Manufactured by W. Clauberg of Solingen and sold by Schuyler, Hartley & Graham of New York, this sword measures 35 inches overall, with a 29 3/8 inch double fuller blade with etched patriotic decoration on both sides and "IRON PROOF" on the spine. The guard and pommel are cast brass, with cut-through scroll/"USN" designs on the guard and a laurel wreath on the pommel. The grip is wire wrapped. Includes a leather scabbard, fitted with brass furniture and inscribed "Presented To/Capt E.A. Robinson/from the crew/U.S.S. Wilderness,/1864" on the throat. No information has been found on Captain E. A. Robinson at this time. The U.S.S. Wilderness (previously the B. N. Creary) was commissioned on July 20th, 1864 and assigned to the 2nd Division of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron under the Union Army. By late October, the ship was armed with four 24-pounders, and on October 31, 1864, had its first bit of action off of New Inlet, North Carolina where it chased down and captured the British blockade-runner Annie, firing its cannons the whole way in pursuit. While loading the prisoners from Annie and all of its valuables, the Confederates at nearby Fort Fisher opened fire on the Wilderness and damaged the rim of the gunboat's port wheel. After being repaired, the Wilderness would later take part in the first attempt to capture Fort Fisher. On December 23rd, 1864, the Wilderness towed the steamer Louisiana, which was stripped and filled with explosives, close to the walls of Fort Fisher, where a fire was lit on the Louisiana and men escaped in small boats to the Wilderness before the explosion, which would only cause a large shock wave. The next few days, while the Union soldiers attacked the fort, the Wilderness took on board the wounded and the bodies of the sailors who had been killed on the U.S.S. Ticonderoga and U.S.S. Juniata.

Very fine, exceptional blade retains attractive original bright polish with some patches of minor pitting, defined etchings, brass retains an attractive golden aged patina, crisp inscription, and the leather has some light cracking from age.