Tiffany British Pattern 1854 Cavalry Officers Presentation Saber of Major (later General) Alfred Duffie - Captured by Mosby
American Civil War
32.5" slightly curved single-edged spear point blade, 1.35" wide at ricasso with a 25" unstopped median fuller. 38.25" in overall length with a 5.75" gilt pierced steel basket guard. Grooved checkered Gutta Percha grip with eight wraps of dragoon pattern multi-strand wire. Blade profusely etched with gilt highlights along about 22" of length, with the obverse including complex foliate scrolls and urns, an oval cartouche that reads WARRANTED TO CUT WROUGHT IRON, a pair of caduceuses and a central panel with the {Shield of Columbia} over US. The reverse of the blade shows equally complex and ornate gilded etching a panel that reads TIFFANY & CO / NEW YORK at the ricasso, complex flowing foliate themes, panoplies of arms, and a central panel of a {Spread-Winged American Eagle} clutching a banner that reads E Pluribus Unum. Silver washed steel scabbard is leather lined on the interior with gilt brass mounts that are decorated with cased foliate and geometric patterns with the obverse of the upper mount reading US and having crossed cavalry sabers and the reverse with an engraved presentation panel that reads in five lines: Presented to / Major Alfred Duffie / by the Officers & Men of the / New Jersey Squadron / 7th US Cavalry. The saber is accompanied by a CDV of Duffie, an original three-page letter in his hand that was written January 15, 1863 and a large binder of information and research about him and his military service.
Alfred Napoleon Duffie was 26 years old when he joined the Union cause in July of 1861. He had been born in Paris, France in 1835 and claimed to have attended the St. Cyr Military College. Much of his early life and claims of winning distinction and awards appears to have been fabricated by him, but he did serve France during the Crimean War where he was supposedly wounded at Solferino and received several decorations. He visited the United States in 1859, fell in love and married, and decided to stay in the US. When the Civil War erupted he resigned his French commission and joined the Union army. He joined the US Army on July 27, 1861 and he was originally commissioned a captain in Company A on August 9, 1861 but was quickly promoted to major on August 15. Much of the 2nd NY (formerly 7th US) was drawn from the tri-state region with company A being made up of men from New Jersey and Connecticut, company B being composed of more New Jersey men and companies C and D being made up of Connecticut men who referred to their two companies as the "Connecticut Squadron". It is likely that the companies A & B were the "New Jersey Squadron" mentioned in the presentation on this sword. The Federal Government briefly designated this regiment as the 7th US Cavalry in October of 1861 but then transferred it back to New York State service as only six regular army cavalry regiments were authorized by Congress. The 7th US Cavalry would not be organized again until 1866. The 2nd NY initially performed its service in the defenses of Washington and fought its only significant skirmish on April 17-18 at Falmouth, VA prior to Duffie's departure from the regiment.

On July 3, 1862 he resigned from the 2nd NY and took a promotion to Colonel, becoming the commanding officer of the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry on July 4th, 1862. Under his tenure the regiment fought at Cedar Mountain (August 9, 1862), Second Manassas (August 30, 1862), Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862), Kelly's Ford (March 17, 1862). Duffie particularly distinguished himself at Kelly's Ford and as a result of a recommendation from General Hooker he was promoted to Brigadier General on June 23, 1863 and left his command of the 1st RI to command for Washington. He would return to the field in 1863 to train cavalry regiments in West Virginian and in 1864 for operations under General David Hunter in the Shenandoah Valley. In an attempt to capture Confederate General John Singleton Mosby, it was Duffie himself who was captured at Bunker Hill, WV on October 20, 1864. He was not paroled and released from prison until late February of 1865. He was then sent to fight against Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith in Texas but the war ended prior to his arrival in the theater of operations.

After the war Duffie served as the US Consul to Spain and died in Cadiz in 1880. Duffie's military reputation was mixed at best, as many commanders found him troublesome and not a particularly good soldier, and his temper resulted in his challenging US General Fitz John Porter to a duel. Despite being a foreign-born commander the men of 1st RI did accept him and follow him with enthusiasm, despite their initial refusal to. However, the quality and expense of his sword, presented by the men of his first command, suggests that he was a beloved commander who certainly has an interesting history.
From the Collection of George Oldenbourg

Fine. Blade with much of its original bright polish with scattered freckles of oxidation and minor discoloration. Etching is mostly intact with some light wear and loss, with patterns fully visible and most of the gilt enhancement remaining. Hilt with most of the gilt finish, showing some thinning and moderate high edge loss and at points of contact. Gutta Percha grip fine with light wear. Scabbard about fine with some lightly scattered areas of oxidation and thin surface rust and with the mounts retaining some of their gilt finish. A truly fine and impressive presentation sword.
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