British 1796 Pattern Heavy Cavalry Officer’s Sword (Undress)

THE 1796 PATTERN HEAVY CAVALRY OFFICER’S SWORD (UNDRESS) used the same type of blade as the heavy cavalry trooper’s version and was frequently decorated in blue and gilt designs.  Initially, it retained the earlier hatchet point and was straight and broad, displaying a wide, single fuller.  The distinctive guard was of a new type and is described as being of “ladder” or  “honeysuckle” pattern.  A contemporary description of the sword is as follows:

“Heavy dragoon officers wear a broad, straight, cut and thrust blade with a hanger point, mounted with a hilt with a shell as a guard.  This is called their field sword or sword for service.”

The officer’s sword had the same fighting drawbacks as the trooper’s sword and despite the previous account defining it as having a “cut and thrust blade”, it was generally unable to achieve this requirement when used in combat and heavy cavalry officers began to look for more suitable alternatives that could take on and win close quarter encounters with French heavy cavalry.  The solution was found with a new blade type – the pipe back.  It had a prominent rib that ran along the back of the blade which became more narrow and enabled it to become more effective when thrusting.  Later versions added a false edge at the bottom that provided better balance and stiffness.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

Taken from The British Sword – From 1600 to the Present Day – An Illustrated History by Harvey J S Withers – 12,000 full colour photographs – 884 pages

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