This incredible sword's pattern is illustrated as No. 11 in the "Rich Presentation Swords For Field & Line Officers" section of Schuyler, Hartley & Graham's 1861 "Illustrated Catalogue of Military Goods." It features an incredible cast brass figural hilt depicting Union officer plunging his sword up to the hilt in the mouth of a mythical serpent no doubt meant to represent the Confederacy, "PATENT APPLIED FOR." inscribed on the back of his left sleeve, relief scroll carving on the guard, and a gilt finish. The 32 inch long, mostly straight blade has a gold washed etched panel patriotic spread wing eagle and "E PLURIBUS UNUM" banner on the obverse, "SCHUYLER HARTLEY/& GRAHAM" on the obverse ricasso, "IRON PROOF" on the spine, "U.S" in the etched panel on the reverse, and "W/CLAUBERG/SOLINGEN" maker's mark on the reverse ricasso. The scabbard has a nickel plated bod, brass fittings with elaborate relief scroll, floral, eagle, and martial trophies designs, and "Presented/TO/LIEUT COL JOHN S. HAMMELL/by/the Sergeants of/THE/66th Regt./NYVV/January 1st,/1864." inscribed on the reverse of the upper suspension band and the battles "Fair Oaks,/Gaines Mills,/Peach Orchard,/Savage Station,/White Oak Swamps,/Malvern Hills,/South Mountain,/Antietam,/Fredericksburg,/Chancellorsville,/Gettysburg,/Bristo Station." noted on the reverse of the lower suspension band. The sword and scabbard come in a rosewood presentation case with purple velvet lining. The sterling silver medal awarded for this sword at the NRA annual meeting, and the medal's blue box are included. This inscription on the sword's scabbard is dated January 1, 1864, and on the 14th and 15th, the New York Daily Herald documents the presentation via an article initially and then letter to the editor from the eighteen sergeants of the 66th New York Volunteers (copies added to the sword's file). The initial article was in error in regards to some of the details of the presentation according to the letter to the editor which indicates that Hammell's "sword, sash and belt was a gift from the sergeants of the regiment, and was presented by Daniel S. Munn." More details on the unit's history prior to that point is necessary to understand the significance of the presentation of this fine sword in the early days of 1864. The document file included with the sword includes numerous documents providing information on John S. Hammell (1842-1873) of New Jersey and the 66th New York Infantry, also known as the Governor's Guards, Mechanic Rifles, and Old Sixth Militia due to its formation via consolidation of existing units. Hammell was originally a member of the 6th New York State Militia (Governor's Guards), a 90 day unit that helped defend Washington early in the war and provided the core of the 66th when they returned to New York after their initial enlistment expired. The unit participated in many of the largest and bloodiest battles of the Civil War, including Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg, and Hammell took command of the men at the latter two and was wounded at all three. Many of the documents are copies of original period documents such as muster rolls and battle reports as well as early secondary sources. Hammell is listed as enrolled on September 6, 1861, in New York City at the age of 21 years old for three years. He mustered in at the beginning of November 1861 as the first lieutenant of Company I and was also appointed adjutant. He was promoted to captain in Company B in April 1862. At Antietam, they were in the Third Brigade commanded by Colonel John R. Brooke and were led by Captain Julius Wehle with Captain Nelson as acting lieutenant colonel, and Hammell as acting major. In the battle, they lost twenty-two enlisted men killed or morally wounded, and Hammell and seventy-nine enlisted men were reported wounded. At Fredericksburg, the largest battle of the war in terms of combatants, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel after Lieutenant Colonel James H. Bull was killed in action on December 11th. Captain Julius Wehle took command initially after Bull fell but was also killed. Hammell then took command but was then also wounded on the 13th by a shell fragment that struck him in the hindquarters and back and left him seriously bruised. They lost Bull, Wehle, Captain John Dodge, and sixteen enlisted men killed or mortally wounded out of their 238 engaged and also suffered Hammell, Lieutenant James Switzer, and forty-five men wounded and another eight missing. At Chancellorsville in May 1863, they lost three more men killed along with two officers and eight enlisted men wounded and two officers and fifty-five enlisted men captured. At Gettysburg, Hammell took command of the unit after Colonel Orlando H. Morris was wounded crossing the Wheatfield on July 2, 1863. Hammell was wounded shortly thereafter when he suffered a gunshot through his left forearm during their attack across the Wheatfield on Stony Hill, reportedly fired by a Confederate sharpshooter. At Gettysburg, of the 176 men from the 66th that fought, two officers and five enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, and five officers, including Hammell, and twenty-two enlisted me were wounded. Another officer and nine enlisted men were reported missing. They then fought at Auburn, Bristoe, and in the Mine Run Campaign. This completes the period noted on the sword's inscription, but the war was not over for Hammell and the 66th. In January of 1864, when the sword was presented, the unit was paraded in New York City and was hosted for a reception in their honor. Local papers indicated there was a unanimous reenlistment of the men for the duration of the war. In February, they participated in the botched Demonstration on the Rapidan River in Virginia and then fought at the Battle of the Wilderness where they lost two enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, five wounded, and four missing before fighting again at Spotsylvania Court House were they lost Lieutenant Thomas Johnston and thirteen enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, two officers and thirty-nine wounded, and another eighteen missing. They were part of the assault on the "Bloody Angle." At North Anna River, they lost another two men killed, two wounded, and two missing. At Cold Harbor in June, Colonel Morris was killed in action and another eight enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded along with seventeen wounded and 18 missing. At Petersburg, the unit again suffered losses, this time mainly via capture, including Hammell, five other officers, and forty-seven enlisted men. The unit is reported to have been reduced to only seventy men by the end of the assault. After his capture on June 17, 1864, Hammell was taken to Charleston, South Carolina. His health suffered while in captivity, and an unnamed disease contracted at the time was blamed for his death less than a decade later. He was finally paroled on November 30, 1864, at Savannah, Georgia. He was briefly dishonorably discharged on March 2, 1865, for "leaving the Post at Annapolis, Maryland, in an irregular way, thereby absenting himself without leave, and attempting to visit Washington, (in citizen's clothes,) without authority from the War Department" but was restored to his office on March 21, 1865, in time to serve during the Appomattox Campaign during which they suffered three men killed or mortally wounded and another ten wounded. They were present for Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House and then traveled to Washington, D.C., where they participated in the Grand Review after which they reported for duty at Fort Richmond, in New York Harbor, which was placed under Hammell's command. The men of the 66th were honorably discharged and mustered out on August 30, 1865. He held the brevet rank of brigadier general. Over the course of the war, the 66th lost nine officers and eighty-eight enlisted men killed or mortally wounded in action and four officers and one-hundred and twenty enlisted men to disease for a total loss of 221 men. After the war he was a delegate for the solidiers' convention in Chicago and then went to Helena, Montana, with a trading commission from General Hancock and also worked as the associate editor of the Helena Herald. He died while working as a trader at Camp Baker near Diamond City, Montana, apparently from the effects of disease contracted while a prisoner of war. The Herald included a lengthy obituary for Hammell on February 6, 1873, indicated that he studied at the Academy at Newark and then University of New York Law School prior to the war but paused his studies to join the war noting he would win "surer, quicker, nobler distinction in the profession of arms." It indicates that the health issues he faced included "frequent hemorrhages of the lungs" (likely tuberculosis) and went to Montana in part in hopes of the climate being more suited to his condition.

Very good with mostly bright blade, traces of original gilt finish, minor oxidation and pitting mainly on the tip section and ricassos, find detailing and aged patina on the cast brass hilt and scabbard fittings, bright scabbard body with some minor dents, general light scratches and marks overall, and mild age and storage related wear. The scabbard on the statue hilt figure is crudely repaired. The case is also very good and has an absent lid escutcheon and mild age and storage related. The medal is excellent with minimal wear. This is an incredibly rare sword presented to a Union officer who served throughout the Civil War, including in command at the Battle of Gettysburg, and continued to fight even after being wounded in combat multiple times and suffering harsh imprisonment.