Bronze sword given to an American-born ship’s captain for his heroics at the 1805 Battle of Trafalga

The Daily Mail ^ | 03/01/2017 | Scott Campbell

[Timocrat]

Bronze sword given to an American-born ship’s captain for his heroics at the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar goes on the market for £200,000

[Timocrat]

Beautiful sword presented to an American sea captain for valor at Trafalgar. A maine collector is selling this for $250,000 ( at least). Someone should buy this for the US Naval Academy.

[BenLurkin]

HMS Swiftsure was a 74-gun ship of the line.

[jneesy]

the condition is amazing

[Bull Snipe]

I am not sure that I would refer to Captain Rutherford as an American sea captain. He left the United States when he was about 12 years old and was loyal subject of the British Crown for 41 years. Had he had a ship command during the war of 1812, pretty sure Captain Rutherford would not have had the least problem firing an American flagged ship.

[BenLurkin]

It’s gorgeous.

[central_va]

It’s technically a cutlass but who cares what you call it. I do find it odd that a cutlass and not a straight bladed sword was given as a tribute to officers. Cutlasses, a slashing weapon, were used by the enlisted who did not have as much training in sword fighting.

[marktwain]

He was born in America to British parents, and left as the Revoolution started.

It is a stretch to call him American.

[BenLurkin]

I was wondering if the Rutherford family was related to Rutherford B. Hayes.

[central_va]

Here is a classic Navy sword with it's totally straight blade.

[Charles Martel]

There's something else odd about this story... HMS Swiftsure was, I believe, a Royal Navy vessel that had been captured by the French several years before Trafalgar. It was in the battle, firing *at* Nelson's ships.

Perhaps the Brits launched another warship and gave it that name in the interim, or something. I'm sure that someone here knows.

[central_va]

A cutlass.

[jjotto]

Yep. Two different Swiftsures.

[Lower Deck]

HMS Swiftsure was a 74-gun ship of the line.

And the Turner picture shown in the story is of a first rate. It is, in fact, HMS Victory.

[BenLurkin]

According to Wikipedia, the French returned her to the British as part of some diplomatic arrangement prior to 1805. She was re-christened “Irresistible” and fought at Trafalagar under the name.

[Lower Deck]

Perhaps the Brits launched another warship and gave it that name in the interim, or something. I'm sure that someone here knows.

They did. The HMS Swiftsure that was part of Nelson's fleet was commissioned in 1804. An earlier HMS Swiftsure was commissioned in 1787, was captured by the French in 1801, and fought with the French at Trafalgar where she was recaptured, recommissioned, and renamed HMS Irresistible.

[MCF]

According to my calculations the sword cost the equivalent of about $30,800 in today's money.

[fella]

The article doesn’t say it but it sounds like Rutherford’s family was Tory.

[jpsb]

There was an American Captain at Trafalga? Hmmm, interesting since I thought there were hard feelings between the British and the Americans at that time.

[Charles Martel]

I thought it must be some scenario like that. That era, particularly the naval battles of the Napoleonic Wars, was rife with ship captures and nautical prize-hunting.

[Sans-Culotte]

That looks more like a cavalry sabre.