Lt. JOHN MALLET Civil War CSA E. J. JOHNSON SWORD Confederate Army
And I respect their opinion. But it has fooled 3 local dealers who also inspected this up close. Another local AUCTIONEER dealer who deals in Civil War items also looked at this sword & added a very strange POSSIBLE TWIST about this Sword.
He Agrees it's INDEED NOT A CIVIL WAR BATTLE SWORD! This sword is STAMPED PERSONAL & SPECIAL to a Lt. It reads PRESENTED To Lt. MALLET IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE BY THE CITIZENS OF MACON Ga. 7-20-1864 - 8-02- 1864 To me that is indeed a lot of text added and fitted on top of this blade.
If I was faking it I would of just added a date and a more Familiar name. Something like the BATTLE OF. And presented by the MILITARY. THE METAL SCABBARD is STAMPED with the name E. I Also understand that only a hand full of Johnston swords Stamped Johnston have ever been located. I also found that it is really hard to tell what is a Real Confederate sword as well. So here are the Sword Details. SWORD DETAILS > FROM the TOP of GRIP TO SWORD TIP is 35 & 3/4 INCHES total , The blade is 30 inches long. And a little over 1 inch wide.The METAL SCABBARD is 31 and a 1/2 inches. THE BLADE is STEEL And I CHECKED THAT WITH A MAGNET. AS STATED I found It's really hard to confirm real CONFEDERATE SWORDS from FAKES.
YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN HERE. MY OPINION is: It's really a nice looking Confederate type Sword dedicated to John Mallet That someone has spent way too many hours stamping it even if it was SOONER OR LATER. But it will make a Fantastic wall hanger. And a great conversation piece. THIS SWORD Is Stamped E.
JOHNSON MACON Georgia Dated 1864 on the SCABBARD! On the blade TOP it's scribe / STAMPED PRESENTED To Lt. 7-20-1864 - 8-02- 1864 That was the same time as the. The Battle of Peachtree Creek. Mallet on the internet and he was indeed in the area and a very busy person during the Civil War for the CONFEDERATE STATES. Best known for his work utilizing his technical and scientific knowledge in the construction and maintenance of ordinance laboratories at different places in the states of the Confederacy.From The Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. It's A NICE COLLECTOR SWORD WITH. MALLET, MOST LIKELY MADE TO DECEIVE.
A Local dealer and Auctioneer of Civil War items looked at this sword, and Scabbard and confirmed this is NOT A CIVIL WAR BATTLE SWORD. But also believes it's not a FAKE? It seems when Sherman was on his rampage of the South there is a group of well to do homes around the Macon Ga. Area that were not burned or stormed by Sherman's troops. It's called the ANTEBELLUM TRAIL.
It's also noted that John W. Mallet went on after the Civil War in 1872 he went to WILLIAM & MARY Collage & Princeton University in 1896 and JOHN HOPKINS University in 1902. He then became Vice president of the AMERICAN Arts & Sciences in BOSTON, WASHINGTON DC & Britain. Mallet had a lot of doors open for him after the Civil War, which seems strange for a man who was behind just about every shot fired from the south. Seems he was a DEAL MAKER as well!This Auctioneer thinks this sword was presented just as stamped, BUT! After the Civil war Ended? And It's a Dress Sword and never intended for battle which is why it never had a edge put on it.
And that is why it also READS. IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE BY THE CITIZENS OF MACON! Think of the scandal this sword could of caused across the south from all the other homes & plantations that were burned and robbed, setting up a new living for John Mallet up North after the war. TENSIONS WERE RUNNING VERY HIGH back then. No telling when or how this was presented.If they where Faking it. I would think they would of added a edge. Why spend hours stamping it , and not sharpen it? More so If you're faking it.
And I would think a faker would add "BATTLE OF" He also added the Scabbard and sword are NOT a match. He thinks the Scabbard was just added at another time or IT JUST FIT and was used and was just added. He thinks the whole thing was thrown together by some very GRATEFUL PEOPLE who were facing a war machine at their front door. Anyway, Seems John Mallet got a STRANGE free pass after the Civil War. And this area of homes in & around Macon still stand today.
And NO RECORD OF THIS SWORD , maybe because he was indeed WORKING BIG TIME in the NORTH after the Civil War. I would not want to be connected to the South as the Chemist of the Confederate States when making my living up North as well. He was the bomb maker. And there was a lot of bad feelings all around. This was some interesting information and a different TWIST on this sword. Mallet lived into the 1900's And remained a British Subject and never acquired Political allegiance in the U. Like behind the scenes deals as Sherman marched making several land & property deals and personal Deals along the way. And the way this sword reads. Meandering through the rich red clay of Georgias heartland, the Antebellum Trail traces towns that remarkably escaped the wrath of Union General Sherman during his March to the Sea? In his time John Mallet's life seems like that of Freiherr von Braun's life after WW II who also got a free pass. And I'm sure he did not show off or make a big deal of his awards either. Wanted them at any cost. It's just an old SWORD. I have this listed in Reenactment & Reproductions items. FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I REALLY DON'T KNOW.But what a wild story! So wild it just might have Merit. And If anything it's STILL a GREAT WALL HANGER & CONVERSATION PIECE.
I did talk to the person whom I received the sword from. And they do have some information that they are willing to share about this sword and some of it's past history. He also agreed there seems to be more to this sword as well. And a few more things are adding up with the information I shared back to him from what I was told. He has agreed to share this information with the new owner of this sword. Note; he seems to also think the scabbard is not original to the sword. But he's not sure.So I have his business card and I will send it along with this sword to the new owner. It's a starting point for anyone wanting to track down this swords past history. Thank you for asking and your interest.
JOHN MALLET Civil War CSA E. JOHNSON SWORD Confederate Army" is in sale since Thursday, March 03, 2016.This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Civil War (1861-65)\Reenactment & Reproductions\Edged Weapons".pluribusunum7" and is located in Supply, North Carolina. This item can be shipped to United States, to Canada, to Australia, to Taiwan, TH, to Hong Kong, to Mexico, NO, QA, KW, BH.