Sold for $6,000
32.75" straight singled edged spear point blade with stopped median fuller. Blade 1" wide at ricasso. Overall length 39.75" with a 7" gilt brass hilt featuring a spread-winged eagle pommel, an engraved oval silver grip and a chain knuckle guard. 4.75" trapezoidal cross guard with relief cast decorations including panoplies of arms and liberty caps. Blade deeply etched with 12" panels featuring flowing foliate motifs, along with patriotic and military themes, including panoplies of arms, liberty caps, a spread-winged American Eagle on the obverse and trophies of arms on the reverse. Etching is enhanced with gilt highlights. The sword is unmarked. The sword includes its gilt brass mounted, engraved German silver scabbard with two suspension rings. Mounts with deep relief decorations. A silver scroll plaque on the obverse between the mounts is engraved Presented to/Capt. John C. Starkweather/by the non-commissioned OFFICERS/& PRIVATES of the Milwaukee/Light Guard/Spet. 2, 1858.
John Converse Starkweather (1830-1890) was born in Cooperstown, NY. He attended Union College in 1850 and was admitted to the bar in 1857. At this time he moved to Milwaukee where he had a successful career as a lawyer. He was a member of the local Milwaukee militia, the Milwaukee Light Guard and became their captain. This sword was presented by his militia company and the presentation of the sword is documented in the local newspaper of the period.
With the coming of the Civil War, Starkweather volunteered, being commissioned colonel of the 1st Wisconsin Infantry only days after the firing on Fort Sumter. The original 1st Wisconsin was a 90-day regiment that only saw combat at Hoke's Run on July 2, 1861 and was mustered out of service on August 22, 1861. Colonel Starkweather reorganized the 1st Wisconsin in Milwaukee and it became a 3-year volunteer regiment. The regiment served in the Western Theater through the majority of the war, seeing combat at Perryville, Stone's River, the Tullahoma Campaign, Chickamauga and participating in the entire Atlanta Campaign. At Perryville he commanded a brigade in Rousseau's Division of McCook's Corps and on July 17, 1863 he was promoted to brigadier general. He continued to serve as a brigade commander and was wounded at Chickamauga that fall. He ran afoul of some of the army's commanders, including Phil Sheridan while presiding over the court marital of Surgeon General W.A. Hammond. As he was not able to receive another command, he resigned from the army on May 11, 1865. He retuned to Milwaukee but soon relocated to Washington DC where he worked as a lawyer pursing wartime claims against the government. Starkweather died in 1890 at the age of 61.
The sword is accompanied by two large binders of information about Starkweather, including copies of service records, newspaper articles, various texts and other information about him. A framed print of Starkweather is also included.
Good. Blade with moderate oxidation and some scattered pitting, mostly on the last half of the blade. Blade mostly a dull pewter color with scattered discoloration and darkening. Etching is mostly visible but dull. Traces of gilt remain on the blade. Brass guard and eagle with traces of gilt, engraved silver grip with a dull silver color. Scabbard with a similar dull patina with the brass showing a dull golden color.