Inscribed J. B. Breck USN Ames U. S. Naval Officer\'s Civil War Sword & Scabbard
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Inscribed J. B. Breck USN Ames U. S. Naval Officer\'s Civil War Sword & Scabbard:
$3675.00
Inscribed J. B. Breck USN Ames U. S. Naval Officer\'s Civil War Sword & Scabbard
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Fantastic inscribed Ames M1852 Civil War Naval Officer\'s sword and scabbard. The scabbard throat is period inscribed J. B. Breck U. S. N. The scabbard throat is maker marked AMES MFG. CO. CHICOPEE MASS on the other side. The scabbard is black leather with fancy brass drag, mount, and throat. The scabbard is in nice shape. The sword pommel has a droop wing eagle surrounded by a ring of stars. The hand guard has oak leaves, acorns, and USN. The grip is sharkskin with twisted brass wire. The sharkskin grip has a few rough spots and the twisted brass wire has a few breaks in the wire near the top. The blade is nicely engraved with patriotic symbols on both sides and is maker marked on the ricasso Ames Mfg. Co Chicopee Mass. The blade was period sharpened. It has a little bit of wear and slight pitting on the tip of the blade. Joseph Berry Breck was born in Maine, the son of Benjamin Dunton Breck and Jane S. Simmons. Breck had a successful career in the American mercantile marine as a shipmaster and businessman, and at the outbreak of the Civil War was engaged in the Pacific and China trade, but soon offered his services to the Navy Department. He was eventually commissioned as an Acting Ensign on February 27, 1863. From April 24, 1863 he commanded the screw steamer Niphon. Here is the War time record of the Niphon while he was in command. Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Niphon was first stationed off Fort Fisher, North Carolina, which protected Wilmington, North Carolina, from attack by sea. She captured the blockade runner Banshee at New Inlet, North Carolina on 29 July 1863. On 18 August she chased the steamer Hebe, carrying drugs, clothing, coffee, and provisions for the Confederacy, and forced the blockade runner aground north of Fort Fisher where she was abandoned. The boats from Niphon were sent to destroy Hebe, but were swamped in heavy seas and their crews captured. Then USSShokoken opened fire on Hebe and she was burned to the waterline.
With USSJames Adger, Niphon captured the steamer Cornubia north of New Inlet on 8 November. Cornubia’s papers exposed the whole scheme by which the Confederacy had clandestinely obtained ships in England. The next day Niphon captured the blockade runner Ella and Annie off Masonboro Inlet, North Carolina, attempting to slip in with a cargo of arms and provisions. Trying to escape, the runner rammed Niphon but surrendered to Federal bluejackets who boarded her when the ships had swung broadside. Ella and Annie was later commissioned in the Union Navy as USSMalvern.
After capturing Ella and Annie, Niphon returned to Boston for repairs, but was back off New Inlet on 6 February 1864. On 21 April, Niphon, USSHowquah, and USSFort Jackson destroyed the salt works at Masonboro Sound, North Carolina. On 27 August, Niphon and USSMonticello ventured up Masonboro Inlet to silence a Confederate battery. Landing parties from the ships captured arms, ammunition, and food stuffs. A boat expedition from Niphon landed at Masonboro Inlet on 19 September to gain intelligence on the defenses of Wilmington, North Carolina. They learned that raider CSSTallahassee and several blockade runners were at Wilmington.
On 25 September, Niphon, Howquah, and USSGovernor Buckingham, in an engagement with blockade runner Lynx and Confederate shore batteries, chased the blazing steamer ashore where she burned until consumed.
Late on the night of 29 September, Niphon fired upon Night Hawk as she attempted to run into New Inlet, and observed her go aground. A boat crew led by Acting Ensign Semon boarded the steamer and, under fire from Fort Fisher, set her ablaze and brought off the crew as prisoners.
Mrs. Rose O’Neal Greenhow drowns with a bag of gold around her neckNiphon ran the British blockade runner Condor aground off New Inlet on 1 October, but was prevented from destroying the steamer by intense fire from Fort Fisher. Among the passengers on board Condor was one of the most famous Confederate agents of the war, Mrs. Rose O\'Neal Greenhow who, fearful of being captured with her important dispatches, set out in a boat for shore. Her craft overturned in the heavy surf. The crew managed to get ashore; but the lady, weighted down by $2,000 in Confederate gold in a pouch around her neck, drowned.
Niphon, under fire, saves a stranded BerberryOn the 7th, the Union blockader USSAster chased the blockade runner Annie ashore at New Inlet, under the guns of Fort Fisher, but the 285-ton Federal wooden steamer ran aground herself and was destroyed to prevent capture. Niphon rescued Aster’s crew under a hail of fire from Confederate batteries and towed out USSBerberry, after the Northern steamer had become disabled trying to pull Aster off the shoal.
On the last day of October, USSWilderness and Niphon seized another blockade runner named Annie off New Inlet, North Carolina. She was a British steamer with cargo of Tobacco, cotton, and turpentine.
Late in November Niphon, in need of extensive repairs, steamed to Boston where she was decommissioned on 1 December 1864.Joseph Berry Breck received rapid promotion; to Acting Master on August 8, 1863, to Acting Volunteer Lieutenant on November 16, 1863, and to Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Commander on November 25, 1864.Although his health was much impaired, Breck remained in command of Niphon until invalided out of the service by a medical board in November 1864.Seeking a climate conducive to his recovery Lt-Cdr. Breck travelled to San Francisco, California, but died on July 26, 1865, soon after his arrival there. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The destroyer Breck c.1919-1930 was named for Joseph B. Breck. This is a great inscribed Civil War Naval officer\'s sword for your collection. Please look at my other sales. Including: Bottles, & Civil War: Union & Confederate, Pre Civil War, Indian War, Organization, Military & Uniform button listings. If you have any questions or comments just send me an email. Thanks, Jim D
Thank you for looking & shopping at Keemakoo\'s Civil War Antiques, Jim D.
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Inscribed J. B. Breck USN Ames U. S. Naval Officer\'s Civil War Sword & Scabbard:
$3675.00