Id’d Boyle and Gamble Foot Officer’s Sword and Leather Scabbard

Id’d Boyle and Gamble Foot Officer’s Sword and Leather Scabbard – Located in Richmond, the Boyle and Gamble firm was the most prolific manufacturer of officer’s swords for the Confederacy – the production of some of the swords were contracted by the Confederate government, while some of the higher-grade models were placed with retailers like Mitchell and Tyler, in Richmond. Their foot officer’s sword, like this example, were comparable in appearance to the Federal Model 1850 Foot Officer’s sword. Generally intended for use by Lieutenants and Captains, some of these foot officer swords were occasionally carried by NCOs. This Boyle and Gamble foot has a single-branched knucklebow, with a slot for a sword knot, near the pommel cap; the knucklebow descends into a distinctive and rarely found branched or notched guard, in the so-called “V-shaped” configuration. The hilt has a russet brown, leather covered grip, in fine, complete condition, with a single strand, copper wire wrap. The pommel cap is a non-tiered, simple type, with an obvious casting flaw, often seen in Boyle and Gamble products. This sword retains its original, brass mounted, leather scabbard; these leather scabbards were often the product of the R.H. Bosher Carriage Factory in Richmond; prone to damage and field wear, leather scabbards are often difficult to find in decent condition – this scabbard remains in overall fine condition – the brass mounts and scabbard drag exhibit an appealing, “mustard yellow”, aged patina, as does the guard. The sword blade has a single, non-stopped fuller, with no secondary, small narrow fullers; the blade retains faint, original etching; there is no maker’s mark on the sword; the blade has an obvious casting flaw, seen in many B & G swords; the steel blade exhibits a dark gray color and does have some very small nicks in the cutting edge; no leather pad near the guard is present. There is a very slight “play” in the hilt. Virtually the same sword appears on p. 18 of William Albaugh’s “A Photographic Supplement of Confederate Swords”.

This sword was discovered in Covington, Virginia in 2016; it had descended through the immediate family of Mrs. Mayme Florence Riley Smith, formerly of Covington. When Mrs. Smith had become aged, she sold the sword to a neighbor, who held the sword for twenty-five years, then sold it to the collector from whom we obtained it; this collector had extensively researched Mrs. Smith’s genealogy and found that three of her ancestors had served in Virginia regiments. Given that the sword remained in the Smith family for multiple generations, we presume that one of the three Virginia Confederates, listed below, was the wartime owner of the sword. We will supply the purchaser of the sword with all of the genealogical information, as well as signed affirmation of the provenance of the sword, from the individual who initially obtained it from Mrs. Smith, as well as comparable affirmation of provenance and purchase from the collector who obtained the sword in Covington, from Mrs. Smith’s neighbor.

Possible Wartime Owners of the Boyle and Gamble Foot Officer’s Sword:

 1^st Corporal Henry Jefferson Chittum, Co. B 58^th Va. Infantry –

Henry Jefferson Chittum

Residence Rockbridge County, VA; years old.
Enlisted on 3/1/1862 at Monterey, VA as a Priv.

On 3/1/1862, he mustered into “B” Co. Virginia 58th Infantry.
(Date and method of discharge not given.)

He was listed as:

• On rolls 8/31/1863 (place not stated)
• Wounded 5/6/1864 Wilderness, VA (Wounded in foot)
• Hospitalized 5/11/1864 Richmond, VA
• Returned 5/30/1864 (place not stated) (Estimated day)
• Wounded 9/19/1864 Winchester, VA
• Absent, wounded 3/21/1865 (place not stated) (No further record)

Promotions:

• Corpl 8/31/1863

Born 4/3/1843 in Rockbridge County, VA
Died in 1922

Capt. William C. Smith Artificer Staunton Light Artillery –

William C. Smith

Residence Northern Dist., Augusta County, VA; a 40-year-old Carpenter.
Enlisted on 7/9/1861 at Staunton, VA as an Artificer.

On 7/9/1861, he mustered into “C” Co. Virginia Staunton Light Artillery.
He was disch disability on 2/16/1865

He was listed as:

• Sick 8/31/1861 (place not stated) (Sick with a fever)
• On rolls 9/15/1861 (place not stated) (On rolls through 04/16/62)
• On rolls 4/30/1862 (place not stated) (Wagonmaker, on rolls to 10/31/62)
• On rolls 11/1/1862 (place not stated) (On rolls through 04/30/63)
• Wounded 5/12/1864 Spotsylvania Court House, VA (Shattered pelvic bone)
• POW 4/6/1865 Amelia County, VA
• Confined 4/10/1865 Newport News, VA (Estimated day)
• Paroled 5/1/1865 Staunton, VA

He was described at enlistment as:
5′ 8″, dark complexion, grey eyes, dark hair

Born in 1819 in Lynchburg, VA
Died 1/4/1894 in Staunton, VA
Buried: Thornrose Cem., Staunton, VA

(Carpenter, Western State Hospl, Staunton.)

Sgt. Joel N. Smith 51^st Va. Infantry

Joel N. Smith

Residence was not listed.
Enlisted on 7/1/1861 at Nelson Court House, VA as a Priv.

On 6/22/1861, he mustered into “B” Co. Virginia 8th Cavalry.
He transferred out on 10/15/1861
(Estimated day of transfer)

On 10/15/1861, he transferred into “E” Co. Virginia 51st Infantry.
(Date and method of discharge not given.)

He was listed as:

• Detailed 7/22/1861 (place not stated) (Driving wagon in 8th VA Cav)
• Returned 9/1/1861 (place not stated)
• POW 9/19/1864 Winchester, VA
• Confined 9/27/1864 Point Lookout, MD
• Paroled 3/13/1865 Point Lookout, MD (Estimated day)
• Exchanged 3/15/1865 Aiken’s Landing, VA

Promotions:

• Sergt 2/1/1863

(Living in Staunton, VA age 64 in June 1905.)