Klingenthal Model 1840/60 Cavalry Officers Saber Inscribed to Major (Col) Daniel Chaplin 2nd Maine Infantry

American Civil War

36" curved, single-edged blade with flat spine, 28" long median fuller and a 20.5" narrow secondary fuller. Blade 1.1" wide at ricasso. Overall length 41.75". 5.625" hilt with cast brass two branch guard with knuckle bow and deeply foliate chiseled decorations. Grooved wood grip covered in shagreen and with fourteen wraps of multi-strand twisted wire. Blade with etched foliate decorations and martial motifs, with a large US on obverse of the blade. Spine with Klingenthal maker's inscription. Outer face of knuckle bow engraved with a presentation that reads: Presented to Major Chaplin 2nd Maine Reg't. by the members of Co. F. The sword is accompanied by a brass mounted blued steel scabbard with two suspension mounts with the upper mount missing the ring. This sword was featured in the February-March 2002 issue of Military Images in an article about it and Chaplain on pages 23-24. Two copies of that magazine, as well as two very large binders of research and information about Chaplain and his regiments are included as well.

Daniel Chaplin (1820-1864) was 41 years old when he enlisted in the 2nd Maine Infantry as a private on a few days after the firing on Fort Sumter. On May 28, 1861 he was commissioned the Captain of Company F, after having been elected to that position. The 2nd Maine first saw the elephant at 1st Manassas on July 21, where they suffered 47 casualties. On September 14, 1861 Chaplain was promoted to the rank of Major, which is the event commemorated by the inscription on this sword. The regiment spent the balance of the year in the defenses of Washington after the battle. In April of 1862 the regiment participated in McClellan's Peninsula Campaign followed by fighting through the Seven Days before Richmond (June 25- July 1), including Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, Savage Station, Malvern Cliff and Malvern Hill. The regiment then returned to Harrison's Landing. On July 11, 1862 he was promoted to the rank of Colonel and transferred to command the 18th Maine. The regiment was organized in Bangor and then moved to the defenses of Washington. On December 19, 1862 the 18th Maine was converted to a heavy artillery regiment and redesignated as the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery. The regiment spent 1863 in the region around Washington, north of the Potomac River. Chaplin's new regiment saw its first real field service in April of 1864 when it participated in the Rapidan Campaign, fighting at Harrison's Farm along Fredericksburg Road, where they suffered 481 casualties. The regiment fought at Cold Harbor and proceeded to be involved in the beginnings of the Petersburg Campaign, including the first major assault on June 18. The regiment subsequently fought at Weldon Railroad and Deep Bottom Run and at the 2nd Battle of Deep Bottom Run (Strawberry Pains) August 14-18. On August 17, 1864, Chaplin was wounded in the chest by a sharpshooter subsequently died of his wounds 4 days later in a Philadelphia hospital. He was breveted to the rank of brigadier general for his actions on August 17.

From the Collection of George Oldenbourg