December 14-17, 2021 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/14/2021
This bridle cutter pike was aboard a Confederate munitions train sent out of Charleston in April 1865 on the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad, where it was intercepted, set on fire, and destroyed by Union forces. The incident is recorded on the Official Records, and the site was located and excavated in 1980. Pikes of various designs were rushed into production early in the war as a quick way of arming the populace and soldiers not yet issued firearms. The bridle-cutter design features a hooked blade in addition to a spearpoint, to enable the user either to hook and drag a mounted opponent from his saddle or at least snag or cut his reins, making him lose control of his horse. CONDITON: Very good excavated condition, mounted on a wood display panel with applied printed label. Secured with copper wire are the pike head with both blades intact, just a 1/4" or so missing from the spearpoint tip, but with full ferrule and part of the side straps, along with 4 other sections of side straps and ferrules. A numbered brass tag and COA is attached. This is ready to display.
CORRECTION: Photos corrected.