September 10-12, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/11/2024
A nice example of a post-Civil War M1852 Naval Officer’s sword presented to Rear Admiral Charles Stewart Boggs. The sword is in standard M1852 configuration, decorated for over half its length with etched panels that depict naval and foliate motifs. The blade measures approximately 1” in width with slight curve, meaning the sword dates pre-1870. Blade is marked “Joseph / Starkey / Conduit St / London”. Blade exhibits nice decorations, very clean overall, with scattered blemishes toward the tip and a few nicks along the edge. Hilt with standard serpent quillon and guard with USN banner, pommel with eagle in star vignette. Hilt exhibits a generous amount of gilding. Rayskin grip with strands of twisted brass wire. Compete with black leather scabbard that features brass mounts, also retaining generous amounts of original gilding. Fouled ring mounts with 2 carry rings and serpent drag. Scabbard is marked “Joseph Starkey / 25 Conduit St / London” in decorative shield. Mounts are slightly loose but secured to scabbard body. Silver presentation escutcheon is located between the upper and middle mounts and reads “Rear Admiral, C.S. Boggs / 1886”. Scabbard remains sturdy with a few scattered scuffs and blemishes. Charles Stewart Boggs (1811-1888) was appointed midshipman in the U.S. Navy in 1826; passed midshipman 1832; lieutenant, 1837; commander, 1855; captain, 1862; commodore, 1866; rear admiral, 1870. He served at the Boston Navy Yard; aboard the brig Porpoise; on the USS North Carolina in 1837; and on the steamer Princeton in the Mexican War. In the 1850s he served on the frigate St. Lawrence, commanded 2 mail steamers and was lighthouse inspector in California in 1860-1861. He is best known as commander of the screw gunboat Varuna in the fighting at Forts Jackson and St. Philip in April 1862 in Farragut’s move up the Mississippi against New Orleans. In Farragut’s advance group, the ship, carrying 8 8-inch guns and 2 30-pd. rifles, took part in fighting the CSS Louisiana and the Manassas near Ft. St. Philip, then moved upriver, becoming the lead vessel, engaging a group of Confederate gunboats and pursued by the Louisiana gunboat Governor Moore, the two ships firing into one another sometimes at a range of ten feet in dense smoke. Twice rammed by the Louisiana vessel, Boggs ran his sinking ship aground even while being rammed by yet another Confederate ship, and yet kept his guns firing until the gundeck was swamped and the vessel sank. 8 of his men were awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the desperate fight, which was celebrated in poem opening, “Who has not heard of the dauntless Varuna? / Who has not heard of the deeds she has done?” Promoted captain in July, he later commanded the steam sloops Juniata and Sacramento, the cruiser Connecticut, and from 1866 to 1868, the gunboat De Soto. He commanded the European fleet 1871, retired 1872, but served on the lighthouse board into 1873. The sword may relate to his trip to Europe in 1886 or a recent article dealing with the fight of the Varuna and Governor Moore, though before leaving on that trip he announced his intention to contradict some aspects of that article. He died in 1888 in his native New Jersey. CONDITION: Very good.
Item Dimensions: 36 - 1/2"
Paperwork
Charles Boggs documents