[CIVIL WAR] IDed Naval Sword: Officer Who Served the Union on Land & Sea

About Auction

Live

Day 2: The American Civil War

By Fleischer's Auctions

Apr 25, 2026

Set Reminder 2026-04-25 09:00:00 2026-04-25 09:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Day 2: The American Civil War https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/fleischers-auctions/day-2-the-american-civil-war-22127
Featuring rare artifacts, documents, ephemera, photography, and weaponry relating to the American Civil War. Fleischer's Auctions info@fleischersauctions.com

View Full Catalog (361)

• Lot Description

  THE SWORD OF GEORGE F. BRALEY, WHO SERVED THE UNION ON LAND AND AT SEA

   

  SUPERB ETCHED BLADE THAT BEARS BRALEY'S NAME AND SHOWS WEAR COMMENSURATE WITH ACTUAL USE DURING THE CIVIL WAR

   

  M1852 naval officer's sword. Chicopee, Massachusetts: Ames Mfg. Co., ca. 1866. Overall approx. 34 1/4 in., blade 28 7/8 in. long.

   

  Around 8 1/8 inches from the blade's spear point is the following attribution, etched in old English script above the original Ames etching: "George Fox Braley / 1864 / 1866". Additional etchings include a faint "Ames Mfg. Co. / Chicopee / Mass," a geometric, an anchor and shield, an oval of 13 stars, and a stand of pikes with a flag bearing "USN" to the obverse and an eagle atop a carronade, a fouled anchor, a ribband reading "USN", and a fouled line with oak leaves and acorns to the reverse.

   

  George F. Braley's (alt. Brailey, 1837-1926) storied and extensively recorded career with the United States military spanned land and sea over the course of nearly five years. On 15 October, 1861, the 24-year-old farmer mustered into Captain Read's Squadron Massachusetts Cavalry, which would become the 2nd Battalion Massachusetts Cavalry Cos. A and B circa late 1861 and Read's Co. and Co. L. of the 3rd Regiment Massachusetts Cavalry, the redesignation of the combined 2nd Battalion and the 41st Massachusetts Mounted Infantry, on 17 June 1863. While occupying New Orleans as a part of the 2nd Battalion, he was admitted to the hospital for acute diarrhea from 17 to 21 May and was discharged for disability on 15 June. 

   

  Within a few years, the call to battle would again find Braley, and he was commissioned into the Navy as an acting ensign on 26 October 1864. Braley trained aboard the Mexican War-era Pacific Squadron flagship frigate and subsequent sloop of war, U.S.S. Savannah, at the United States Naval Academy from 21 October to 9 November. On 10 November, he joined the crew of the U.S.S. Cornubia (alt. Lady Davis), a packet ship and former blockade runner for the Confederacy that was captured by the U.S.S. Niphon and commissioned into the Union Navy. The Cornubia functioned as a blockading ship in the waters around Mobile and Pensacola. Braley would be present for Cornubia's capture of the Confederate schooner Chaos on 21 April 1865 and the gun boat Le Compt on 24 May, as well as the sinking of the steamer Denbigh, also 24 May. He served aboard the ship until 24 July, and from 25 July 1865 through 26 July of the next year, Braley was assigned to the U.S.S. Pampero, a storeship and collier whose ships supplied included blockades in the Gulf of Mexico. By his own account, Braley contracted "malarial poisoning" of the coast of Pensacola, Florida, in January 1866, which would ostensibly cause a myriad of other ailments later in his life.

   

  Braley was discharged from the Navy on 1 October 1866. Based on his invalid pension claims, the succeeding years of his life would be marred by the aforementioned complications, including rheumatism and a steadily worsening disease of the kidneys and eventually of the heart. He would nevertheless work as an elevator operator and was an involved member of G.A.R. Post #190 in New Bedford.

   

  The sword itself is in very fine condition. The blade evidences sections of darker patination, period sharpening, and minor nicks, but the pattern hilt, with a clearly struck federal eagle to the pommel cap and a dolphin finial and knucklebow terminal, retains consistent gold gilding to its entirety, and the original shagreen grip with 14 wraps of twisted wire is completely intact. 

   

  A binder of additional historical research and scanned documents compiled by the consignor accompanies the sword.

   

  Note: This lot cannot be packaged and shipped in-house. Successful bidders winning items marked as being packaged and shipped by a third-party service are responsible for paying the third party directly. We are happy to offer complimentary drop-off service to local third-party packing/shipping companies in Columbus, Ohio.

   

  [Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Swords, Knives, Bowie Knives, Knife, Blades]

  Request Condition Report
• Shipping Info

  • All packages valued at over $250 are shipped with a signature required upon delivery. All packages handled and shipped in-house by Fleischer's Auctions are not insured unless insurance is requested. Successful bidders who would like their packages insured are responsible for notifying us that this is the case and are responsible for paying the cost of insurance.

• Payment & Auction Policies

  • Available payment options

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
• Buyer's Premium
  • 25.00 %