Ordered in December 1818 by the US Government, which had no cavalry at the time, 10,000 of these were produced 1820-22 and distributed to state militias, North and South. The independence of states at the time was fundamental to the structure of the United States and state militias comprised a large part of the national military force. Accordingly, a large percentage of these served Southern Militias and, though superseded at the time of the Civil War, would have been pressed into service by the Confederacy. This example with US/P/LS/N STARR markings, indicating federal inspection by Luther Sage. The blade shows use with shallow nicks in the percussion area.
