Arms, Armor and Militaria

31.75" single edged spear point blade with a 23.5" stopped median fuller, 1.07" wide at the ricasso. Overall length 37.75" with a 6" gilt brass hilt and grooved silver grip with twisted wire wrap. Face of guard with open work intertwined vines and chiseled pommel cap with a spread winged eagle at the rear of the grip. Blade marked COLLINS & CO/HARTFORD/CONN on the reverse ricasso and etched Schuyler, Hartley & Graham. Blade etched with fine complex intertwined foliate patterns with a large US, a Zouave soldier in full field gear and Columbia with her shield as the primary images on the reverse and a classical soldier and panoplies of arms with a Liberty Cap on the obverse. The browned steel scabbard features deeply chiseled gilt brass mounts with a silver presentation plaque on the obverse between the upper and middle mounts that is engraved: Shiloh Corinth/Presented to/Lieut. Col. C.S. Hanson/20th KY Vol/as a token of Friendship and esteem./By J.M. May 1863/Chaplin Hills. The sword is accompanied by a large binder of information and research about Hanson and his history.

Charles S. Hanson (1829-1875) of was an attorney in Winchester, KY when joined the 20th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry on October 1, 1861 and was commissioned the lieutenant colonel of the regiment on January 6, 1862. During that year the regiment was engaged in many of the major battles in the western theater including Shiloh, Corinth, Perryville and Stones River. On December 31, 1862 Hanson was transferred to the 37th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry and was made the colonel of that regiment. The 37th KY was brigaded with the 20th KY and Colonel Hanson would eventually command the brigade as well. Most of 1863 and 1864 was spent on provost duty in and around Louisville and in chasing and fighting Confederate guerrillas in Eastern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia, most notably against men under the command of John Hunt Morgan. One of the more prominent engagements was Hanson's defense of Lebanon, TN against Morgan's Raiders on July 5, 1863. On October 2, 1864 Hanson was wounded and captured during action around Saltville, VA. This against a combined Confederate force of homeguard, guerrillas under the notorious Champ Ferguson and Confederate regular troops. The action was particularly horrific due to the massacre of some 40-50 African-American members of the 5th and 6th USCT by Confederate irregulars. Hanson was confined at Libby Prison in Richmond, VA. After his release Hanson returned to his command and was discharged on March 7, 1865.