Private-purchase Colt Model 1892 New Army Revolver and US Model 1902 Army Sword belonging to Lt. Col. Charles B. Woodman, 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, who served in the Spanish-American War. The Colt Model 1892 New Army Revolver is serial #13686, .38 US (.38 Long Colt), 6" barrel with an excellent, bright bore. The revolver was made in 1894 and retains 95-97% of the original bright, commercial blue finish, with small areas of gray fading at the muzzle, edges of the cylinder flutes, and along the gripstraps. The hammer and trigger retain most of their original bright fire blue, and the original checkered hard rubber grips are in excellent shape with very little wear evident. The revolver is housed in a private purchase brown leather flap holster and cartridge belt that have flaked heavily, but still remain supple and fully serviceable. The inside of the holster is marked: "C. B. Woodman / 1st Mass. Heavy Art’y / 13 / 686 / 785," and a period pistol lanyard with swivel is also included.
The Model 1902 US Army sword measures 39 1/4" overall, with a 33 3/4" curved, single-edged blade having wide single fullers and 2/3 length etched panels on either side. The blade is retailer marked on the ricasso: "BENT & / BUSH / BOSTON;" with Col. Woodman’s name on the reverse panel: "Lt. Col. / Chas. B. Woodman / 1st Mass. Artillery." The blade retains practically all of the original factory polish with frosted and lightly pitted nickel on the triple-branched guard, quillon, and gripstrap. The horn finger-groove grip is in fine shape, but does have a small amount of insect damage where it meets the ferrule. The scabbard has a commensurate amount of mild surface oxidation, and a single shallow dent on the reverse side, just below the hanger rings. A period portepee, in black thread and wire bullion, is also included.
At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery was one of a very few volunteer heavy artillery regiments available for service. With a coastline of about 4,000 miles to defend, and an unknown number of Spanish naval units thought to be at sea. Against this threat, the US fielded 93 coastal batteries, 70 of them manned by US Army Regulars, and the remaining 23 by volunteers. Of those 23, fully 12 of them were manned by the 1st Mass. Artillery, engaged in the protection of the New England coast under its commanders: Col. Charles Pfaf, and Lt. Col. Charles Woodman. Initially, the entire regiment was sent to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, but by the end of hostilities, detachments manned defensive batteries at New Bedford, Salem, Gloucester, Newburyport, Marblehead, and Nahant. While Woodman’s 1902 Army sword was acquired well after the war, the privately purchased Colt revolver would almost certainly have been carried by him during his Spanish-American War service. This is a splendid grouping of items, in very good-fine condition, and would make a great addition to any US military collection.
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