords. The other side of the cross guard is marked with a cursive style WAT, for Captain William Anderson Thornton, who worked from 1841 to 1861, inspecting various small arms, including these as well. These are exactly correct for this period of sword, and we have seen other period examples with identical markings.

The grips have been molded in a scalloped eagle feather design. Three transverse iron rivets secure it to the tang of the blade. The pommel is decorated on each side with a heavily incised American eagle, with shield, holding arrows in his left talon and an olive branch in his right talon. The eagle's head faces towards its right. The straight cross quillons terminate in disk shaped finials. These were originally gilt to keep the finish nice and shiny, and this example still has much of the original gilding present, possibly more than we've ever seen! There is no major damage, and the eagles on the pommel are still in great shape!

The blade on this example is in really great shape, especially considering the age and the amount of time it was in service. It does have some past staining and peppering in areas, now cleaned away. In spite of this, a lot of the original factory machining marks can still be seen, especially in the fullers. It also does appear to have been sharpened at some point. The markings near the ricasso are still crisp, which is definitely a rarity.

The black leather scabbard is in very good condition and rather solid. The brass fittings do show wear and some denting, but no major damage out of line with standard use in service. The leather is also in relatively good condition, still retaining the heavy black finish well. There are some bend creases in the leather, as well as some stitch repairs near one edge. This was a sword that saw service but was cared for.

A great Mexican-American war era Artillery Short Sword, ready to research and display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 19 1/4"
Blade Style: Double Edged "Gladius" style
Overall length: 25 1/4“
Crossguard: 4 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 14"

Model 1832 Foot Artillery Sword
The U.S. Model 1832 foot artillery short-sword has a 6-inch (15 cm) solid brass hilt, a 4-inch (10 cm) crossguard, and a blade usually 19 inches (48 cm) in length. This model was the first sword contracted by the U.S. with the Ames Manufacturing Company of Springfield (later Chicopee), Massachusetts, with production starting in 1832. In later years, it was also imported and supplied by W.H. Horstmann & Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a personal side arm, it was intended for use by the regular or foot artillery regiments of the United States Army and remained in service until 1872 for use by foot artillerymen. It was the issued sword for sergeants and musicians of infantry regiments from 1832 until 1840. As most artillery regiments were trained and equipped as infantry prior to 1861 a single weapon for both types of troops made sense. It replaced the earlier Starr pattern sword used throughout the 1820s. While the design was impractical for actual combat, it is believed that artillerymen put this weapon to other uses, such as clearing brush or creating trails. It was an effective tool for cutting paths through the Florida swamps during the Second Seminole War, which occurred during the time it was issued to infantry sergeants, drummers and fifers. This is somewhat corroborated by the French nickname for their version of the sword, coupe choux (cabbage cutter). The last Ames contract for this sword was completed in 1862, although as a stock item it continued to be listed in company catalogs for decades afterwards.

The design was based on the French foot artillery short sword of 1816, which with minor changes was basically repeated in 1831. The French model was based on the Roman gladius, the standard sword of the Roman legionaries.

French versions can be distinguished from American versions by the hilt design, manufacturers' marks (French manufacturers include Châtellerault, St. Etienne, Talabot, and Thiebaut), and the lack of U.S. markings. Swords supplied by Ames typically bore an eagle on the blade until the Mexican–American War, whereas those made during the civil war by Confederate arsenals were typically unmarked. The Ames Model 1832 has a hilt with an eagle cast into the pommel and a scaled grip surface. French versions have either textured grips (model 1816) or ringed grips (model 1831), and like later English models a plain or smooth pommel on the hilt.