Unknown Sword or machete

Jim McDougall · 14th March 2017, 08:06 PM

Thanks for the detail on the 'Sharpe' series, which were pretty great military lore! and the use of this M1796 Heavy by a rifles company officer always attracted a lot of collector furor back in those great old days. Back then you could get one of these for about 100-200 bucks, the light cavs went more, usually about 250. I saw these for as little as 75-100 bucks (late 60s early 70s).
I forget the story of how Sharpe got the sword, but as he was on campaign in the Peninsula prior to Waterloo, it seems it was some sort of field arrangement.

kronckew · 14th March 2017, 09:29 PM

episode 1 started with him a redcoat being field commissioned for saving wellinton into the rifles from a trio of french cavalrymen he shot 2 off their horses & clubbed one with his rifle. he of course needed a sword. he reported to the platoon he was to command & had a barney with the irish sgt. harper who later becomes his best friend. they went on a mission with his company commander, who was badly wounded, as he lay dying, he gave his sword to sharpe, telling him that the men might respect him more if they knew the captain thought enough of him to give it to him. they never said where the captain got it from.

he carried it thru the rest of the series and sequels in india. he broke it once, snapped the blade, harper forged a new matching blade for it while sharpe lay recovering from a wound.

14th March 2017, 09:29 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,239	episode 1 started with him a redcoat being field commissioned for saving wellinton into the rifles from a trio of french cavalrymen he shot 2 off their horses & clubbed one with his rifle. he of course needed a sword. he reported to the platoon he was to command & had a barney with the irish sgt. harper who later becomes his best friend. they went on a mission with his company commander, who was badly wounded, as he lay dying, he gave his sword to sharpe, telling him that the men might respect him more if they knew the captain thought enough of him to give it to him. they never said where the captain got it from. he carried it thru the rest of the series and sequels in india. he broke it once, snapped the blade, harper forged a new matching blade for it while sharpe lay recovering from a wound. Last edited by kronckew; 14th March 2017 at 09:52 PM.

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14th March 2017, 08:06 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,477	Thanks for the detail on the 'Sharpe' series, which were pretty great military lore! and the use of this M1796 Heavy by a rifles company officer always attracted a lot of collector furor back in those great old days. Back then you could get one of these for about 100-200 bucks, the light cavs went more, usually about 250. I saw these for as little as 75-100 bucks (late 60s early 70s). I forget the story of how Sharpe got the sword, but as he was on campaign in the Peninsula prior to Waterloo, it seems it was some sort of field arrangement.