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PRESENTATION CIVIL WAR SWORD OF MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS H. RUGER. - Lot #2038

If I hadn't recently come across a very fine sword that I consider superior to this one, this sword would not be for sale on this website. I purchased this sword almost a year ago through another dealer as I was unable to attend the auction in which it was presented by the direct descendants. I gladly paid him a 10% premium and was thankful that it was forwarded to me at such a light mark-up. Cased swords are of the rarest of Civil War Collectibles and to find an untouched one right out of the family at an estate sale is right up the collector alley. This sword has basically only been owned by 2 entities in the last 150 years. The Ruger family and myself. Very few hands have even touched it. The sword, case and accouterments are all in excellent to near mint condition with the belt being the finest I have ever seen. The buckle is virtually perfect. I de-greased the sword and buckle to reveal a staggeringly bright gilt finish to the hilt, mounts and plate-face. The scabbard body (although dent-free) did not hold its plating as well as the mounts and shows about 50% gilt. The blade and case interior are near mint. The set is beautiful and very impressive. The coin silver plaque on the lid of the case is inscribed "Col. Thos. H. Ruger" and the sword is inscribed "Presented by the Officers of the 3rd Regmt. Wis. Vols. to their Col. Thos. H. Ruger, Feby. 18, 1862." The scabbard inscription looks rather crude to the layman, but is guaranteed to be 100% original and to the period in all respects. It has been examined by most major sword experts that have seen this type of inscription on other original swords and the set comes with a letter of authenticity from myself and famed sword author John H. Thillmann. Ruger's history is nothing short of outstanding. He was born in New York, and graduated from the U. S. Military Academy July 1, 1854, when he was appointed brevet second lieutenant Corps of Engineers. He served at New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1854-55, and resigned from the service April 1, 1855. Hhe again entered the service as lieutenant-colonel of the Third Wisconsin Volunteers, serving in command of his regiment in operations in Maryland and the Shenandoah Valley from July, 1861, to August, 1862, in the mean time having been promoted colonel of his regiment, to date from August 20, 1861. Colonel Ruger was engaged in combat of Winchester, May 25, 1862; advance to Little Washington, Virginia, July, 1862; in the Northern Virginia campaign, being engaged in the battle of Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862; in the Maryland campaign (Army of the Potomac), being engaged in the battle of Antietam (there wounded), and subsequent march to Falmouth, Virginia. He was appointed brigadier-general U. S. Volunteers November 29, 1862, and commanded a brigade in the Twelfth Corps, Army of the Potomac, in the Rappahannock campaign, being engaged in the battle of Chancellorsville, May 2-4, 1863; in the Pennsylvania campaign, being engaged in the battle of Gettysburg (where he commanded a division), July 1-3, 1863. He participated in suppressing the draft-riots in New York City, August to September, 1863, and when that trouble ceased was on duty in Tennessee, October, 1863, to April, 1864. He was then assigned to the command of a brigade of the Twentieth Corps in the invasion of Georgia, being engaged in the battles of Resaca, May 15, 1864, New Hope Church, May 25, 1864; action of Kulp House, June 22, 1864; combat of Peach-Tree Creek, July 20, 1864, and in numerous skirmishes on the march from May to July, 1864; siege of Atlanta, July 22 to September 2, 1864, and occupation of Atlanta, September 2 to November 8, 1864. He commanded a division of the Twenty-third Corps in the Tennessee campaign against the rebel army of General Hood, November 15 to December 8, 1864, being engaged in operations about Columbia and battle of Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864. He then organized the First Division of the Twenty-third Corps, and was in command of. his division in the operations in North Carolina, being engaged in the movement up the Neuse River, February to March, 1865; action at Wier's Fork, near Kinston, March 10, 1865; surrender of the insurgent army under General J. E. Johnston at Darien Station, April 26, 1865, and in command of the Department and District of North Carolina, June 27, 1865, to September 1, 1866, when he was mustered out of the volunteer service, having been reappointed in the U. S. Army, with the rank of colonel of the Thirty-third Infantry, July 28, 1866. General Ruger was brevetted major-general U. S. Volunteers November 30, 1864, for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Franklin, and brevet brigadier-general U. S. Army, March 2, 1867, for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Gettysburg. While in command of his regiment at Atlanta, he was made provisional governor of the State of Georgia from January 13 to July 4, 1868, and was in command of the District of Alabama to February 1, 1869. He was transferred to the Eighteenth Infantry March 15, 1869. General Ruger commanded the Department of the South from March 5 to May 31, 1869, and, after serving with his regiment until September 1, 1871, was detailed as superintendent of the U. S. Military Academy, where he remained until September 1, 1876; he was then placed in command of the Department of the South to July 1, 1878. He commanded Fort Assinaboine, together with the District of Montana, to October 1, 1879, and then commanded the District of Montana to May 13, 1885. He commanded his regiment and the post of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Infantry and Cavalry School of Application from June 29, 1885, to April 8, 1886, when he was appointed brigadier-general U. S. Army March 19, 1886, and assigned to the command of the Department of the Missouri, remaining to May 4, 1886, and then transferred to the Department of Dakota, which command he retained until April, 1891, when he was transferred to the command of the Military Division of the Pacific. The military divisions being discontinued in July, 1891, General Ruger was assigned to the command of the Department of California, which he now retains. This will be a tough sword to improve upon. PROVENANCE; THOMAS H. RUGER TO RUGER FAMILY TO MICHAEL SIMENS. This sword comes with a copy of a signed letter of provenance from the Ruger family and one from myself.
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PRESENTATION CIVIL WAR SWORD OF MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS H. RUGER.

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