The Last Cavalry Sword: An Illustrated History of the Twilight Years of Cavalry Swords by Anthony C. Burke

Author:Anthony C. Burke [Burke, Anthony C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781399081283
Amazon: 1399081284
Publisher: Frontline Books
Published: 2022-12-13T21:00:00+00:00

America Enters the Twentieth Century

In July 1902, the US Army adopted a new saber for all officers, a handsome saber based on French and Italian designs. It was felt that the Model 1902 would finally provide many officers with a useable sword, their only previous option being a sword that was purely a badge of office and in no real sense a weapon.

During the Civil War, Union infantry officers above the rank of captain who wanted a robust useable sword could carry the Model 1850 Staff and Field Saber rather than the 1860 Model, which had a delicate double-edged blade with an equally delicate guard (see Figure 41 below). However, the Model 1860 Staff and Field Sword became mandatory in 1872.

In February 1889, a board of infantry officers held the sword to be defective and unsuitable, too delicate in cross section to deliver a thrust and too light to deliver a cut. The board found the sword unsuitable for mounted work and requested permission to submit a sword that would meet the requirements of all infantry officers, however no action was taken on the report for thirteen years.¹³ (At that time, cavalry officers carried a lighter version of the 1860 Troopers’ Cavalry Saber, and mounted artillery officers had their own special saber.)

The adoption of the Model 1902 Saber for officers showed renewed interest in sword development, and its inspiration sprang from the Italian Cavalry Model 1888, a version of which is still carried by the Italian Carabinieri, today. However, the sword itself initially had its defects; its German silver guard and scabbard were found to be too soft, and in December 1902, regulations required the guard and scabbard to be made of steel in a dull nickel finish.

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