The Museum's superb military collections document the history of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States. The collections include ordnance, firearms, and swords; uniforms and insignia; national and military flags and banners; and many other objects.
The strength of the collections lies in their enormous depth. Some 3,000 military small arms and 2,400 civilian firearms document the mechanical and technological history of the infantryman's weapons from the beginning of the gunpowder era to the present. Among the 4,000 swords and knives in the collection are many spectacular presentation pieces. The collections also include Civil War era telegraph equipment, home front artifacts from both world wars, early computers such as ENIAC, Whirlwind, and Sage, and materials carried at antiwar demonstrations.
"Military - Overview" showing 1 items.
- Description (Brief)
- Presented to Captain A.H. Foster by Company D of the 25th Massachusetts Volunteers Regiment on February 8, 1862.
- Albert H Foster mustered in as a Captain of the 25th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment on Oct. 12, 1861. He mustered out on Oct. 20, 1864.
- The blade of this Model 1850 presentation sword is single edged and slightly curved. There is a broad, shallow fuller on three quarters of the blade. Floral designs and military trophies decorate both sides. There is an eagle on the obverse and a "US" monogram on the reverse. The shark skin grip is wrapped 14 times with a thin gold metal wire. The counterguard is an ornate sculpture of three parallel gold strips connected with floral sprays and laurel leaves and a “US” monogram. The reverse of the counterguard is a small gold ova. The quillon is a basic solid spiral decorated with a palm leaf engraving on the front.
- The scabbard is gold plated and has two simple, thin gold mounts decorated with laurel leaves. Between the mounts are ornate scroll designs and the inscription “Presented to / Capt. A. H. Foster Co. D. 25 REG. Mass. Vo. / BY / HIS COMPANY / As a token of their regard and esteem for him. / and for his bravery at the battle of Roanoke. / Feb. 8th 1862.” Between the second mount and the drag, there is a complex military trophy and floral spray engraving. The reverse of the scabbard bears no decoration. The scabbard has two carrying rings—one on the right side of the top mount, and the other on the right side of the middle mount.
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1862
- date presented
- Foster, Albert H.
- Ames Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- catalog number
- accession number
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center