College Hill Armory Staff & Field Officers Sword

American Civil War

30.75" slightly curved, single-edged blade with flat spine and 25.25" unstopped median fuller. Blade 1" wide at ricasso and with traces of etched pattern decorations. 36.5" in overall length with a 5.5" cast brass hilt with foliate decorations in the face of the guard, along with the letters CS. Slightly exaggerated, over-sized knuckle bow as it typical of College Hill Armory swords. Leather covered wood grip with sixteen wraps of twisted wire. A leather sword knot is attached to the knuckle bow. The sword is accompanied by an incorrect but apparently period seamed sheet brass scabbard with brass mounts, a separate throat, two suspension rings and a drag.

Little is definitively known about the College Hill Armory (Arsenal) that was operated in Nashville by the somewhat mysterious L.T. Cunningham, but the firm produced or at least retailed swords during 1861 and until the fall of Nashville to Federal forces in February of 1862. All of the records regarding an L.T. Cunningham in the Confederate Citizen Files revolve around Mr. Cunningham doing roof repairs for various buildings being used by the Confederacy in Nashville, primarily hospitals. However, it is worth noting that George Cunningham was a partner in the successful Nashville dry goods business of Fall & Cunningham and that a G.W. Cunningham had the position of Assistant Quartermaster in Nashville by the fall of 1861 and was openly soliciting for supplies and contractors for the Confederate Army. It appears the same G.W. Cunningham was a Major by the spring of 1863 and was overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Atlanta Depot. It is likely L.T. and G.W. Cunningham were related, and as such G.W. may have used L.T. as his representative for a sword business "side hustle" which would have been perfect for an officer who was dealing in procurement and supplies management and who wanted to get in on part of the action, without the overt appearance of impropriety. Similarities between many of the College Hill swords and those by Sharp & Hamilton/Nashville Plow Works suggests that Nashville Plow Works may well have been the actual source for at least some of these swords, or a likely source for many of their parts, with Cunningham only serving as retailer or assembler. Due to the brief period of time that the College Hill Arsenal was in operation, these Nashville made swords are extremely scarce.

From the Bill Beard Collection

This lot is located in Cincinnati.