My personal collection presents a large selection of french and british sabers or swords from the Napoleonic period.
Some of these weapons may have fought against each others on a battlefield!
You will find also some swords from the XVIII e century during the Seven Years' War, and sabers used along the XIX e century during the US Civil war, the Crimean war, the Franco-Prussian war, and colonial wars or conflicts.
Hark! now the Drums beat up again,
For all true Soldiers Gentlemen,
Then let us list, and march I say,
Over the Hills and far away;
Over the Hills and o'er the Main,
To Flanders, Portugal and Spain,
King George commands, and we'll obey,
Over the Hills and far away.
All Gentlemen that have a Mind,
To serve the King that's good and kind;
Come list and enter into Pay,
Then o'er the Hills and far away;
Here's Forty Shillings on the Drum,
For those that Volunteers do come,
With Shirts, and Cloaths, and present Pay,
When o'er the Hills and far away;
Thine evil deeds are writ in gore,
Nor written thus in vain –
Thy triumphs tell of fame no more,
Or deepen every stain –
If thou hadst died as honour dies,
Some new Napoleon might arise,
To shame the world again –
But who would soar the solar height,
To set in such a starless night?
Weigh’d in the balance, hero dust
Is vile as vulgar clay;
Thy scales, Mortality! are just
To all that pass away;
But yet methought the living great
Some higher sparks should animate,
To dazzle and dismay;
Nor deem’d Contempt could thus make mirth
Of these, the Conquerors of the earth.
Lord Byron
