3181 INSCRIBED HIGH GRADE MILITIA OFFICER’S SWORD &

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 5,000.00 USD
Estimated at 10,000.00 - 14,000.00 USD
CASED MAJOR GENERAL DRESS EPAULETTES BELONGING TO MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT THEN COLONEL ALEXANDER SHALER 56th NEW YORK INFANTRY. Overall length: 39”. Blade length: 32”. The blade is elliptical in cross section with a small central fuller and etching over the first 15”. The beautiful frosty etching features foliate motifs, sprays of arms, spread-winged American eagles, and ribbons that read “E PLURIBUS UNUM”. Gilded brass cruciform guard with American eagles perched on a liberty cap on both sides of the front languet. The rear languet features oak leaves, a Roman axe, swords, and a liberty cap on pole. Original complete chain knuckle bow leads to a loop below the eagle’s beak of the fully-formed perched eagle pommel. The solid silver grip is engraved with a spray of arms, an American flag, the arms of the New York National Guard, as well as a diving eagle. There are two ribbons that read “PRO PATRIA ET GLORIA” and “NATIONAL GUARD”. There reverse of the grip has an engraved laurel wreath surrounded by glories. The gilded brass scabbard has oak leaf suspension mounts and a scroll near the throat that reads “HORSTMANN & SONS MAKERS PHILADA”. An attractive inscription between the mounts is surrounded by oak leaves and acorns and reads “Presented to Capt. Alexander Shaler by his Company, as a token of respect and esteem. New York, June 12th 1851.” The exceptional epaulettes are housed in a japanned tin with a metal label that reads “HORSTMANN BROS. ALLIEN No 7 Bond Street New York”. The attractive gold epaulettes each have two silver bullion stars on the top, along with a gilded staff button. The underside is red Moroccan leather with red velvet. All clips and attachments are intact and the epaulettes are marked “RIGHT” and “LEFT”. Also included are three pages of sheet music titled “To Maj Genl Alex. Shaler. GEN. SHALER’S MARCH BY E.G.B. HOLDER.” Alexander Shaler was born in Haddam, CT in 1827, and joined the New York Militia as a Private in 1845. On the December 13th of 1860, he was commissioned Major of the York Regiment. He was subsequently appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 65th New York Infantry in the summer of 1861 and, in the summer of 1862, he became its Colonel. He authored “Manual of Arms for Light Infantry Using the Rifle Musket”. Shaler fought at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Maryes Heights, and Gettysburg. He was commissioned Brigadier General in 1863 and Major General in July of 1864. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions at Maryes Heights, Virginia, where he charged at the head of his men in the face of withering Confederate, Artillery, and Infantry fire through the enemy’s lines and turned their flank. Shaler’s exploits on the battlefield were the stuff of legend, and his career after the Civil War was equally laudable. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: two large files containing the military records of General Shaler, a signed telegraph from Shaler, several copies of photographs of the General, his Medal of Honor file, official records, and more documents relating to the General and his illustrious career. CONDITION: the blade of the sword shows substantial original factory polish with crisp, eye-catching engraving. The intensely patriotic hilt is a supremely attractive example, highlighting the contrast between the heavily gilded mounts and beautifully engraved silver grip. The scabbard retains nearly all of its original gilded finish with artistically done engraved flourishes. The epaulettes show light overall wear. The storage tin shows expected scuff and scrapes with no major damage. The sheet music is separated at the spine but complete. (02-21028/BF). $10,000-14,000.