George Washington's Battle Sword and Scabbard
date: label: Date made
content: ca 1765
label: date made
content: ca 1778
name: label: associated person
content: Washington, George
label: maker
content: Bailey, John
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description
label: Description
content: Hanger-type sword of forged steel with grooved blade. Grip of green-dyed ivory with silver strip decoration. Leather scabbard with silver trim.
label: Description
content: Specific History
label: Description
content: George Washington wore this simple hanger as his battle sword while serving as commander of the Continental army during the Revolutionary War. Made in Fishkill, New York, by John Bailey, an immigrant cutler from Sheffield, England, the sword has a slightly curved, grooved steel blade, silver-mounted cross guard and pommel, and a green ivory grip.
label: Description
content: The sword was inherited by Washington’s nephew, Samuel T. Washington, an army captain. In his will, Washington admonished his nephew to draw the sword only "in self-defense or in the defense of [the] country and its rights.” Samuel's son donated the sword to the United States government in 1843.
label: Location
content: Currently on loan
place: label: Place Made
content: United States: New York, Fishkill
label: used
content: United States
topic: label: Subject
content: Presidents
label: related event
content: American Revolution
label: related event
content: Revolution and the New Nation
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: National Treasures exhibit
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Kendrick, Kathleen M. and Peter C. Liebhold. Smithsonian Treasures of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: U.S. Department of State
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.32010
label: catalog number
content: 32010
label: accession number
content: 68016
objectType: label: Object Name
content: sword
label: Other Terms
content: sword; Edged Weapons; Hunting
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: green (hilt color)
label: Physical Description
content: ivory (hilt material)
label: Physical Description
content: leather (scabbard material)
label: Physical Description
content: silver (blade material)
label: Physical Description
content: silver (mountings? material)
label: Physical Description
content: bone (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 3 1/2 in x 36 1/4 in x 1 1/4 in; 8.89 cm x 92.075 cm x 3.175 cm