US Navy Captain John A. Dahlgren had a penchant for ordnance development and recommended adoption of a .69 caliber rifle to the navy in the late 1850s. Some 10,000 were delivered from 1861 to 1864 and nicknamed the “Plymouth” rifle after the U.S. Navy ship tasked with developing new weapons under Dahlgren’s command. Dahlgren developed two bayonets for the rifle: a short bowie-knife style bayonet and this one, a longer sword bayonet.

Bayonet measures approximately 27 ½” overall with a 22 ½” blade. This has the correct “Collins & Co. / Hartford / Conn.” maker’s mark lightly stamped on the reverse ricasso. The cast brass hilt has a mellow brass patina. The cross guard and ribbed handle are secured to the blade via a single transverse steel pin through the guard. The spring locking mechanism is intact and functional. The blade is smooth with overall dark patina. No nicks and a good point. There is a mating number of 2788 on the top of the handle, which would have also been stamped on the bayonet lug of the matching rifle.   [jet]

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