This is a "corn" knife turned camp knife recovered in Madison County, Missouri. This was the site of the Battle of Fredericktown, Missouri that occurred on 21 October, 1861. Approximately 1500 Missouri State Guards commanded by State Guards Brigadier General Jeff Thompson engaged two separate columns of Union Infantry under the commands of Colonel's Joseph Plummer and William Carlin. The Missourians were formed on ridges overlooking the main road into the town, using a regiment of Infantry under the command of Colonel Aden Lowe to lure the Union into the ambush site. Initially the Missouri boys were winning the fight, but eventually gave way to superior numbers. Since BG Thompson did not retain control of the battlefield it was considered a Union victory. This knife was recovered on private property on one of the ridges overlooking that site. It has an overall length of 22", with a blade length of 16 1/2". The wooden handles have long since rotted away. The metal itself is in very stable condition. The right side of the blade is flat, while the left side is convex. The entire surface is pitted and rusty, but has very little scale. With a little elbow grease and a new handle you could still harvest a crop with this old hand! Another early war relic excavated from the state of Missouri.

Item # AA1403

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