ID’D CONFEDERATE SABER BAYONET AND SCABBARD MADE BY BOYLE & GAMBLE, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

ID’D CONFEDERATE SABER BAYONET AND SCABBARD MADE BY BOYLE & GAMBLE, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA –  This is a rare example of a Boyle & Gamble, Confederate, saber bayonet in its original scabbard. This bayonet has a 20-1/2″ blade; the typical B&G, cast brass, ribbed hilt remains in overall good condition, with some very minor use dents, but is missing the push button and spring lug attachment mechanism. The rarely encountered, original, black finished leather scabbard is top sewn with a brass throat and button shaped frog finial; the original brass drag remains in place at the end of the scabbard. The leather of the scabbard is in overall good condition with some very minor flaking. The single fuller blade of the bayonet has not been cleaned, and is in overall, very good condition. Most significantly, nicely scratched, in well-executed lettering, in the scabbard, is the name: “H. R. Allison”. Research indicates that there is only one Allison with the initials “H.R.” – Private Henry R. Allison, Company B, 25^th North Carolina Infantry. Allison, of Jackson County, NC, enlisted on May 30, 1861, at the age of 19; he would survive his service for only about one year, as he died, in a Petersburg, Virginia hospital, on July 26, 1862, of “cerebro-meningitis” or “brain fever”. Allison was interred in the cemetery of the 18^th century church, Blandford, amongst other North Carolina soldiers. This is a rare, Confederate saber bayonet, still housed in its original scabbard; we have never had one of these B&G bayonets with its scabbard, much less identified.

Henry R. Allison

Pvt Henry Rufus Allison

25th NC Infantry

Blandford Church, Petersburg, Virginia

The Brick Church on Well’s Hill, now known as Old Blandford Church of Bristol Parish, is located in Petersburg, Virginia adjacent to Blandford Cemetery. Erected in 1735, the church building was abandoned in 1806 after the building of another Episcopal church in Petersburg when the Town of Blandford was absorbed by Petersburg. Necessary repairs for its preservation were made by the City of Petersburg in 1882. As part of the restoration project, the Ladies’ Memorial Association solicited funds from each former Confederate state for the creation and installation of a stained glass window in memory of the Confederate soldiers from that state. Louis Comfort Tiffany’s studio was commissioned to design the fifteen memorial compass windows. Each of the large windows contains the image of a Saint and symbols associated with the Saint. The four smaller windows were designed to complement the larger ones.