College Hill Arsenal Foot Officers Sword

American Civil War

31.375" single edged spear point blade with a 23" unstopped median fuller. Blade 1.1" wide at ricasso. Overall length 37". 5.75" hilt with cast brass split branch guard with knuckle bow and Phrygian helmet pommel cap. Grooved wooden grip with leather covering and 10 wraps of twisted wire. Blade etched with a basket weave pattern as well as foliate and martial motifs. Etching is weak but visible. The sword is accompanied by a top seamed brass mounted leather scabbard.

Little is definitively known about the College Hill 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 part of the action, without the overt appearance of impropriety. Similarities between many of the College Hill swords and those by Sharps & 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.