IDED BALTIMORE MARYLAND. REVOLUTIONARY, WAR 1812 & CIVIL WARS KNIFE
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:24952740 | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
| Original/Reproduction: Original | Theme: Militaria |
| Conflict: Revolutionary War (1775-83) |
IDED BALTIMORE MARYLAND.REVOLUTIONARY, WAR 1812 & CIVIL WARS KNIFEThis American Baltimore made hand forged side knife was used bythe Forbes family of Baltimore, Maryland in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812& in the Civil War. This knife is 12 1/8”long with a hand forged 7” blade, iron guard & a carved oak grip (thatappears to be made by a furniture maker by its style). ...; Itis in good & well used condition with the blade & guard having matchinglight/medium pitting with a dark brown patina. .Forbes familyhistory This knife was first used in the Revolutionary War by LieutenantJames Forbes when he sailed on the privateer Rebecca and Sally*1 under CaptainThomas Russell from April, 1776 to July 1777. The ship had sailed on a trading voyage to St. Eustatius, Dutch WestIndies & back in April & May, 1776 when she delivered 5 tons of gunpowderto Baltimore on May 14th. She received her commission as a privateer on June 24 th & sailedagain to St. Eustatius, Dutch West Indies but did not encounter any Britishships. Shemade a 3rd voyage again to St. Eustatius, Dutch West Indies in Aprilto July, 1777. TheRebecca and Sally was a 2 masted schooner (described as “a boat”) & wasarmed with 6 swivel guns.The knife was then used in the War of 1812 by Captain James Forbeswhen he commanded on the Baltimore privateer Brutus from October, 1812 toSeptember, 1814. The Brutus was a 231 ton top sail schooner & was armed with a pairof 18, one 12 pounder cannons & four 12 pounder carronades. Shemade 4 trading & privateering voyages into the Caribbean Sea but did notencounter any British ships. The knife was used by Virginius Forbes when he, his family &some southern sympathy mined friends escaped on an old small coastal schooner during theBaltimore riots on Thursday/Friday, April 18-19, 1861. Hesailed to Norfolk and joined the confederate forces in Richmond where he servedin the new Confederate Navy Department. He was in charge of a smallcostal schooner & several small boats that smuggled supplies & arms acrossthe Potomac River from Neare Sound/Cobb Island Maryland to Mundy Point, Virginia. Healso served in the 4th Battalion, Virginia Infantry, Local Defense, Navy Battalion, Navy Department Battalion from June, 1863 to December, 1864. He served in the 2 nd VA LDT, the 3 rd VA LDT, and the 4 th. VA LDT Bn.(a temporary demi-brigade underScruggs) and served at the Petersburg front on September 29, 1864. By October, 1864 only the small schooner was left, all the otherboats had been captured or sunk so he took command of the schooner himself whenthe captain became ill. He continued to smuggle equipment & arms for 7more crossing until April 9, 1865 when he heard General Lee hadsurrendered. He knew the Union Navy was after his schooner so he & hiscrew stripped all the usable & salable equipment fromthe schooner then burnt it. He returned to southern Maryland & finally returned home to Baltimorein 1868. *1 The Rebecca and Sally was commissioned as aprivateer on 24 June 1776. She was reported as 25 tons, armed with six swivelsand small arms. The Rebecca and Sally was probably the first privateer commissioned outof Maryland in the Revolution.
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