Usually called the artillery short sword, the U.S. army adopted the Roman style short sword from the French army. The first contracts were let in 1832 and deliveries started in 1833. The sword was issued to enlisted men in the foot artillery and to infantry sergeants. Indeed, it was the regulation army NCO sword until the adoption of the 1840 pattern. Many of these also went to state militias, but relatively few are so marked. This one bears a deeply struck Massachusetts “MS” stamp on one side of the crossguard. Above this, on the ricasso, is the maker stamp “N.P. AMES / SPRINGFIELD” under the remains of the eagle stamp also used by Ames as blade mark until the Mexican War. The eagle has largely been worn by polishing, as have some letters of the firm name. Markings on the other side of the ricasso are also faint from polishing, though the end of the words “United States” can be made out and the deeply stamped initials WS of armory subinspector William Smith are visible. Thillman illustrates one, the only Massachusetts marked example he knew about at the time, dated 1839 and this sword is likely from the same group.

The blade shows very well, with good edge and point. The metal is smooth and shows a bright silver with just couple of medium gray spots on each side. The brass hilt has a medium patina matching the mounts on the scabbard. The scabbard is complete and the leather has good color, though it shows crazing on both sides and the remains of a bend about one third the way down on the back side that caused a bit of finish loss. This is a very scarce example of a regulation US side arm delivered to a state under the militia act 1808.  [sr]

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