Object Details
Description
This bowie knife was found on the battlefield of Perryville, Kentucky.
It is claimed that the bowie knife was designed by Rezin Bowie, the brother of James Bowie, and made by blacksmith James Black. The blade, made of steel, was up to 14 inches long. Its shape enabled the cowboy or mountain man to skin or disembowel an animal. In general, the bowie is usually classified as any large knife with a clip point. It was popular from the 1840s through 1865 and used by United States troops during the Mexican War and on the frontier during the disturbances in Kansas and Missouri in the 1850s. During the Civil War, it was popular with Confederate soldiers, whose arms generally were inferior.
Associated Date
1862
ID Number
AF.32398
catalog number
32398
accession number
68826
Object Name
knife
Other Terms
knife; Edged Weapons; CSA, Army; Bowie
Physical Description
steel (overall material)
wood (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 5 in x 17 3/4 in x 1 1/2 in; 12.7 cm x 45.085 cm x 3.81 cm
found in
United States: Kentucky
See more items in
Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
Military
ThinkFinity
Data Source
National Museum of American History
related event
Civil War
Civil War and Reconstruction
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_438749