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PRESENTATION US M1840 MEDICAL STAFF SWORD OF ASST. SURG. BENJAMIN F. TAFT, 20th MASSACHUSETTS- THE HARVARD REGIMENT- WITH BATTLE HONOR: “FREDERICKSBURG.”

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This regulation U.S. M1840 Medical Staff sword bears an elegant inscription in script: B.F. Taft/Asst. Surgeon 20th Mass. Vols./Fredericksburg on the obverse scabbard between the upper and middle mounts. Born in 1830 and a physician in Blackstone, MA, when the war started, Taft was commissioned Aug. 22, 1862, served briefly at the Columbian College Hospital, and reached the regiment on December 1. The outfit had seen action at Balls Bluff and on the peninsula and suffered heavily at Antietam, losing Asst. Surgeon E.H.R. Revere among the killed. Taft thus may have had his hands full from the beginning, but it soon got worse. The regiment was part of a “forlorn hope” who crossed the river under fire in pontoon boats on December 11 and to secure Fredericksburg proper in preparation for Burnside’s major, doomed, assaults two days later, and were engaged intense, close street-fighting in that effort, as well as being involved in the main assault later. The episode has been portrayed by Don Troiani in his painting “Fire on Caroline Street,” which well conveys the horrendous nature of the fighting. The regiment lost 200 men in the attacks, 48 of whom were killed or mortally wounded- a large number and very high ratio. The sword was certainly meant to honor Taft’s handling of what must have been an overwhelming experience and was likely presented sometime between the battle and his transfer to the 19^th Massachusetts on Jan. 17, 1863.

The sword is the US M1840 Medical Staff sword, a pattern derived from Virginia presentation swords of the 1830s and worn throughout the Civil War. The ornate, smallsword style hilt is cast and chased with oak leaves, vines, flower petals, and acanthus leaves, with a US eagle in circle on both sides near the pommel, which is capped by a pineapple-shaped nut securing the blade tang. The crossguard has scrolled quillons cast with the leaf designs, and shield-shaped langets, the reverse plain, but finely stippled and the obverse cast with an Old English “MS” and six stars surrounded by a wreath, with the MS silvered. The hilt shows the small “EL” marking of E. Lyon of Paris, a known armorer and assembler of swords imported by American arms dealers. The scabbard, like the hilt, is gilt brass, and shows its quality by having the mounts deeply cast and chased with floral motifs on both sides rather than on the obverse alone.

The double-edge spearpoint blade is straight, ovoid in cross-section, and has a good edge and point. We cannot make out any blade-maker markings, likely concealed by the langets, but Lyon is known to have used blades purchased from the French government manufactory at Klingenthal. The blade is etched on both sides for about half its length, with dense floral and military motifs. The obverse starts with a stand of arms at the bottom, followed by floral scrolls embracing what seems to be a version of a US shield, followed by an American eagle with arrows, olive branch and upraised wings at the mid-point with an E PLURIBUS/ UNUM scroll that doubles back on itself above, and finished with more floral motifs.  The reverse uses similar motifs, stands of arms and banners entwined with floral elements at top and bottom, but with a sans-serif block “US” as its central motif.

The sword rates very good for condition and has strong traces of muted gilt remaining on elements of the detailed and deeply cast hilt and scabbard mounts that stand out against the darker, aged patina of the rubbed portions of the scabbard body, etc. The silvering of the MS is strong. The frosting of the blade etching has lightened, lessening the contrast and vividness of the motifs, but they are fully visible and legible. All mounts and carrying rings are in place on the scabbard.

Taft remained in the 19^th Mass for about two months, resigning in March 1863 citing a hernia and rheumatism incurred in the service and receiving an honorable discharge. He seems to have been born in Mendon, Mass., about 1830, and married in 1853. The couple may have had one daughter. Taft died in 1864, in Rhode Island by one account, but was buried in Millville, Mass.

This is a strong example of a one of the more ornate US regulation swords carried by a surgeon in very well-known regiment. Ex-Andrew Mowbray collection.  [sr][ph:L]

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