Group includes a high quality cavalry officer’s saber by the Ames Manufacturing Company, sword belt and plate, sash, bit, epaulets, regulations book and paperwork identified to Captain George P. Conger of Company B, 1^st Vermont Cavalry.

An overall view of the saber in its scabbard gives the viewer an idea of the quality of this item. The gleaming brass of the hilt and some of the scabbard still display original gilt and the detail of the saber’s engraved decoration is first class.

Drawing the saber from the scabbard exposes a blade that is exquisite. Its surface is bright as a mirror and the etching is every bit as frosty as it was the day the blade was made. The drawn saber meas. approx.41.00 inches from point to pommel. The blade itself meas. approx. 35.00 inches with a 28.00 inch stopped fuller surmounted by a 19.50 inch narrow fuller. Blade has no mottling or pitting. The reverse ricasso does have some signs of rubbing from the sword fitting tight in the scabbard due to a slight bend. The obverse etching begins just above the ricasso with the maker’s name in three lines that reads “AMES MFG. CO. / CHICOPEE / MASS.” This is followed by scrollwork leading to a panoply of arms surmounted by a spread-winged eagle with “E PLURIBUS UNUM” riband and ending with more scrollwork. The reverse side etching has crosshatching and vines above the ricasso before beginning with scrollwork followed by a block “U.S.” a different panoply of arms than the one on the obverse side and ends with more scrollwork. A perfect white buff leather washer is present against the guard at the base of the ricasso.

The sparkling brass hilt looks to retain 100% of its gold gilt. The domed Phrygian style pommel cap has very detailed oak leaf wreath on the lower border. Two of the three branches of the knucklebow are heavily decorated at their base with laurel leaves. The grip is covered in a wonderful gray sharkskin that is in excellent condition and is wrapped with twisted brass wire that is also perfect.

The brass scabbard has one very small ding on the reverse side otherwise it is excellent. The obverse side is deeply engraved with scrollwork decorations both above and below each of the two mounts. The engraving includes finely done accents within the scrolls which is heavier near the mounts. The face of each mount is heavily engraved with oak leaves. Both rings are present. Between the lower mount and the drag is a fantastically done panoply of arms featuring a scrollwork base supporting a knapsack with rolled blanket, a patriotic shield, two drums, crossed flags and three pikes with the central pike holding a Liberty cap. The drag area also has finely done scrollwork. The reverse side of the scabbard is blank except for the Ames mark near the throat and a finely engraved presentation that reads “PRESENTED TO CAPTAIN GEORGE P. CONGER BY THE OFFICERS AND PRIVATES OF CO. B 1^ST VT. CAVALRY AS A TOKEN OF RESPECT FOR HIM AS AN OFFICER AND A MAN. SEPT. 16, 1862.” The presentation is complete with the usual linear decoration and flourishes.

Also present in the group is Captain Conger’s leather waist belt and sash. The brown leather belt is decorated with two parallel lines of white stitching along the top and bottom edge. The leather shows light to moderate wear along the edges and some of the white thread has darkened or is missing but the belt is solid. Attached to the belt is a large heart shaped shield to keep the brass shoulder strap ring and hook from rubbing against the uniform. The shoulder strap is a little different then what is usually seen in that it is a loop that is sewn on the end and attaches to the belt by a snap-hook. The plate is the usual stippled background rectangular sword belt plate with a wide tongue on the reverse and a bench mark that matches the keeper. Both sword drops and their snap-hooks are present and are solid.

Sash is full length and complete with acorns and tassels. The body of the sash has badly faded over the years but looks to be free from snags or any other type of damage. There is some light surface dirt and light scattered minor staining.

Bit is the early brass faced, small port cavalry type with an interior iron surface that may have been tinned. Both rings are present. Interior shows some light surface rust and minor amounts of the brass facing are worn.

Also with the group is a pair of epaulettes. The upper body is made of a silver cloth with silver bullion border outlined with silver dead bullion. The clamshell area has a raised silver arc outlined with a double row of silver dead bullion. Hanging from the clamshell area are thick silver bullion wire tassels. Both epaulettes have a silver eagle “I” button holding string anchors. The undersides of both pieces were lined with a white satin material which has all but disappeared leaving the padding exposed.

Amongst the items listed above is also Captain Conger’s copy of the 1861 Army Regulations. Volume is the usually seen blue cloth hardcover with embossed eagle on the covers and the title in gold on the spine. Covers are worn but the interior is complete. Very nice period ink inscription is present on the first page and reads “PRESENTED TO CAPT. GEO. P. CONGER BY COL. L. B. PLATT 1^ST VT. CAVALRY REGT.” The Colonels name and rank is done in a wonderful style of calligraphy.

There are several documents in with the group as well. The first is a pre-printed state of Vermont commission filled in with period ink and completely legible. The document states that Conger was elected Captain of Company B on October 12, 1861. It was signed at bottom by Samuel Williams who was Vermont’s Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs and by Governor Frederick Holbrook on one side. Document also bears an impressed state seal. The commission was presented to Conger in November of 1861. The document has two vertical and one horizontal fold line with the small separation where two of the lines meet. It comes housed in the original mailing envelope with the postage stamp clipped off.

Another document is a large single sheet listing all the Privates in Company B who donated money for the purchase of the sword offered here. The document is dated September 16, 1862. A previous owner of the sword made a Xerox of the document and noted next to each man’s name what happened to him during the war. The original document is long and has numerous folds but is in overall excellent condition and very readable.

The last document in the group is a copy of Captain Conger’s discharge dated September 17, 1862. Again, the document is pre-printed and filled out in ink. There are two vertical fold lines but otherwise the document is excellent.

Lastly, the group contains two small pamphlets that are nearly identical. One published in 1959 and the other in 1968. Both deal with the famous St. Albans, Vermont Raid that took place on October 19, 1864 when Confederate operatives came down from Canada and robbed some of the banks in St. Albans before being chased out of town by civilians led by Captain Conger. Inside the pamphlets is a wonderful full standing image of Conger in uniform with the guidon of the 1^st Vermont Cavalry in the background. In the image the Captain has his saber drawn and one cannot help but wonder if the saber pictured is the one offered here. Both pamphlets are in good condition.

George Parker Conger was born in St. Albans, Vermont on November 24, 1816, the third of nine children. As a young man he had several vocations. He was a wheelwright, a speculator and for several years before the Civil War he was in the railroad business.

When the Civil War began George Conger raised a company that would become Company B of the 1^st Vermont Cavalry and was elected its Captain. He received his commission on November 1, 1861 and was the senior Captain of the regiment.

The regiment was sent to the Army of the Potomac and met the Confederates for the first time on April 16, 1862 near the small town of Mount Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley. In that action the regiment charged through the town driving Ashby’s cavalry about a mile to a bridge over the North Fork of the Shenandoah. The Confederates set the bridge on fire to slow the pursuit. Some of the Vermonters charged across the burning bridge while others began to douse the fire. At that point the action ended.

In May of 1862 under a new Colonel the regiment saw action at McGaheysville, Middletown and Winchester and in August took part in the fighting during the 2^nd Bull Run Campaign.

During this time Captain Conger’s health began to fail and he resigned his commission on September 12, 1862 and several days later left the army and returned to St. Albans.

Life for the former Captain was quiet until the unexpected raid on his hometown on October 19, 1864. When the shooting started in the streets some residents came out with weapons to engage the raiders but found their arms unable to fire due to poor upkeep. At that point Captain Conger came running up the street and called upon everyone to rally with whatever weapons they had. The raiders quickly mounted and rode off.

A December 28, 1916 account of the raid published in the Middlebury Record relates that Captain Conger entered the town square as the raiders were mounting up to leave. He was captured by one raider and turned over to another. He managed to escape in the confusion and got together a posse that chased the raiders for quite some time.

Deeper research may reveal more interesting facts about the good Captain.

George Conger died at his home on April 7, 1895 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, St. Albans. [ad]

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