Non-Regulation Staff & Field Officers Sword (Peterson 75) by Walscheid, Inscribed to Lt. Col. William Coan - 48th NY Infantry

American Civil War

32" spear-point, single-edged slightly curved blade with 11" false edge and 19.5" median fuller. 38" in overall length with a 5.25" hilt. Pierced sheet iron partial basket guard with knuckle bow and two branches, guard with spread-winged eagle motif with an E Pluribus Unum ribbon in its beak, surmounting a US over an infantry hunting horn. Hilt with iron backstrap, grooved wooden grip covered in shagreen with seven wraps of multi-strand wire. Obverse ricasso with copper disc marked PROVED and reverse ricasso marked W WALSHEID/SOLINGEN. Spine etched IRON PROOF. Blade with nominally 10.5" etched panels featuring flowing foliate patterns, martial themes, a spread-winged eagle on the obverse and a US on the reverse. Sword includes its iron scabbard with two suspension rings, which is engraved on the reverse between the throat and the upper mount: Lt. Col. Wm B Coan/8th N.Y.V. The sword is accompanied by a large binder of research regarding Coan and his service.

William B. Coan (1830-1877) was 30 years old when he joined the 48th New York Infantry on August 8, 1861 and was commissioned the captain of Company E on August 27. The regiment was dispatched as part of the Port Royal, SC expedition on October 21and participated in the captures of Forts Walker and Beauregard in Port Royal Harbor on November 7, 1861. The regiment continued service in the deep south in 1862, primarily seeing coastal duty in Georgia that year. In 1863 they participated in the landing and operations on Morris Island on July 10, 1863 and the assaults on Fort Wagner on July 11 and 18. They then were part of the siege force of that stronghold during the rest of the month and August. The balance of the year saw the regiment serving in and around Hilton Head and Beaufort, SC and Fort Pulaski, GA. Coan was promoted to major on November 11, 1863. On February 20, 1864 the regiment fought at Olustee and suffered 665 casualties, including 498 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded. In April the regiment was returned to Virginia to participate in Grant's Overland Campaign, where they fought at Drury's Bluff and Cold Harbor and then participated in initial Siege of Petersburg. On July 2, Coan as promoted to lieutenant colonel. The regiment was part of the forces engaged at The Crater on July 30 and also fought at Deep Bottom Run in August, Chaffin's Farm in September and Fair Oaks in October. In December the regiment was made part of the expedition against Fort Fisher and on January 15, 1865 was part of the assault and capture of the fort.

During the battle Coan received a serious scalp wound. The regiment remained in the area and fought at Wilmington in February and in March joined the 10th Army Corps for the advance towards the North Carolina town of Kinston and Goldsboro. On March 14 Coan was breveted to colonel for his heroic actions at Fort Fisher. The regiment participated in the final chase of the Confederate Army of Tennessee and was present at the Bennett House for their surrender. The regiment was mustered out of service in Raleigh on August 16, 1865. After the war Coan was a grocer and died in 1877.

From the Collection of George Oldenbourg