Marine Noncommissioned Officers' Sword, 1859-Present

Infobox Weapon
name= USMC Model 1859 NCO Sword
origin= USA


type= Sword

is_bladed= Yes

service= USMC
used_by= Noncommissioned officers
wars= Mid-19th and early-20th centuries
designer= Modeled on U.S. Army M1850 foot officers’ sword
design_date= Introduced 1859, notable design changes 1875, 1918
manufacturer= Horstmann, Ames, various others
production_date= 1859 to present
number= Undetermined
variants= Unetched blades until 1875, wide blades until 1918
length= 34"-36" commonly
part_length= 28"-30" commonly

blade_type= Saber, slightly curved, single-edged with false edge
blade_steel= Various carbon steels, modern versions made from stainless steel
hilt_type= Cast-brass hilt, leather-wrapped grip
sheath_type= Black-leather scabbard, two brass mounts, frog stud

Description

The sword adopted in 1859 and subsequently carried by noncommissioned officers (NCOs) of the United States Marine Corps is patterned after the United States Army’s foot officers’ sword of 1850, with minor differences. Marine NCO swords feature a cast-brass hilt with a half-basket guard; leather-wrapped grip bound with twisted brass wire; a slightly curved, single-edged blade with a wide central fuller and short false edge; and a black-leather scabbard with two brass mounts, including an upper mount with a stud for carrying in a leather belt frog, and a brass tip with drag.

History & development

U.S. Marine officers and NCO's have carried swords since the American Revolutionary War. During the earliest years, the swords worn by Marine NCOs are believed to have been based on Army patterns, though not necessarily the exact swords used by Army NCOs. By approximately the mid-1820s, however, Marine NCOs began wearing distinctive short sabers with cast-brass eaglehead hilts and curved blades. About this same time, in 1826, Marine Corps officers also began wearing a distinctive new sword of the Mameluke style, similar to those worn today.

In 1859, a completely new sword pattern was introduced for Marine Corps officers, who were instructed to wear the same sword then worn by Army foot officers since 1850. In addition, in 1859 a similar sword was authorized for wear by Marine NCOs, so that the swords worn by Marine officers and NCOs appeared to share very nearly the same pattern and characteristics. The Marine NCO version, though similar to that worn by Marine officers, had several differences. Among the most noticeable, NCO swords had plain brass hilts and scabbard mounts, whereas officers’ hilts and scabbard mounts normally were gilt. In addition, the grips on NCO swords were wrapped with leather, whereas those for officers were usually covered with sharkskin. Finally, NCO scabbards had only two scabbard mounts, consisting of a top mount with frog stud and a scabbard tip, whereas officers’ scabbards bore three mounts, including upper and middle mounts fitted with carrying rings.

The sword worn by Marine NCOs since 1859 was also carried throughout the American Civil War. With only slight modifications since that time, it has maintained its distinctive and traditional appearance. Only the sword authorized in 1852 for United States Navy officers has a longer service life, and today the M1859 Marine NCO sword is among the oldest weapons still in U.S. inventory.

Variations

Model 1859 Marine NCO swords initially were equipped with heavy, wide blades similar in shape and weight to those typically used on standard Army M1850 foot officers’ swords. Unlike the Army officers’ blades, however, the blades on early Marine NCO swords were polished bright but not etched. The familiar etched designs on Marine NCO swords were authorized in 1875 regulations, and they have been a standard feature of Marine NCO swords ever since. That same year, in 1875, Marine officers once again were permitted to wear their traditional Mameluke swords, which had been discontinued since 1859. At some point after 1875, Marine senior staff NCOs wore swords fitted with carrying rings, for attachment to sword belt slings, as opposed to traditional attachment by a stud in a sliding frog; this practice ceased with WWII and was not continued when the Marine NCO sword was reestablished in the 1950s. The only subsequent change significantly affecting Marine NCO swords was in 1918, when uniform regulations specified that blade width be reduced to the narrow dimensions seen today.

The M1859 NCO sword continues service today as the Marine Corps drill and ceremonial sword. At this time, the US Marine Corps is the only US Armed Force that authorizes its enlisted members to carry a sword. In the Marine Corps the sword's use is restricted by regulation to ceremonial occasions by an NCO or Staff NCO in command of troops.

References

LtCol (Ret.) Cureton, Charles H., USMC. “Early Marine Corps Swords,” "The Bulletin of the American Society of Arms Collectors", No. 93, 2006, pp. 110-133.

Crouch, Howard R. "Historic American Swords". Fairfax, VA: SCS Publications, 1999, pp. 99-105.

Peterson, Harold L. "The American Sword 1775-1945". Philadelphia: Ray Riling Arms Books Co., 1970, pp. 57-58.

"USMC Essential Subjects", Dept. of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, ISBN 0967512360

"Guidebook For Marines", Dept. of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, ISBN 0940328070

Simmons & Moskin, "The Marines", 1998, ISBN 0883631989, pp. 138-139

NAVMC 2691, "Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies Manual", January 1999

ee also

*Mameluke sword
*U.S. Marine Corps swords
*U.S. regulation swords

External links

* [http://www.usmcblues.com/items/px2222.jpgCurrent USMC M1859 NCO sword with accouterments]
* [http://www.navyandmarine.org/historicalref/usmc_uniforms/index.htm James Morrow, "The Uniforms, Weapons & Accouterments of the United States Marine Corps during the American Civil War"]