Sword Presented to Levi Force
date: label: date made
content: ca 1865
name: label: associated person
content: Force, Levi
label: maker
content: W. Clauberg
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: Presented to Captain L. Force by his Company
label: Description
content: Formerly a sergeant in the regular army, Levi Force enlisted as a private in Company ‘C’ of the 179th New York Volunteer Infantry in April, 1864. By August he was promoted to Captain and mustered out with his regiment in June 1865. This sword was presented to him by the men of his Company.
label: Description
content: The blade of this Model 1850 presentation sword is long, curved, and single edged. The fuller is broad and shallow, and extends about two thirds of the way to the tip of the blade. Both sides are decorated with scroll designs in silver chasing. The obverse bears an eagle holding an "E PLURIBUS UNUM" banner, and the reverse bears a "U.S." monogram. The grip of the sword is cylindrical and has a metal gilt wire that wraps around it in a spiral. The pommel features oak spray castings on the sides and a scroll design on the top. The knuckle guard is a strip of gold metal with floral sprays. The counterguard is half basket shaped and bears an eagle with a US shield and oak and laurel sprays. The knuckle guard terminates in a quillon in the shape of an eagle's head.
label: Description
content: The scabbard has three gold mounts. The top mount bears a casting of Columbia holding a sword and a US shield. The second mount bears military trophies. The third mount features a Union soldier carrying a flag. The reverse of the first mount bears the inscription “Presented to / Capt. L. Force / By his Company”. There are two carrying rings on the scabbard, one on the right side of each of the top two mounts
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: 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: John N. Force
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.41929
label: catalog number
content: 41929
label: accession number
content: 149376
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: metal (hilt material)
label: Measurements
content: blade: 33 in x 1 1/8 in; 83.82 cm x 2.8575 cm
label: Measurements
content: scabbard: 33 3/4 in x 2 3/4 in; 85.725 cm x 6.985 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 39 in x 4 3/4 in; 99.06 cm x 12.065 cm