Arms, Armor and Militaria

31" diamond shaped spear-point blade, .75" wide at ricasso with a prominent median ridge. 37.5" in overall length with a 6" gilt brass hilt with a shagreen covered grooved grip with fourteen warps of twisted wire. Hilt with raised and chased floral and patriotic decorations on the knuckle bow and urn shaped pommel cap. Etched blade with flowing foliate designs, martial and patriotic themes and an oval Schuyler Hartley & Graham retailer's mark on the obverse blade, a Klingenthal mark on the reverse ricasso and a French maker's mark on the obverse. Oval guard with raised and chased American Eagle motif, folding counterguard engraved with the presentation that reads: This sword was captured with Col. Orton/(Alias) Awtin, (alias) Williams who was captured/And Executed at Franklin, Tenn. June 1863 As A/SPY, by the Federal Forces and Presented to/Henry Newcomer by Lieut. Col. Hepburn/2nd Iowa Cavalry, Insp. Cav. Dept. of/The Cumberland. This sword is published in John Thillmann's Civil War Army Swords and is pictured and described on pages 448-450 of that book. The sword is accompanied by its browned steel scabbard with gilt brass mounts.

The story of the sword is somewhat complex but well documented in accompanying binder of research. William Orton Williams who eventually called himself Lawrence William Orton, was the great grandson of Martha Washington and 1st cousin once removed to Robert E Lee's wife Mary Custis Lee. Prior to the war Williams had prevailed upon Lee to secure him a commission in the US military, which Lee did, and in 1860 Williams joined the 2nd US Cavalry. After the war broke out he resigned and went to Richmond where he again prevailed upon Lee for help securing a position in the Confederate Army.

According to research in John Thillmann's book, Williams (Orton) subsequently distinguished himself at Shiloh and ended upon the staff of General Braxton Bragg. At this point he had the rank of colonel and his cousin Lt. Walter G. Gibson was his adjutant. The pair were dressed in Federal uniforms with forged documents when they managed to secure entry to Fort Granger in Franklin, TN on June 8, 1863. Although able to pass an initial inspection, Williams (Orton) was recognized by another officer who knew him before the war and was immediately identified as a spy. The pair were summarily tried by order of Army of the Cumberland commander General Rosecrans and after their conviction were sentenced to death at the ad hoc court martial. The pair were hanged as spies at 9AM on the following morning. The event is well documented, including period depictions in Harper's Weekly. Newcomer (some references name him as "Harry") was a spy and scout attached to Rosecran's Army of the Cumberland during that time.