Item Number: M00334

Item Title: Pattern 1796 Light Cavalry Sabre

Price: $199

Shipping: Not included

Provenance: US/CS

Model: Pattern 1796 Light Cavalry Sabre

Type:

Book:

Location Recovered: Powhatan Virginia area

Description:This sabre is from the time just prior to the War of 1812. It is a barn find from an area along the Confederate retreat route and no doubt spent the post Civil War years as a scythe and for other farm uses.

Of course this paragraph is reasonable conjecture, but during the American Civil War, this sabre would've been the pride of some cavalryman who probably had it passed down to him through his family and it was probably his Grandfather's or certainly of that generation. The Civil War era owner of this sabre must've been even more demoralized to have lost it on the final retreat or perhaps he stashed it for hopeful later retrieval so it did not fall into the hands of his pursuers.

I believe this is an American made Pattern 1796 Light Cavalry Saber. It has the reverse P hilt and half of a finely checked bone handle. Given the tensions with Great Britain at the time these were being made in England, very few were exported to the United States and so a few of these were made here. There is no scabbard unfortunately. Right at 36" from the top of the pommel to the tip of the blade. From the research I have done, this looks to be that type, but I welcome any input.