Knife and rawhide sheath belonging to famed Indian fighter Sgt. John B. Charlton, 4th US Cavalry. The knife measures 16.75" overall, with a heavily sharpened 11.25" triangular blade that has an overall mottled brown patina. There is a large amount of solder where the blade meets the tang, along with a moderate amount of verdigris on either side of the flared bolster at the base of the blade. The hilt has a simple two-piece wooden grip with rounded pommel, once secured by four rivets, although one was field-replaced with a threaded bolt and washer during the period of use. The wood exhibits numerous handling marks, small chips, and blemishes commensurate with years of use in the field. The obverse grip panel has two large X’s carved into the wood; while the reverse has a small metal plaque that reads, "J.B. CHARLTON."
The rawhide sheath is stiff, but still serviceable, and has a short section of fringe about halfway down the tack-fastened seam. A small rawhide belt loop is tied through the throat tab, and an oval rawhide plaque is present at the throat that has "DEPUTY" carved into the center, bordered by "I" and "T" above and below in green-tinted ink (signifying Indian Territory).
John B. Charlton was born on August 6, 1848, in Bowling Green, VA, into a well-established farming family. After his family lost everything following the Civil War, the 17 year old Charlton enlisted in the US Army in 1865; serving for five years in Battery K, 1st US Light Artillery. Reenlisting in 1870, he was assigned to the 4th US Cavalry in Texas, and had his first taste of action while traveling from San Antonio to his post at Fort Concho with a large group of raw recruits. They were set upon at Mountain Pass by a large group of natives who tried to steal the mules in the train, whereupon Charlton encouraged his comrades, many of whom were unarmed, to pick up sticks that resembled weapons in order to bluff the Indians that the party was more formidable than it actually was. The ruse worked, and they were able to proceed to their destination unhindered. He was assigned to Troop F, 4th US Cavalry, was soon promoted to Corporal, and embarked upon a storied career.
In 1871, Charlton was part of Gen. Sherman’s escort during his frontier inspection tour, and narrowly escaped a Kiowa raiding party. Charlton was also the one who killed Satank, a Kiowa chief who escaped while being transported to trial for the Salt Valley Massacre. Before the year came to a close, Charlton also took part in the Blanco Canyon campaign, captured deserters, and was promoted to Sergeant. In 1872 he was part of MacKenzie’s New Mexico expedition, and survived the Red River fight against Comanche war chief Mow-way and his warriors. He was wounded twice while saving Lt. Peter H. Boehm and another trooper from attacking Comanches, but remained with the regiment and took part in the Red River War, where he won accolades for his actions during the battle at Palo Duro Canyon, where the US Army was able to force the Comanche and Kiowa there to vacate Texas.
Charlton again reenlisted at Fort Sill in 1875, and accompanied Dr. Jacob Sturm’s delegation to Mow-way where the old chief was finally convinced to surrender to federal authorities. Following that, Charlton spent his time hunting horse thieves and outlaws in Northwest Texas and the Indian Territory (this would’ve been the likely period when he added the "I / DEPUTY / T" plaque to his knife sheath), but suffering from various ailments from years of hard service, and dissatisfied with what amounted to police work, he was granted a medical discharge in 1876.
Following his military service, Charlton embarked on a business career that included running a freight service (where he was one of the teamsters rescued by Gen. Merritt after a six-day siege by warring Utes at Mill Creek, WY, in 1879); prospecting in Alaska and South America; as a horse trainer for the Cole Circus; and as a grader for the Mexican Central Railroad. He finally returned to Texas and began raising stock in Brackettville in 1884. Charlton died on March 5, 1922, at Uvalde, and now rests at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.
Charlton’s memoirs were recounted in a series of letters to one of his old commanding officers, Capt. Robert G. Carter, who compiled and eventually published them in his book "The Old Sergeant’s Story" (1926). A copy of the second edition of the book, published in 1982, is included with the lot. This is a wonderful piece of Indian War history, with a great connection to a storied cavalry trooper.
