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PROVIDENCE TOOL COMPANY LIGHT CAVALRY SABRE DATED 1862 – IDENTIFIED WITH ENGRAVED SCABBARD – “SERGEANT J. A. GILBERG, Co. D 5TH OHIO V. CAV” – EXCELLENT CONDITION:  This is a particularly nice Light Cavalry Sabre, offering a combination of an early Civil War date and a relatively scarce maker, coupled with being identified as having been carried by a well documented veteran sergeant of the 5th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.   

This sabre has survived the passage of time with a very rare and verifiable identification to a veteran Union cavalry enlisted man.  The right side of the scabbard, between the two carrying ring bands, is engraved in period script, “Sergeant J. A. Gilberg; Co. D  5Th Ohio V. V. Cav.”.  While sabres identified to commissioned officers are well known and occasionally are offered for sale, seldom do sabres carried by enlisted men retain any sort of identifiable history through the years, and certainly one such as this sabre, which was engraved with the soldier’s name, rank and unit information, are quite rare. 

Jacob A. Gilberg, born February 7, 1845 in Middletown, Pennsylvania, was appointed as Sergeant when Company D, of the 5Th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was organized at Camp Dick Corwin, near Cincinnati, Ohio in November of 1861.  The regiment initially served in the Western Theater during several major campaigns as part of the Army of the Tennessee.  During 1862 the regiment participated in the fighting at Shiloh, Corinth, Memphis, and in 1863 it joined Sherman’s advance on Chattanooga.  The regiment continued to follow Sherman’s star as it participated in the Atlanta campaign, the March to the Sea, and north through the Carolinas, and it was garrisoned in North Carolina at the end of the war.     

According to the official history of the 5TH Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Jacob A. Gilberg entered the service on September 11, 1861 at the age of 19, and he was appointed to the rank of sergeant on November 9th of that same year when Company D was mustered at Camp Dick Corwin.  On June 19, 1863 he was “captured in action” near Coldwater, Mississippi, and was apparently released or repatriated shortly thereafter.  Sgt. Gilberg finished out the war on active service and served as one of the 300 soldiers who acted as General Sherman’s escort at the surrender of Major General Joseph E. Johnston, C.S.A, near Durham, North Carolina in April of 1865.   He was mustered out with the rest of the regiment in October, 1865. 

After the war, Gilberg worked in the lumber camps throughout Pennsylvania until 1873 when he moved west to Cass County, Minnesota, residing in Poplar Township and Backus, and operating a dray line for the teamsters in Pine River.   

Gilberg apparently had a penchant for writing and a grasp of the historical significance of the times in which he had lived, as he authored a series of eleven articles about his experiences during the War which were published in the National Tribune Newspaper (Washington D.C.) beginning in 1899 and the last in 1935 - five years after his death.   

Gilberg continued his pattern of faithful public service as a member of the Backus School Board for 11 years and a member of civic organizations.  Jacob A. Gilberg died on January 26, 1930 and was interned under a Civil War veteran’s marble grave marker at the Evergreen Cemetery in Backus.   

In overall excellent condition, this sabre and scabbard are well mated, obviously each original to the other. 

The ricasso is legibly stamped “PROV TOOL CO” on the reverse side of the blade and the obverse side is legibly stamped “US” and “1862” with a faint set of inspector initials “JM” between the “US” and the date.  The pommel cap is plainly stamped with the inspector’s initials “PB”.  

The brass guard has a wonderful, soft, old patina and shows no signs of polishing or heavy cleaning.  The guard is full form and is not misshapen due to wear or use, and the leather washer is present.  The grip leather is original with an overall bright smooth finish without any flaking, and there are a few points of wear through to the wood grip on the crests of the ribs.  The exposed wood has an old patinated shine and blends in well with the black leather.  The original wire wrapping is present, very tight, and complete. 

The blade is full form, and the metal surface is overall bright, with some scattered darkened spots.  The edge is clean with no nicks or dings - as opposed to the commonly seen heavier nicks and chips in the edges on these early sabres that were exposed to the full duration of the War.  There is no severe pitting on the blade, only the scattered darkened speckling of the metal that one expects on these early, well used blades.  

Fitting the blade very well with no rattle or play, the scabbard is full form without any severe dents, and is complete with the throat and carrying rings, and a full form drag.  The surface has a wonderful naturally aged brown patina, with no pitting.  The rim of the throat is stamped with the numeral “1”, possibly a unit applied inventory number.  As described above, the engraved identification on the scabbard is definitely period to Sgt. Gilberg’s return from the War, is fully legible, and is very well executed.   

Seldom offered due to the relatively few surviving specimens being carefully retained in private collections, these early dated Light Cavalry Sabres produced by the Providence Tool Company are generally difficult to obtain in any condition.  This specimen has it all – having survived in remarkable condition with the significant added value of retaining a credible identification as having been carried by a veteran cavalry sergeant.  A Light Cavalry Sabre of this quality is certainly an investment grade piece and one that will continue to be enjoyed through the years with a great deal of pride in the ownership of such a piece. SOLD

NOTE:  The research and supporting documentation for the above described biographical information on Sgt. Gilberg will accompany the sale of his sabre. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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