General William T. Sherman's sword and scabbard
date: label: date made
content: ca 1850-1862
label: used date
content: 1862-04-06 through 1862-04-08
name: label: user
content: Sherman, William Tecumseh
label: maker
content: Ames Manufacturing Company
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description
label: Description
content: Model 1850 forged steel with gilt brass scabbard.
label: Description
content: Specific History
label: Description
content: General William T. Sherman wore this Model 1850 staff and field officer's sword during the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee, April 6–8, 1862.
label: Description
content: General History
label: Description
content: One of the greatest battles of the War between the States erupted near the banks of the Tennessee River at Shiloh, Tennessee. On April 6, 1862, General Sidney Johnston launched his attack. The Union forces were quickly driven back; they found themselves rapidly approaching the Tennessee River to the east and Owl Creek to the north. However, the Union troops finally established a line at an area known as "the sunken road." Confederate forces launched eleven attacks against the position, but the line would not break. The area became known as the "Hornets Nest" because of the intensity of gunfire and grazing of bullets. Finally the Southern troops brought sixty-two artillery pieces to bear on the Hornets Nest, many at point-blank range. After holding the position for six hours, the Union forces surrendered. The next morning, the fresh Union forces attacked the tired and surprised Confederates, who believed they had won a great victory. By sheer weight of numbers the federals pushed them back. Resistance stiffened; as the day wore on, the Confederates pulled back and the next day withdrew to Corinth.
place: label: used
content: United States: Tennessee
topic: label: Subject
content: Civil War
label: related event
content: Civil War
label: related event
content: Battle of Shiloh, 1862
label: related event
content: Civil War and Reconstruction
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: Military
label: See more items in
content: William Tecumseh Sherman
label: See more items in
content: ThinkFinity
label: Exhibition
content: Price of Freedom
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Hon. P. Tecumseh Sherman
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.15926
label: catalog number
content: 15926
label: accession number
content: 59388
objectType: label: Object Name
content: sword
label: Other Terms
content: sword; Edged Weapons; Army; Foot Officer; Officer
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: steel (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 8 in x 39 in x 4 in; 20.32 cm x 99.06 cm x 10.16 cm