Schuyler, Hartley & Graham 1850 Foot Officers Sword of Capt. Charles Amory - 24th Mass Infantry - POW at The Crater

American Civil War

31.25" slightly curved single-edged spear point blade, 37" overall length. 6" hilt with traditional 1850 foot officer's pattern guard, grooved wood grip covered in shagreen with fourteen wraps of twisted wire. Reverse ricasso with Clauberg maker's mark, obverse with Schuyler, Hartley & Graham retailer's mark. Blade acid etched with highly detailed flowing foliate scrolls, martial and patriotic themes. The inner face of the counterguard is engraved: Capt. Charles B. Amory/24th Mass. Vol. Inf. The brass mounted leather scabbard is included. The sword is accompanied by a CDV of Amory, a copy of his brief military autobiography, a copy of the regimental history that he helped write and also by a large binder of research about Amory.

Charles B. Amory (1841-1919) was a 20 year old clerk from Jamaica Plain, MA when he was commissioned a 1st lieutenant in Company F of the 24th Massachusetts Infantry on September 2, 1861. The 24th Mass was initially deployed as part of Burnside's North Carolina Expedition, fighting at the Battles of Roanoke Island and New Berne in February and March of 1863. While companies A and C were sent to Washington DC in May of 1862, the balance of the regiment stayed North Carolina operating around New Berne, Goldsboro, Kingston and Whitehall. On September 27, 1862 Amory was promoted to captain of his company. In 1863 the regiment regiment spent most of the year in operations in South Carolina, including the Battle of Secessionville, the investment of Morris Island, the assault and later siege of Forts Wagner and Gregg. The regiment was redeployed to Florida in the St, Augustine area in September. The regiment remained on station in Florida until the spring of 1864 when it was transferred to the Virginia theater of operations. On May 18, 1864 Amory was promoted to the Adjutant General of Volunteers, serving as the Assistant Adjutant General. On July 30, 1864, when the mine was exploded in Petersburg which resulted in the Battle of the Crater, Amory was captured. He was confined in a Confederate prison in South Carolina, from which he eventually escaped. He returned to Union lines and on March 13, 1865 received a brevet promotion to major for his gallantry at Petersburg. Amory resigned on May 9, 1865.

After the war he worked primarily as a cotton broker and was active in the GAR and Veteran activities. He was one of six Massachusetts veterans selected to represent the state at the 1913 50th Anniversary of Gettysburg, a battle he had not been involved in. Amory wrote a self-published monograph about his wartime services after the war and helped to write the regimental history of the 24th Mass. Copies of both books are included with the sword.

From the Collection of George Oldenbourg

This lot is located in Cincinnati.