Believed active only around 1861-1862, Cunningham was an early participant in the Confederate arms drive, offering his services to the Secretary of War as early as June 29th and receiving an advance to establish an arsenal on College Hill in Nashville, Tennessee. As Nashville was knocked out by the Union in early 1862, and no record of him re-establishing himself outside the city is known, this left a very narrow window for Cunningham to produce swords. The College Hill cavalry sword is noted for its resemblance to a saber produced by the Nashville Plow Works and is distinct from the U.S. regulation 1840 and 1860 cavalry swords that many Confederate sword firms chose to flatter via imitation. Measuring 40 1/2 inches overall, with a 35 1/2 inch curved single fuller blade with no maker's marks. The guard is a cast triple branch design with prominent cast and sculpted scroll designs, a textured surface, and prominent "CSA" lettering ahead of the blade, with an iron back strap and a wire wrapped grip.

Very good. The blade shows a mixed brown and gray patina, with a chipped tip, some edge nicks, and scattered spotting and pitting. The hilt shows a deep aged patina on both the iron and brass, with traces of leather on the grip and the wire broken but present. A rare Confederate sword from a short-lived manufacturer.