Beschreibung:

Ellsworth?s Avengers with Imperial Albumen of 44th NY Officers at Muster-Out. An historic group with Gettysburg interest consisting of Freeman Conner?s bullet-struck 44th NY Zouave presentation sword and scabbard, his US Ordnance marked M1850 S & F sword, and framed Imperial albumen measuring 16? x 20? by Albany photographer ?Churchill & Denison? showing the 14 surviving officers at muster-out, dated October 11, 1864. Lt. Colonel Freeman Conner is seated in the first row middle and was instrumental in the epic Defense of Little Round Top on July 2, 1863. Conner?s presentation foot officer?s sword is a typical example showing regulation brass 1850 guard and knuckle bow with sharkskin-wrapped grip tight and intact (one minor wear spot) and excellent triple-wire wrap. Sword retains the buff leather washer at the base of the blade. The 30.5? blade is bright with just few scattered spots of rust, no nicks or scratches, marked ?Schuyler, Hartley & Graham New York? on ricasso. Unique etching includes crossed US flags and motto Stand by the Union, entwined ?US,? eagle with ribband, floral pattern and a seldom used design by 1860?a prominent liberty cap in rays. The spine of the blade is etched with a laurel leaf pattern. There is original presentation engraving on both the scabbard and sword. Engraved on the pommel cap are Conner?s initials ?F.C.? The leather scabbard has been broken twice between the middle ring mount and drag, but the inscription on the throat and the damage to the drag more than compensate for this condition. Beautifully inscribed on the throat of the scabbard is, ?Capt. Freeman Conner / from Company D / P.E.R / Oct. 15, 1861.? The ?P.E.R.? stands for ?People?s Ellsworth Regiment,? one early moniker of the 44th New York. The brass drag is simply remarkable. The flat side has obviously been struck with a spent musket ball, bending and deforming it, but not actually piercing the drag. A musket ball can actually be laid right into the deep dent. Interestingly, the tip of the sword blade is not damaged, indicating that the sword was drawn and out of the scabbard when the ball struck. We have combed the Conner bibliography attempting to ascertain the circumstances and probable location of the action that caused the bullet strike and cannot definitively say, except that the damage is obviously genuine. Conner was promoted to Major in July 1862 and suffered the first of his two wounds at Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862. By regulation he was then entitled to a Staff & Field pattern sword. His second sword was made by Ames and is a rare example of US Ordnance marked specimen made in ?1862.? According to Hickox the Ordnance Department purchased only 441 of these swords throughout the entire Civil War with 162 Ames S & F swords delivered in 1862. It is likely that this sword was carried at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, Spotsylvania and other critical battles. The blade is spotless: bright and shiny with essentially perfect etching on both sides. No age darkening or nicks and just the tiniest of speckles near the tip. Included in the floral/?US? etching is, ?Ames Mfg. Co., Chicopee, Mass.? On one side of the ricasso is the date and on the other side the rare, die-stamped markings of the US Ordnance inspector ?J.H.? The brass guard and hilt are in excellent condition with much hand chasing. The guard is slightly bent-in right at the cast ?US.? The sharkskin grips are virtually mint, being tight, snug, and clean, with just the very slightest of wear. Original wire wrap is complete and tight. Some small usage dings on guard just above the ?US.? The iron scabbard retains 95% original browning with one slight ding towards the bottom. The brass top mount is stamped, ?Ames Mfg. Co., Chicopee, Mass.? Only the brass drag of the scabbard shows wear, exhibiting several small pits and dings, possibly from saddle wear and gravel. It also shows ?drag? wear from constant abrasive contact with the ground when it was wo