page_title: United States Marine Corps noncommissioned officer's sword
section_title: History and development
hierarchical_section_title: United States Marine Corps noncommissioned officer's sword / History and development
caption_attribution_description: English: Pictured by an unknown photographer, five U.S. Marine Corps privates with fixed bayonets under the command of their noncommissioned officer (NCO), who displays his M1859 Marine NCO sword. Navy Yard, Washington, DC, April 1864. From a collection of photographs of the Federal Navy, and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic Coast of the Confederacy -- the Federal Navy, 1861-1865. Library of Congress, Prints &amp; Photographs Division, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-B8184-3287] Higher-resolution version: http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cwpb/04100/04148v.jpg MEDIUM 1 negative: glass, wet collodion. CALL NUMBER LC-B817- 7697. REPRODUCTION NUMBER LC-DIG-cwpb-04148 DLC (digital file from original neg.) LC-B8171-7697 DLC (b&amp;w film neg.)
context_page_description: The Marine Corps noncommissioned officer's sword is a sword worn by noncommissioned officers and staff noncommissioned officers of the United States Marine Corps. The NCO sword was adopted in 1859 and is patterned after the United States Army's foot officers' sword of 1850. The M1859 NCO sword continues service today as the Marine Corps drill and ceremonial sword. The sword's use is restricted by regulation to ceremonial occasions by an NCO or Staff NCO in charge of troops under arms or at weddings and wedding receptions where at least one of those being married is in uniform and has the rank of Corporal or higher.
context_section_description: U.S. Marine officers and NCOs have carried swords since the American Revolutionary War.  During the earliest years, the swords worn by Marine NCOs are believed to have been based on Army patterns, though not necessarily the exact swords used by Army NCOs. By approximately the mid-1820s, however, Marine NCOs began wearing distinctive short sabers with cast brass eagle head hilts and curved blades. About this same time, in 1826, Marine Corps officers also began wearing a distinctive new sword of the Mameluke style, similar to those worn today.
  In 1859, a completely new sword pattern was introduced for Marine Corps officers, who were instructed to wear the same sword then worn by Army foot officers since 1850. Also, in 1859 a similar sword was authorized for wear by Marine NCOs so that the swords worn by Marine officers and NCOs appeared to share very nearly the same pattern and characteristics.  The Marine NCO version, though similar to that worn by Marine officers, had several differences. Among the most noticeable, NCO swords had plain brass hilts and scabbard mounts, whereas officers' hilts and scabbard mounts normally were gilt. Also, the grips on NCO swords were wrapped with leather, whereas those for officers were usually covered with sharkskin. Finally, NCO scabbards had only two scabbard mounts, consisting of a top mount with frog stud and a scabbard tip, whereas officers' scabbards bore three mounts, including upper and middle mounts fitted with carrying rings.
  The sword worn by Marine NCOs since 1859 was also carried throughout the American Civil War. With only slight modifications since that time, it has maintained its distinctive and traditional appearance. Even though the Navy Officer Sword is older (1852), it was discontinued until reauthorized during the 1900s. The M1859 Marine NCO sword is the oldest weapon in continued (unbroken) service still in U.S. inventory.
caption: Five U.S. Marines with fixed bayonets. Their NCO displays his M1859 sword. Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., April 1864.
exif: {}