Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a tremendously unique sword cane monogrammed to Major General John Francis Weston, who was awarded the Medal of Honor on April 9th, 1898, for actions taken on April 13th, 1865 during the American Civil War. Weston would later serve as Commissary General of the Army, retiring as a Major General. The cane came from the estate of General Weston and features a sterling silver handle with raised curling foliage that is engraved wth the initials J F W. and a staghorn grip. When the staghorn grip is pulled upwards, the sword comes out, and the mechanical cross-guard extends out.

Weston’s Medal of Honor Citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Major John Francis Weston, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 13 April 1865, while serving with 4th Kentucky Cavalry, in action at Wetumpka, Alabama. Major Weston, with a small detachment, while en route to destroy steamboats loaded with supplies for the enemy, was stopped by an unfordable river, but with five of his men swam the river, captured two leaky canoes, and ferried his men across. He then encountered and defeated the enemy, and on reaching Wetumpka found the steamers anchored in midstream. By a ruse obtained possession of a boat, with which he reached the steamers and demanded and received their surrender.

The length of the sword cane is 36”. The blade length is roughly 18¾”, with the crossguard extending to roughly 4” long. The staghorn grip measures 3½” long. One side of the crossguard automatically extends outward, while the other is sticky and must be manually extended. This sword cane was likely a gift to Weston for his Medal of Honor, dating the cane around 1898, or the turn of the century. There is a paper label taped to the side of the cane which provides provenance, so we have elected not to remove it, although it could easily be removed. The label reads:

Antique Sword Cane from the Estate of General Weston. Wooden cane featuring a sterling silver handle with raised curling foliage and stag horn grip. Engraved Initials J F W. Concealed single edged blade with mechanical cross guard. Length 36”. Sterling Hallmark by Stone Sterling Silver Co, 1896-1904.

John Francis Weston was born on November 13th, 1845 in Louisville, Kentucky. At the age of 16, he joined the Union Army’s 4th Volunteer Kentucky Cavalry Regiment on November 26, 1861. Weston's father sympathized with the Confederacy and Weston's uncle and brother joined the Confederate States Army. Weston was promoted to captain on January 9, 1863, and to major on November 1, 1864.

On April 13, 1865, Weston participated in a raid to destroy Confederate supply boats near Wetumpka, Alabama. Through an audacious ruse, Weston and 5 men managed to capture the boats. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor several decades later, on April 9, 1898. Weston was mustered out of the Union Army volunteer service on August 21, 1865.

After the war, Weston started the study of law but gave it up in favor of rejoining the army. On August 9, 1867, Weston was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment of the regular U.S. Army. He was promoted to first lieutenant on November 27, 1868. He was promoted to captain and commissary of subsistence on November 24, 1875. On August 1, 1892, Weston was promoted to major and commissary of subsistence. On November 17, 1897, Weston was promoted to lieutenant colonel and assistant commissary general. On April 30, 1898, he was promoted to colonel and assistant commissary general.

With the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, John F. Weston was commissioned brigadier general in the United States Volunteers on September 21, 1898. His service as commissary general for Major General William Rufus Shafter, commander of the U.S. Army forces fighting the Spanish in Cuba, at Santiago, Cuba received favorable notice. On March 24, 1899, he was honorably discharged from the volunteers and returned to his regular army duties.

On December 6, 1900, Weston was promoted to brigadier general and appointed commissary general in the regular U.S. Army, which he accepted on December 13, 1900. Weston was promoted to major general, USA, on October 8, 1905, and accepted the promotion on the same date. He was sent to command the Northwest Division in St. Louis, Missouri but a month later he was sent to the Philippines and became the highest ranking U.S. Army officer there. Although the Manila Times said on March 13, 1908, that Weston expected to remain in the Philippines for the remainder of his army career, the U.S. Secretary of War's report to Congress for the year showed that from January 13, 1909, to June 30, 1909, Major General Weston commanded the Department of California. John F. Weston retired from the U.S. Army on November 13, 1909.

General Weston was a companion of the District of Columbia Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Weston died in Briarcliff Manor, New York on August 3, 1917, at age 71, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

This cane is a phenomenal piece of Civil War and Spanish-American War history, named to a General with a long and storied service history. Ready for further research & display, don’t miss it!

NOTE: Please consult local laws regarding legality of sword canes and/or concealed weapons before ordering.