IDED 1ST VIRGINIA CAVALRY CONFEDERATE MADE CAVALRY SABER, COMPANY D, CLARK CO. VIRGINIA
This unmarked Confederate made cavalry saber was used by Private & Commissary Sergeant James Watson*1 when he served in Company D Clark Cavalry, 1st Virginia Cavalry*2 from July 1861 to April 1865. This confederate saber is 39 1/4“ long & has a 33 ¾” curved blade with a 24 ¾ unstopped fuller on both sides, a fairly crudely cast brass guard & pommel cap with an oilcloth wrapped grip without the usual twisted wire. The tang sticks out about 1/16\" past the pommel cap back & has not been peened to tighten up the blade.It is as it was made. It is in well used, fair to good condition with the blade having light/medium pitting & a dark brown patina. It is in as found condition & was only cleaned with dish detergent & warm water. The guard & pommel cap have a dull dark patina & the oilcloth wrapping is in good condition. These sabers are only found in Virginia & are always connected with Virginia cavalry regiments & are in several Virginia museums including The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond. It is communally believed that they are made in 1861 in Richmond by Boyle & Gamble but this is unproved. It was found at the Castleman’s Ferry House in western Clark County, Virginia in 1958. It was bought directly from the Watson family by Ellis Edmond Bayliss who had a very large collection of Civil War & Virginia artifacts. See William Albaugh III & Edwardv Simmons book Confederate Arms, page 115, figure 134 & William Albaugh III’s book Co0nfederate Edged Weapons, page 137, figure 94 for information on sabers like this one.James Watson enlisted in the Clark Cavalry that became Company D, 1st. Virginia Cavalry on July 14, 1861 as a private. He was promoted to Commissary Sergeant on May 2, 1862. Assigned to the Charlottesville Hospital from August 29 to October 21, 1863 & again from November 23 to December 30, 1863.with Typhoid Fever. He fought in every battle with the 1st. Virginia Cavalry from July 1861 to August 1863 & from January 1864 to April 1865. He was wounded at the Battle of Darbytown, Virginia in Henrico County, Virginia on October 7, 1864 & again at the Battle of Cool Spring/Castleman’s Ferry in Clark County. He was paroled on April 20, 1865 in Winchester Virginia. See his very fine quality British antler handled Damascus bladed Bowie knife listed separately. I also have his French pin fire revolver but can not list it due to s restrictedfirearms policy.
*The 1st Virginia Cavalry completed its organization at Winchester, Virginia, in July 1861, under the command of Colonel James Ewell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart at the command of General Thomas Jackson. Unlike most regiments, the First contained twelve companies from the counties of Amelia, Augusta, Berkeley, Clarke, Frederick, Gloucester, Jefferson, Loudoun, Rockbridge, Rockingham, and Washington.After taking part in more than 200 engagements of various types including First Battle of Bull Run, the Seven Days Battles and Stuart\'s ride around McClellan. The regiment was active in the conflicts at Gainesville, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Kelly\'s Ford, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station, the Wilderness, Todd\'s Tavern, Spotsylvania, Bethesda Church, and Cold Harbor. Later it was involved in Jubal Early\'s operations in the Shenandoah Valley, the defense of Petersburg, and the Appomattox Campaign.
