Principal Markings: “Manuf ^re Klingenthal Coulaux & Cie” (manufacturer); “B” under crown and “S” within shield (“B” is unknown and “S” denotes inspector Charles Schmidt); “Maj Gen Shields” (scratched into the hand guard); “Maj General Shields” (scratched into the upper scabbard mount).

Manufacturer: Manufacture de Klingenthal, owned and operated by Coulax & Cie, Alsace, France.

Condition: Excellent

Notes: Personal sidearm of Brevet Major General James Shields. An Irish immigrant, Shields served on a merchant ship prior to becoming a lawyer in Illinois. He began a political career in the 1830s and won election to the Illinois state legislature. Subsequently appointed as state auditor, he prevented economic collapse in Illinois, but his unpopular tax policies led to a dispute and near duel with Abraham Lincoln in 1842. During the Mexican War Shields served with distinction as a brigade commander; he was severely wounded by a canister ball that penetrated his chest at Cerro Gordo and he led his troops forward on foot after his horse was killed and his arm broken by a musket ball at Chapultepec. Shields’ valor in Mexico earned him a postwar brevet promotion to major general of volunteers. In the 1850s he served as a U.S. senator from Illinois and Minnesota.

In Mexico supervising a mining enterprise when the Civil War began in 1861, Shields offered his services to the Union. Commissioned a brigadier general of volunteers to date from August 19, 1861, he assumed command of a division in Major General Nathaniel P. Banks’ corps on March 7, 1862. Operating in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Shields was severely wounded on March 22 at Kernstown by an exploding shell which struck a nearby limber horse. Though carried from the field prior to the main action on March 23, this fact did not prevent him from claiming credit for the victory. The success over Stonewall Jackson at Kernstown resulted in Lincoln recommending Shields for promotion to major general of volunteers and appointment as a brigadier general in the regular U.S. Army. The U.S. Senate refused to approve these recommendations, however, due to Shields’ poor performance against Jackson at Cross Keys and Port Republic in June 1862. Incensed by what he viewed as a personal affront and public humiliation, Shields resigned his commission on March 28, 1863. After the war Shields became a farmer in Missouri and served as a U.S. senator from that state. He is the only person in U.S. history to serve as a senator from three different states.

This sword is the subject of an article, “A Hidden Treasure: The Sword of General James Shields,” in Military Antique Collector Magazine Vol. 2, No. 3 / 2023 by Steven W. Knott, a copy of which is included with the sword.  A binder of other items accompanies it as well, which contains the following:

1. Modern copy of an image of Shields taken c1863 by Mathew Brady, in civilian dress, from the National Archives, as shown above.

2. Modern copy of a circa early 1862 CDV of Shields in uniform, with one hand resting on a M1850 style staff and field officer’s sword, which is likely this Klingenthal sword; as shown above.

3.  Individual photos of the sword as featured in this listing.

4. A modern reprint of a booklet entitled, General James Shields:  Soldier, Orator, Statesman by Henry A. Castle, originally published in 1915. [sk] [ph:L]

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