The sword won the 2019 Best of Show Award at the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association's 46th Annual Gettysburg Civil War Show (award plaque included) and is shown in the included carte de visite of Captain Digman. The CDV and sword are featured in the article "Presentation Sword of Capt. Digman, 183rd PVI: A 40-Year Search Meets with Success" by Scott Newkirk (Digman's three-greats-grandson) in "North South Trader's Civil War Vol. 39. No. 5." from 2016 which tells of Newkirk's search for his ancestor's sword and details Captain Digman's biography (more below). By the 1960s, the sword had found its way to El Paso, Texas, businessman Charles Harper Jr. who was related to Captain Digman's widow until his death in 1984 and came into the possession of Jay Reid of the Pennsylvania Sword Collectors. Newkirk gave Reid Digman's framed captain's commission from May 3, 1864, to accompany this historic sword. The commission is included with the lot as is a large research file on Digman. The sword has a 32 inch blade with elaborate high grade frosted etching terminating in eagle designs with "For Union and Liberty" boldly displayed on the obverse along with arms, a mortars and balls, and "G.W. Simons./& Bro;/Philada. Pa." above the obverse ricasso; "IRON: PROOF." and floral patterns along the spine, and "U" and "S" flanking a spread wing eagle with an "E PLURIBUS UNUM" banner on the reverse as well as a banner below with "Deeds not words" followed by Justice on a pedestal above the reverse ricasso which is marked "W./CLAUBERG/SOLINGEN." The gilt hilt is also very finely embellished and has a detailed design of an eagle representing the Union fighting a snake representing the Confederates on the guard along with "US," engraved scrolls inside the guard, a bust of Columbia at the back of the pommel, and detailed floral patterns. The grip is smooth antique ivory. A gilt sword knot is tied to the knuckle guard. The metal scabbard has a silvered body, gilt fittings with floral and patriotic designs including Columbia on the upper suspension band and arms on the lower band and drag, gilt rope pattern suspension rings, and a gilt rope around the silver inscription panel which reads: "Presented to/Capt. Jno. Digman/By the Non Commissioned Officers and Privates of Co. H. 183 Regt. P.V." Digman's red sash is also included. John Digman (c. 1813-1864) was from Baltimore and moved to Philadelphia around 1850. A John Digman is listed as a 2nd Lieutenant in Company C of the Keystone Zouaves Regiment (76th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment) starting in June of 1861 in local newspapers and Pennsylvania records from the 1860s, but he does not appear on the units roster. In June of 1863, the elder Digman responded to Governor Andrew G. Curtin's call to arms as Lee's men invaded Pennsylvania. He was a first lieutenant in Company K of the 52nd Pennsylvania Infantry Militia which was deactivated in September. On November 12, 1863, the Philadelphia Inquirer included a recruiting ad with Digman listed as the captain of Company H of the 183rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry which was also known as the Fourth Union League Regiment as it was formed in Philadelphia through the Union League Association. His included commission as captain is dated May 3, 1864, with rank from January 21, 1863, and he may have been presented the sword around that time while they were still near Philadelphia. His muster-in record lists him as 50 years old on January 21, 1864. Many of the recruits were too young to have joined earlier in the war, and in Digman's case, he was older than many of the men by decades. They joined the Army of the Potomac and served in the Overland Campaign. Captain Digman was struck by a ball in the chest on May 10 at Shady Grove Church Road while leading his men. He was transported on the steamer Thomas A. Morgan to Washington along with many other severely wounded men, several of whom did not survive the journey. He was admitted to General Hospital at the Naval Academy in Annapolis by late June. He is listed as returned to duty on July 8th. Had he not received this sword earlier, he may have been presented it by his men in celebration of his return in July. On August 16, Digman and several of his men were captured near Deep Bottom. Some of the records indicate they were captured in the White Oak Swamp. He was listed as missing in action since that date in the muster rolls. He was sent to the Libby Prison, and many of his men were sent to the dreadful Andersonville Prison in Georgia. Digman was transferred to the Danville Prison in Virginia where he died on December 21, 1864. He was still reported as a prisoner in Pennsylvania newspapers in early 1865 and reported as having died at the prison in the Philadelphia Inquirer on March 9, 1865. A fellow prisoner's account related by Newkirk suggests Digman may have died or at least suffered from gangrene after his hand was wounded when a Confederate guard stole Digman's gold wedding ring. Officially, his cause of death was exposure or rheumatism depending on the source examined. He is buried in the National Cemetery in Danville.

Exceptionally fine. The sword has very minimal age and storage related wear overall, and is in remarkable condition. The excellent blade retains crisp etching and is in exceptionally bright original polish with only very slight patina forming. The hilt retains the vast majority of the original gilt finish and also retains crisp designs as does the scabbard fittings. The grip has attractive natural tones, slight age lines, and a very minute flake. The scabbard has some areas of darker patina and primarily displays slight age and storage related wear. The historic inscription remains crisp, and the panel has an attractive, untouched, attractively aged patina. The sash has mild fading from age but is very good. The CDV has minor storage wear. The framed commission has minor tears at the edges of the creases and is otherwise fine and has distinct writing and minor foxing. This is an extraordinary group of artifacts centered on an impeccably fine Civil War presentation sword presented to a man who ultimately lost his life in the service of the Union as the blade motto suggests.