Although called the U.S. Model 1860 Light Cavalry Saber in collector shorthand, production of the pattern was the topic of discussion between Ames and U.S. Ordnance in late 1856 and deliveries started in 1857. This is a very scarce example date 1858, the first year these were actually dated. Ames’s 1857 contract was for 1,000 sabers, of which almost half were rejected and had to be replaced by the company. This may have led to the government covering itself by ordering 500 of the older 1840 pattern when it gave Ames a second contract for 800 of the new pattern on April 14, 1858. This group of 800 was delivered by October 18, 1858, and must have been acceptable: the government issued Ames another contract on November 24, 1858 for 1,000 more sabers of the new pattern, which were delivered in March and in April 1859.

The condition of the saber is very good. The brass hilt has no bends or dings, and shows an undisturbed mellow, aged patina with a few thin, brown age spots, and one or two tiny spots of verdigris on the inner face of the counterguard. The grip has full leather with the correct top seam and full wire. The leather shows only some minor wear, mostly rubbing to the lower right side forward, left side rear and near the top, and the underside, places where it would be most in contact with the palm of the hand and fingers. Both the left side of the pommel and the knucklebow just below it are stamped, “38.” This is certainly a “rack number,” usually kept at the company level, for keeping track of gear and weapons that would be charged against a soldier’s account if carelessly lost or damaged. The leather sealing pad is in place on the underside of the guard.

The blade is smooth metal, semi-bright, with scattered, very thin gray areas, and a few slightly darker gray spots, but no pitting and has good edge and point. The only dings are four or five very small, short shallow dings on edge of the obverse ricasso just above the inspection marks. Both the blade address inspection markings are legible. The brim of the pommel cap has the block letter  “J.H.” of Joseph Hannis, a civilian employee of the Ordnance Dept. and the script “W.A.T.”initials of Maj. William A. Thornton, Inspector of Contract arms, former initials being very clear and the latter slightly rubbed on the upper left.  Hannis’s initials show again on the obverse ricasso of the blade: “US / JH / 1858.” The reverse bears the correct three-line block letter maker stamp: “AMES MFG CO/ CHICOPPEE / MASS.”

The scabbard is complete with throat, ring bands, rings and drag in place. It shows some thin brown mixing with pewter tones and some overall thin, light brown freckling. We don’t see any inspector’s initials left on the drag. This is the more robust 1859 pattern that replaced the older, lighter 1857 patterns, and the body measures just about 36 inches. This fits with the saber itself, with the blade measuring about 35 inches, which replaced the 34 inch blade of the 1857 sabers and early 1858s. If we were to guess, the saber was likely produced in the later part of 1858 and likely in the March or April 1859 deliveries, though the heavier scabbard was not actually mandated until June 13, 1859.

This is a scarce, early Ames light cavalry saber that would have seen service in the early Indian Wars and throughout the Civil War. 1858-dated examples are hard to find and rare in any collection.   [sr][ph:L]

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