When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Up for sale is a museum-grade, 100% authentic domestic Confederate Cavalry Saber battlefield relic with undeniable appeal. This historic piece was recovered decades ago as an early farm pick-up in the immediate vicinity of Plymouth, North Carolina.
This sword is an authentic battlefield relic from the famous Battle of Plymouth, NC which took place from April 17 to April 20, 1864. The Battle of Plymouth was a resounding late-war victory for Confederate forces under Brigadier General Robert F. Hoke. Confederate cavalry played a critical role in the opening hours of the engagement, ambushing advanced Union patrols along the Washington Road. Finding a North Carolina-pattern Confederate saber on North Carolina soil, preserved by a local family for decades, makes this a premier centerpiece for any advanced Civil War collection. The extreme bending visible on the brass guard branches is highly consistent with an early agricultural find, likely struck by a plow or farm machinery in the decades following the war before it was pulled from the earth and saved.
This piece features two of the most sought-after physical attributes that advanced Civil War collectors look for to verify genuine, domestic Confederate manufacture:
1. Five-Dot Circular Mating / Assembly Punch Marks:
Visible right on the exposed iron tang is a clean, sequential row of five deep center-punch indentation dots. Because Confederate makers could not utilize standardized, interchangeable parts, components had to be individually custom-shaved and filed by hand. The blacksmith stamped these matching matrix dots on the blade tang and other components so the final assembly team knew these exact pieces were built exclusively for one another. This dot-style tracking marker is a highly documented signature found almost exclusively on swords built in the war-torn South and is heavily associated with Louis Froelich's Kenansville Armory operating right out of North Carolina.
2. Hand-Forged Unstopped Fuller:
The blade profile features a distinct unstopped fuller (groove) that gradually fades out completely as it meets the guard, leaving no squared-off or precision-milled ricasso. This is an undeniable trait of a Southern blacksmith shop forging blades by hand with limited automated machinery, contrasting sharply with the machined, stopped fullers found on Northern-made weapons.
Condition Profile
Hilt: Heavy sand-cast brass guard with a Phrygian helmet-style pommel. The three branches of the guard are severely bent out of alignment from historical farm/plow trauma prior to recovery. The brass displays crude casting texture, factory file lines, and a beautiful dark, untouched excavated patina.
Grip: The original organic wooden core and leather/wire wrap completely decomposed during its time in the soil, leaving the raw iron tang fully exposed to showcase the spectacular assembly stamps.
Blade: Sturdy, solid relic steel with natural oxidation, minor pitting, and heavy ground patina consistent with an authentic, early family excavation. The blade shoulders remain tight to the guard. This is a phenomenal opportunity to own a verified, deeply characterized piece of Confederate history that displays its authenticity out in the open and carries a direct, unbroken tie to one of the Old North State's most famous battles.
Please review all photos carefully to assess the exact condition of this battlefield relic. Item will be packed with absolute care and shipped fully insured. Please message me with any questions before offerding!
