College Hill Enlisted Cavalry Sword

Little is known about the College Hill Arsenal, and their swords are exceedingly rare. They made swords for less than nine months, but exactly how much less is unknown. We do know that on June 29, 1861, the future arsenal proprietor L. T. Cunningham, and Robert Drury wrote a letter advising the Confederate Secretary of War that he, Cunningham, could purchase swords to be delivered in Nashville. This letter makes it clear that Cunningham was not yet manufacturing swords. Thomas Leech & Company was not up and running until the following August. The only sword maker in Nashville at that early date was the Nashville Plow Works. The Plow Works provided his first Staff & Field swords, which look identical to the product made by the Plow Works with the exception that the Nashville Plow Works name normally cast into the guard was obliterated.
Cunningham was a skilled etcher and an astute businessman. He had the foresight to set his manufactory up on Nashville’s College Hill. The hill was home to the military academy, Confederate camps and a fort; seemingly a ready-made market. Once established he produced swords of his own make, albeit oftentimes using parts of the Nashville Plow Works pattern.
The distinctive features of the College Hill swords are that the blades have an unstopped fuller, and a unique pen-knife style edge stop. Another peculiarity is an unadorned pommel cap with the knuckle bow junction at its bottom, instead of the middle, giving the pommel cap an unusually “tall” appearance.
The sword is in excellent condition. The hilt remains perfectly tight and has a beautiful patina. There are some chips out of the leather wrap which can be seen in the images, but the rest of the leather is solid and tight. The copper wire wrap is complete. The semi bright blade has never been sharpened or altered, nor has it been repointed. The sword’s original scabbard is a model of perfection from the iron drag to the boat throat. It retains a wonderful sword knot that appears to be of Confederate make and original to the sword.