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Model 1872 Cavalry Officers' Saber

 By Patrick McSherry

Model 1872 Cavalry Officers' Saber
Hilt of the Model 1872 Cavalry Sword used by 1st Lt. William A. Siddle of the 49th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. The blade is marked "AMES SWORD CO. AMES ILL." The Ames Company had opened the Ames Sword Co. branch in Chicago in 1881. In 1893 the Chicago branch was consolidated with the Frank Henderson & Co. forming the Henderson Ames Co. Therefore, the version of the saber shown above was manufactured between 1881 and 1893. Though the weapon was a cavalry weapon, it was used in the Spaish American War by Lt. Siddle, a volunteer infantry officer. The sword was likely purchased privately by him.

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GENERAL:

The Model 1872 Cavalry Officer's Saber saw service in the Spanish American War.

BACKGROUND:

By the time of the American Civil War it was becoming obvious to the infantry officers that swords had very limited value in battle as a weapon. The reason was that the firearms used in the conflict forced the fighting to occur at a distance. The heavier swords such as the 1850 Foot Officer's Sword gave way to the Model 1860 Officers Sword. The weapons were quite different, but the most notable difference was that the blade of the Model 1860 sword was much lighter blade which would not have held up in actual combat. Swords used by officers were now generally a symbol of a authority and as a device for giving direction in battle. For the cavalry, the issue was slightly different. During the Civil War, the Model 1856 Officer's Cavalry Saber still saw action in battle, but in the period following the Civil War the cavalry followed the infantry in that firearms were the weapon of practical choice. As a result, the cavalry officer's saber was modified and the Model 1872 Cavalry Saber came into existence. The most significant difference was, again, the weight and width of the blade. The blade would have greatly limited the weapon's value in battle, but still would allow for the weapon to act as a symbol of authority. The Model 1872 Cavalry Sword was produced from 1872 until 1903.

ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:

A major advantage of the Model 1872 Cavalry Officer's Saber was that it actually was lighter. It would still be useful as a symbol of authority. The theoretical disadvantage was that the weapon would have been of little value as a weapon in battle. This, however, is a perceived disadvantage rather than actual disadvantage in that sabers seldom saw actual use as a weapon.

TECHNOTES:

Date Adopted
1872
Blade length:
32 1/4 inches
Blade width
3/4"
Overall Length

39 1/2 inches

Model 1872 Cavalry Officer's Saber used in the Spanish American War

The Model 1872 Cavalry Sword used by 1st Lt. William A. Siddle of the 49th Iowa Volunteer Infantry beside his pistol and trunk.


Bibliography:

Bazelon, Bruce S., and William F. McGuinn, A Directory of American Military Goods Dealers & Makers, 1785-1885. (Manassas, VA: REF Typetting and Publishing, Inc., 1987) 1.

Siddle, Troy - images of saber and equipment

The Horse Soldier, "The Model 1872 CavalryOfficer's Saber by Ames" https://www.horsesoldier.com/products/edged-weapons/swords/32305

Wyllie, Arthur,  U.S. Swords. (Tulsa: MCN Press, 1980), Reprinted 2005, 103.


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