August 18 & 19, 2020 Edged Weapons, Armor, & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/18/2020
A nicely identified Model 1850 Foot Officer's sword carried by an officer whose life was marked by tragedy and duty. A wonderful, period, completely original brown ink label pasted on the scabbard reads in bold script: "Capt. A.S. Merrill" and "Comp. D 3d Regt / Maine Vols." The sword is the standard configuration with brass hilt showing cast and chased floral motifs with a beautiful, untouched patina matching that of the scabbard mounts. The scabbard is black leather, top stitched, now slightly oxidized to brown, showing incised border lines. The body is solid, with no bends or breaks, just minor scuffs and some cracking, but no finish loss. The sword grip is thick black leather, and still retains its twisted wire binding. The blade is muted silver, frosting turning slightly to gray, but with very visible etching. The reverse ricasso has a blank cartouche for a retailers mark. The etched motifs are large and profuse: floral scrolls, curved latticework, and Arabesque cartouches. At reverse center is a broad, spread-winged American Eagle with an E Pluribus Unum ribbon. The obverse has a large "US" in place of the eagle. The blade pad is missing, but blade and hilt are tight. There are some gray spots on the obverse near the tip and a few along the edge on either side and at the ricasso, but only one touches the end of a geometric scroll. Alfred S. Merrill, a resident of Bath, Maine, enlisted at 32 in the 3rd Maine Infantry and mustered in as a sergeant in Co. D 6 April 1861. Promoted 4th Sergeant to 1st Sergeant 1 September 1861; 2nd Lieutenant 21 September 1861; 1st Lieutenant 5 November 1861; Captain on 27 October 1862. During this time the regiment fought at Bull Run, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, 2nd Bull Run, and Chantilly. Merrill would have had the sword for all except his first engagement. In November 1862 Merrill sought in vain to resign his commission: "My wife being dangerously sick and not expected to live but a few days." He was granted, instead, a twenty-day leave. Lt. Col Lake noted, "This officer has not been absent from the Regt since its organization and has always been faithful to his duties until now this trouble oh his mind renders him unfit to attend to them." It is unclear if Merrill returned in time to fight at Fredericksburg, but he returned in time to be "present" on the November-December muster roll, perhaps hoping for his wife's recovery. He never saw her again: Abby N. Merrill died in Bath 14 June 1863. Merrill is listed as present on the rolls for all of 1863, when the regiment fought at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, where they had heavy casualties on July 2nd. He received a fifteen day leave in early 1864, but returned to the regiment in time for the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. On May 10, at Spotsylvania, he was wounded and fell into Confederate hands, but died the next day. His body seems to have been recovered, and he was interred next to his wife in Bath. This is a sword with a very interesting personal and battle history. SR
Item Dimensions: Length: 37".