Developed following the Civil War, the Trowel Bayonet was part of the age old battle between wanting to give the fighting man tools that will make his life better (and hopefully longer) and not wanting to overburden the trooper in the field. Many of the battles of the Civil War clearly demonstrated the virtue of being able to dig in when holding a fixed position, and it was hoped that a combined tool could do the job. The concept had enemies and supporters, the latter including Major Reno of Little Big Horn fame; in correspondence he lamented the fact that his unit only had 3 spades available when facing off against the enemy. Measuring 13 inches overall, the trowel features a blade 8 7/8 inches long and 4 inches wide, slightly concave along the top and featuring a prominent spine on the underside. The joint and socket are very similar to the then-standard bayonet, with the addition of a metal bow on the front of the joint to create a finger loop. With a brown leather sheath, with faint patent marks on the reverse of the belt loop and a brass tip.

Fine. Most of the surface is bright gray in color, with some patches of heavy pitting concentrated towards the rear of the blade and mild handling marks. The sheath is very good, with the tip loose and some flaking, cracking and verdigris buildup.