In a message dated 8/27/03 9:51:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time, kbailey@frontiernet.net writes: The only swords that I know of being used by privates during the civil war, other than what has been mentioned in other posts, is the Sword Bayonet that went with the Enfield and Zouave Rifles. Their is also a type of weapon called a Dirk, which looks like a saber, but it is much shorter...16-20" at the most. I have no idea if they were used during the civil war, but in 1812 they were......usually in the navy though. Do you recall enough of the sword to give a description? Keith: Nice to hear from you. The sword in question looks to me to be of the cavalry variety -- not quite a wrist breaker, more like a dragoon. It is some 38 inches long (32 from the hilt) & is slightly curved. It is in a metal scabbard. The grip has wire wrapped tight under leather. The wrist guard, instead of the single piece of an NCO/Musician sword, has three pieces. It is this that makes me think that it is of the cavalry variety. As you look down from the top of the sword, toward where the hilt starts, there are stars & what looks to be a bird, which might or might not be an eagle. I lean toward the latter. It is not fancy or ornamental enough, IMHO, to be a Masonic sword. Since Private De Caro was a member of the GAR, I thought it could be of that variety. However, I have only been able to find pictures of one style on the Internet & this sword does not look like those pictures. There is also the following address engraved on the blade just below the hilt: Frank De Caro 168-171 Grand Str New-York I take that to be an address in New York City, but am unsure. I look forward to hearing from you & to continuing this discussion. Sincerely, Mike Peters npeters102@aol.com