INDIAN WAR US PATTERN 1885 ENLISTED CAVALRY MOD STUART SABRE BELT ATTACHMENT For Sale -

Photographs throughout Ad:

Offered for sale from a recent Estate Sale is an Original INDIAN WAR ACCOUTERMENT A ––

U S PATTERN 1885 ENLISTED CAVALRY SABRE BELT ATTACHEMENT – MODIFIED J.E.B. STUART SWORD HANGER WITH STRAPS In the book American Military and Naval Belts 181211902 by R. Stephen Dorsey the following is noted on page 177 and 178 as follows. This is the design I believe of this Stuart Sabre Hanger with straps offered for sale.

From Dorsey’s Historical Notes the follow is Pattern 1874 Sabre Belt with its pair of detachable leather saber slings was adequate but it had a drawback of for the cavalry soldiers in the field: to remove it from the belt and leave it on the saddle while the the soldier deployed for dismount combat, he had to unhook both slings form his belt hooks, hood them together and hang the affair, in some manner, from his saddle. Remounting required that he reverse this process at some point, hooking both hooks into the two requisite loops on his saber belt. For the Ordance Dept., the Pattern 1874 Sabre Belt required two, relatively fragile saber slings and two brass slides for the belt. Apparently, someone remembered the patented Stuart Sabre Hanger or Attachment from years before. In fact, those had been made in some quantity and issued well into the 1870s.

It was a simple re-design effort to make the old, spring loaded Stuart Hanger over into a simple sheet brass hook arrangement with captive leather slings as is the item offered for sale. That would only require one mounting point on the belt (one sliding brass loop and would allow fast, easy attachment to the saddle or soldier. In addition, that one-point attachment method was easily transferred ot the then-new Mills Woven Cavalry Cartridge Belt, where the same Stuart hook would hang from a simple box ring held to the lower edge of the new cartridge belt by a leather chape. The new saber hanger was equally suited for field or garrison duty.

In the section Special Fittings the following is noted regarding the Sabre Attachment. The Modifield Stuart Sabre Attachment was made of NO. 14 sheet brass with a 7 to oz collar leather straps riveted on. The straps are riveted at the top. Securing them to the hook plate and have holes in the opposite ends for one brass, saber-securing stud for each strap. Originally this design had two small sliding leather loops which are missing on the example offered for sale.

The Pattern 1885 Sabre Belt was the last of the Indian War cavalry belts and was a companion piece to the Pattern 1885 Mills Woven Cartridge Belt that, also accepted the Stuart Hanger. It was produced after 1901, in russet leather and these late belts are quite scarce. By 1903, this belt had been replaced by the Pattern 1903 Sabre Belt.

The Modified J.E.B. Stuart Pattern 1885 Enlisted Cavalry Sabre Belt Attachment is as presented in the photos. The item is untouched, as received from an estate sale. Patina on the brass, the original black finish on the leather has flaked away in most areas, however some still present. Originally there were two small leather sliding loops above the securing studs, these are missing as photo shows. . The leather is still flexible. There are no inspector or makers trademarks that I can find on the Indian War Sabre attachment.

Note the book in ad is for reference only not included in the sale. To show the Sabre Belt Attachment I have taken photos indoors and outside in direct sunlight. will accept PAYPAL. Items will be shipped Priority Mail mail usually next day after payment of Paypal, packaging and mail $ 5.35.

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