The sword shown here was manufactured by B. Douglas & Co. of Columbia, South Carolina. The large CS in the counter guard delineates the sword as a field & staff pattern, and as the name field & staff implies, only officers with the rank of major and above were authorized to carry this sword. However, such distinctions could ill be afforded in the Confederate army and the field & staff sword would have occasionally been carried by officers of some lesser rank.

Though these swords are near identical to the Boyle & Gamble and the Louis Froelich, "LF 1861” Field and Staff officer’s swords, and are often mistaken, one for the other, there are slight differences in both the guard and the scabbard. Maker marked examples of this pattern are known to exist, so there is no doubt as to the maker.

It is hard to understand how such little is known about B. Douglas’ factory, when one considers how much research has been done relating to his swords, but all that is known of the maker (other than his products) comes from one newspaper ad. The ad ran in the Columbia newspaper, The Southern Guardian, dated September 10, 1862, and advertised "Swords, spurs, bits, etc." made at the B. Douglas factory located at the Old Foundry on Washington Street. This makes it clear that Douglas was not only an outfitter, but a maker as well. The ad mentions only cavalry accoutrements and equipping South Carolina Volunteer Cavalry units seems to have been his primary business, however as noted above, the field & staff swords with his name on them leave no doubt that he made some officers models. The few swords made at the Old Foundry are not elegant, but are good and serviceable swords. The spurs and bits he made have not yet been identified.

This sword’s condition is stellar. The basket is tight and the leather grip is perfect, as is the fine, twisted brass wire wrap. The blade is semi bright. The sword is sheathed in its original, brass mounted, leather scabbard; the scabbard is perfect.

This particular example is excellent throughout. It is by far the best example of this sword I have ever seen and may be the best in existence.

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