Swords of the American Civil War, by Richard H. Bezdek. (ISBN 978-1-58160-611-9; Paladin Press, Gunbarrel Tech Center, 7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301; 303.443.7250; Web site: www.paladin-press.com. Softcover, 8-1/2” x 11”, 326 pages, 700 black-and-white illustrations, 2007, $50).
Swords of the American Civil War provides a history of the war as viewed through the variety of swords and sabers used by its participants. The author has assembled a staggering array of photographs of Union and Confederate regulation and presentation swords and sabers. Part I of the book covers Union blades; Part II, Confederate; and Part III, select biographies of soldiers illustrated with photographs of their presentation swords. In this latter part, identified pieces belonging to Generals George Custer, Wade Hampton and Lewis Merrill, Colonels Elmer Ellsworth and James Redfied are included. An appendix containing the Civil War diary of Captain Wilmon Blackmar is included.
The book promises to present “a complete photographic survey of all the swords—Union and Confederate—used during the Civil War.” It is possible that the book does that but unfortunately, the organization of the book can leave a person scratching their head. It appears that the author was very taken with presentation swords—a topic that could stand alone in its own volume. Part I of the book breaks into this specialized field of presentation grade swords without providing the reader with any context. One must already be familiar with the various issues of swords to Union troops to appreciate the nuances depicted in this section.
In many cases, the author has provided the reader with mini-biographies of the soldiers who carried the illustrated swords. These sidebars help to personalize these desirable collectibles.
Presentation grade swords, casting details and markings all require meticulous photography to satisfactorily convey the intricacies to the reader. The quality of the photography in Swords of the American Civil War, tends to be adequate for identification purposes.
The author attempted a monumental task when committing to present a “complete photographic survey.” Whereas Swords of the American Civil War does present some very rare pieces, it may not be the only book on Civil War swords that a collector wants to have. The book does not comment on varieties of markings, variations in castings or attempt to compile any listing of manufacturers. For these types of details, readers may want to rely on Harold Peterson’s time-honored The American Sword, 1775-1945 and John H. Thillmann’s recent work, Civil War Cavalry & Artillery Sabers. To these books, Swords of the American Civil War is a fine complement—just not a replacement.—John Adams-Graf
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