Swords of the American Revolution

Swords have been part of the American landscape since before the colonies declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776. Previous to this period, the British government supplied swords and other arms to its American colonies as a way to defend against the French. These weapons remained in good enough condition for the colonies to use them against England at the outbreak of the American Revolution. The first swords used in America were generally described as being forged in 1742, as they were first shown in the British book on military regalia called “Representation of Clothing of His Majesty’s Forces”, which was printed in the same year.

There were several variations of English swords used at the beginning of the war, including the 1751 British Infantry sword, so called because it was first depicted in a painting of that date. Most of the early English swords were single-edged, slightly curved, and had a false edge that ran about 6-7 inches back from the tip. The hilt of these swords were made of brass, and the grip was generally cast with a spiral pattern, although some examples found had wooden grips wrapped with wire. These swords remained popular with the American troops for several years.

When France entered the war on the side of the colonies, some swords came with them. Although nowhere near the quantity as the British, these swords did make an appearance, but were generally reserved for sergeant’s use for the duration of the war, and also several years after. These swords had a short, curved blade with a single edge, and included a false edge that extended down the blade about 5 inches. The grip, pommel, and capstan were cast in one piece.

Swords forged in Germany found widespread use in the war, especially those forged in the famous Solingen district. These swords had a straight blade and a double edge, allowing for its wielders to attack in a variety of different ways. The grips were fashioned from very smooth wood, and were generally covered with leather or another variety of animal hide.

During the American Revolution, soldiers ranging from militiamen all the way to commanding generals wielded swords. While there were as many as 75 colonial smiths such as Philadelphia’s Samuel Alexander and John Fitch of Trenton, NJ, it was more common for the colonists to use swords that were crafted by more experienced European swordsmiths at this time in America’s history, both because of their quality and their widespread availability.