An adaptive Confederate battlefield weapon with deep European roots. Originally a Prussian artillery short sword from around 1850, this piece was repurposed into a Confederate side knife during the U.S. Civil War. It features a distinctive eagle-head pommel and includes its hand-stitched leather sheath—missing only the bottom metal fitting.
The blade bears the markings “JR100 20 craon 5.87 Knecht,” referencing P. Knecht, a European blade maker active from 1825–1850. Other worn markings further reinforce the weapon’s authenticity and transformation from a European tool of war into a uniquely American relic.
This rare artifact illustrates the Confederate army’s ingenuity in converting older and foreign-made weapons into functional arms during wartime shortages.
Features:
Repurposed Prussian artillery sword (c.1850)
Converted into a Confederate side knife
Eagle head pommel with engraved blade
Includes original hand-stitched leather sheath
Approx. Dimensions: Knife 19"L x 4.5"W | Sheath 15.5"L x 2"W
From a retired French American, Napoleonic, Civil War Era Collector & Museum Curator (asked not to be named)
