English Dragoon sword with Possible Jacobite Connection

Jim McDougall · 29th September 2020, 11:04 PM

Thank you Mark, as you say the fleur de lis is a symbol with wide use far beyond its familiar use in France. Very true some English blades had the FDL but unclear on the extent or associations. With these blades they seem to correspond to hanger type blades mostly of the 18th c. which were being supplied by Solingen to France, England and others.

For the most part weapons production in most countries in these times was focused primarily on muskets and black powder. Edged weapons were mostly munitions commodities and blades were acquired by cutlers who produced hilts and assembled them in varying volume.

It is hard to say where this blade and hilt came together, but the elements are late 17th to early 18th so certainly pre Culloden. These hilts were made in the 'garrison' towns and various suppliers locations for British dragoon units, and may well have been remounted in ersatz circumstances for the '45 rising.
There was distinct support for the Jacobites in France, Ireland and even England and these blades and hilts were well circulating as both troops and arms were being assembled.

I have always thought the paltry number of swords recovered from the field at Culloden (190) was highly suspect. The number of swords taken by forces leaving the field in the immediate aftermath cannot be surmised. Cumberlands forces guarded the field for days after to ensure the Highland wounded could not be attended to or were summarily finished, so looting or souvenir taking was unlikely I would think.

There were so many forces in the Highland ranks using whatever arms they could bring, so no telling the many types which might have been there.

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29th September 2020, 11:04 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Thank you Mark, as you say the fleur de lis is a symbol with wide use far beyond its familiar use in France. Very true some English blades had the FDL but unclear on the extent or associations. With these blades they seem to correspond to hanger type blades mostly of the 18th c. which were being supplied by Solingen to France, England and others. For the most part weapons production in most countries in these times was focused primarily on muskets and black powder. Edged weapons were mostly munitions commodities and blades were acquired by cutlers who produced hilts and assembled them in varying volume. It is hard to say where this blade and hilt came together, but the elements are late 17th to early 18th so certainly pre Culloden. These hilts were made in the 'garrison' towns and various suppliers locations for British dragoon units, and may well have been remounted in ersatz circumstances for the '45 rising. There was distinct support for the Jacobites in France, Ireland and even England and these blades and hilts were well circulating as both troops and arms were being assembled. I have always thought the paltry number of swords recovered from the field at Culloden (190) was highly suspect. The number of swords taken by forces leaving the field in the immediate aftermath cannot be surmised. Cumberlands forces guarded the field for days after to ensure the Highland wounded could not be attended to or were summarily finished, so looting or souvenir taking was unlikely I would think. There were so many forces in the Highland ranks using whatever arms they could bring, so no telling the many types which might have been there.