More than 20 years ago I wrote:

"This sword belt has an impeccable provenance as having been worn through the War Between the States by James K. P. McFall"

However, I just got it from an elderly and ill gentleman, who no longer has the provenance. Anyone who knows me, knows that I would never have written the above unless I had the provenance in hand, however, it cannot be found.

On May 9, 1861, James McFall enlisted in Captain Johnson’s Company, the Maury Greys, which became Company H, 1st Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, organized at Nashville. The 1st was one of the few Tennessee regiments to serve under both General Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. In February of 1862, the 1st returned to Tennessee to serve in the Army of Tennessee.

By the spring of 1862, McFall had been promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to the Engineer Corps of the Army of Tennessee. Lieutenant McFall must have been a rather remarkable man because he was given several independent reconnaissance missions studying the countryside and reporting to General Braxton Bragg as a member of his staff. McFall served the remainder of the War as an Engineer for the Army of Tennessee. When the surrender came McFall was serving on the staff of General A. P. Stewart and was included in the surrender of General Stewart’s headquarters staff.

The belt is in extremely good condition; it will easily support a sword on a mannequin.

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