Massive Confederate Bowie Knife, dug at a Louisiana site at Spotsylvania

Being offered is a popular Confederate weapon, it is an excavated Confederate bowie knife. It measures 18” x 2 ¼” and the wooden handle is long gone, as with most of these relics.  It was dug at a Louisiana site near Spotsylvania battlefield, not far from the Fredericksburg Christian Church (see pictures). In the same area as the knife, Louisiana buttons were also recovered.

The Battle of Spotsylvania was fought from May 8 to May 21, 1864, near Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, it involved the Union's Army of the Potomac and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Despite being tactically inconclusive, the battle resulted in heavy casualties for both sides and is remembered for intense fighting, particularly at the "Mule Shoe" salient and the "Bloody Angle".

These large bowie knives are just about always associated with use by Confederate soldiers, often getting their pictures taken while holding one (see period photo). This knife is in very solid condition – no chipping or flaking and has been coated for preservation (a very slight bend near the tip). These fearsome dug Confederate knives have become very difficult to find now.