The sun., 1902-03-11
GEN. wAsHINcroNs SWORD.
announcements Regarding the One Pre'
scntcd by Frederick the Great

ALBANY, N Y, March io.--The University
OF the State Of New York makes the follow
ing announcement regarding the SWORD
presented 10 Washington. by Frederick
the Great,
In theState Library h exhibited a sword
said to have been given Washington nv
Frederick the Great who was the brother
Of Prince Henry's great great great grand
father. The following is descriptive
note from the 1873 report Of the New York
State Library:
This Is one Of Ave swords left byWash-
ington in his will to his five nephews. then
living. The first named. who was the
eldest. William. Augustine Washington,
had the first choice, and selected this sword
on account Of It's traditional history He
beaueathed il 10 his son. who in turn be-
queathed il to- Col. l.. W Washington
from WHOM the State received IT, In 1858,
this and the fourth sword were in his pos
session the second was In possession OF
Lieut. Henry Davis, L. s. n; the third was
In the hands Of William T. Washington,
and the fifth in the National Institute at
Washington.
There is no known record OF the fact,
but il ~as generally reported in the family.
that this sword was brought over from
Europe about the year 1879 to Washington.
with this verbal message from Frederick
H. (the GreaD. King of Pr1Issia: From the
oldest General Of the world 10 the greatest
picture with this sentence inscribed un-
der il Is mentioned in a newspaper of that
year There was another impression that
II was brought over or delivered TO him by
Col David Humphreys Of Connecticut, who
had been upon his stafi 1t was frequently
worn by Washington on state occasions,
A. o 4.
private residence in Philadelphia 1t is
represented also in some Of the portraits Of
Washington, for example the port traits
painted by Nanderlyn for the United States
House Of Representatives in 1884
At the time when a sword OF Washington
and stan Of Franklin were presented in the
House Of Representa- NC in 1913, this sword
from Frederick was referred TO a. being
still in the possession Of one of the Washing
IONS family. The house OF Col. Washington
was entered during the John Brown raid
in 1859 by his followers, and the sword was
used by him while commanding at Har-
pers Ferry, and afterward returned 10 its
Owner Tn, sword is a straight pointed
blade with hilt and chain Of polished steel.
,iotted with steel beads. The present case
of green Turkey morocco rs not the original;
thai was Of white shagreen or shark skin.
Ii was cleaned and covered in 1854 in Balti-
more by S jackson. cutler
In a copy Of the Ner Jersey journal Of
Aug 0. 1880. in the New York Historical
Society, appears the following:
The King Of Prussia not long since
presented his EXc@llency, Gen. Washing
ton, with a picture Of his Majesty, taken
to the life. inscribed under From the
oldest General in Europe 10 the creates
General on earth A celebrated General
Of his Ma iesty tower whom conquest never
gained dominion), on viewing the inscrip-
tion, asked: Why does he stand higher
in the annals Of fame than myself?' Con
sder, replied this illustrious artist in tine
science OF war; you never fought but at
tho head OF trDops In number, discipline,
bravery, acdor. and full OF hopes vying
with any comma nders, but this noble
chief has encountered every enbarrass-
ment. and by his united abilities complete
to constitute the General indeed) has sur
mounted untold difficulties and thereby
justly stands entitled 10 such laurels as
conquest, fame and magnahimity only
can give