Sword Presented to Henry W. Lawton
date: label: date made
content: 1865
label: date presented
content: 1865-03-04
name: label: recipient
content: Lawton, Henry W.
label: maker
content: Schuyler, Hartley & Graham
label: maker
content: W. Clauberg
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: Presented to Lieutenant Colonel Henry W. Lawton by the Officers and Men of his Regiment [30th Indiana Volunteer Infantry] on March 4, 1865
label: Description
content: Henry W. Lawton began the Civil War as an enlisted 90-day volunteer. By the war’s end he was a brevet Colonel. Lawton received a Medal of Honor for service in Sherman’s Atlanta campaign.
label: Description
content: This sword was presented to Lieutenant Colonel Henry W. Lawton by the officers and men of the 30th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. The blade is Damascus steel; it is long, slightly curved, and single edged. The fuller is wide and shallow, and extends about two thirds of the way to the tip of the blade. Both sides are decorated in silver and gold chasing. The obverse bears a silver eagle surrounded by a scroll pattern, wearing a US shield and holding an "E PLURIBUS / UNUM" banner in the middle of a large sunburst, all backed in gold chasing. The reverse of the blade features the same design with a "U.S." monogram surrounded by the inscription "For Union / and Liberty." The grip features a silver figure of Nike holding a laurel wreath; she is resting against a piece of gold metal in the shape of a large palm leaf. The knuckle-bow is a brass strip that branches off about half way down the hilt. The strip and branch are adorned in oak leaves and acorns. The branch widens into a large half basket shaped counterguard which is covered in openwork scroll design. This terminates in a quillon in the shape of a dragon's head.
label: Description
content: The scabbard is gilded and bears three silvered mounts. The first mount features a medieval trophy design surrounded by laurel wreath and scroll designs. The reverse bears a "US" monogram with similar surroundings. The middle mount features a US shield held by an eagle standing on a globe with an identical laurel and scroll pattern. The bottom mount, which acts as the drag, features another eagle/ US shield design, as well as an ornate engraving of laurel leaves and scrolls. Between the first and second mount a plate with an engraved inscription to Lawton reads “LIEUT. COL. HENRY W. LAWTON / 30th Ind. Vet. Vol Infty. / Presented by the Officers and Men of his Regiment / as a token of confidence and respect. / March 4th 1865” The plate is surrounded by names of the battles he fought: Shiloh / Corinth / Stone River / Chickamauga / Atlanta / Franklin / Nashville. Between the second and first mount is a plate with castings of oak sprays and acorns. The carrying rings to the scabbard with an acorn shaped ring.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York
label: place made
content: Germany: North Rhine-Westphalia, Solingen
topic: label: Subject
content: Edged Weapons
label: web subject
content: Civil War
label: related event
content: Civil War
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: Civil War Presentation Swords
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Mary C. Lawton
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.16043 [dup1]
label: catalog number
content: 16043
label: accession number
content: 59545
objectType: label: Object Name
content: sword
label: Other Terms
content: sword; Edged Weapons; Presentation
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal, gilt (scabbard material)
label: Physical Description
content: steel (blade material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (hilt material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 38 1/2 in x 6 1/4 in; 97.79 cm x 15.875 cm
label: Measurements
content: blade: 32 in x 1 in; 81.28 cm x 2.54 cm
label: Measurements
content: scabbard: 32 3/4 in x 2 3/4 in; 83.185 cm x 6.985 cm