BACKGROUND: The US Navy had a number of wooden and metal ships which patrolled the mid Atlantic east coast to from Virginia to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the US coast portions to Louisiana and Texas. They were trying to catch Confederate related ships which operated mostly from the shipping ports in England. These ships, usually contracted, carried rifles and other necessities needed by the Confederate Army. In returned if successful baled cotton would be taken back to England for off loading. Because of the large coastline for patrolling the Confederate "Blockade Runners" often fought back if discovered. Each selected sailor available when a possible threat was made, one of the these cutlasses were issued and removed prepared for combat. All cutlasses were stored below deck in a wooden rack annotated with the storage rack location with the matching same location number metal stamped in brass on the end of the cutlass. This way any unique serial numbered cutlass could be issued to any enlisted sailor for combat and would be manually returned to the storage rack. If any cutlass was not returned it was readily noticeable.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A 1862 dated and manufactured marked for Ames Mfg. Co. Chicopee Mass cutlass that has a blade that measures approximately 66cm or 26". The brass hilt, often referred to as a ‘soup ladle’ guard, is a rounded cup of heavy sheet brass riveted to the quillon and knucklebow to provide grip protection to the user. The upper side of the quillon is marked "7M" and "42". The Leather wrapped grip shows surface wear with the twisted wire removed. The leather washer is also missing. The blade shows surface wear.