CAPTURED BATTLE DAMAGED HESSIAN SPONTOON, BATTLE OF TRENTON, DECEMBER 26, 1776

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CAPTURED BATTLE DAMAGED HESSIAN SPONTOON, BATTLE OF TRENTON, DECEMBER 26, 1776:
$389.00

CAPTURED BATTLE DAMAGED HESSIAN SPONTOON, BATTLE OF TRENTON,DECEMBER 26, 1776

This very rare battle damaged Hessian spontoon was used by an officer inthe Hessian Knyphausen Regiment at the Battle of Trenton, fought on December26, 1776.It found in the back yard ofthe Donald House on King Street where the Hessian Knyphausen Regiment had setup a pair of 3 pounder cannons & supporting infantry that were firing atthe Americans.After thecannons were disabled by Captain Alexander Hamilton’s Battery, the Hessiancannons were captured along with the surviving infantry by the Americans.It is iron, in theshape of a spade, is 14 7/8” overall length with a 9” blade that has a central ¾”square blade that is set sideways and is surrounded by very fancy ironwork witha pair of small arms sticking out on each lower outer corner. Thetip of the central blade is battle damaged, it hit something solid, blunting& crushing 1/8” of the tip. The 5 3/8” base is in 2 parts, the upper oneattached the blade to the 4 1/8” hollow lower one is where a wood shaft wasattached. It has light/medium pitting& a dark brown patina & has some damage to the finish only on one side where it was dropped when it was removed from the mantle in 1935/36. It was kept on the mantle with several other bayonets & a rack of swords over the fireplace until the house wastorn down in 1935/36. It is part of the Donald HouseCollection that has been passed down through the Donald family. I have seen quite a few spontoons at militeria shows & in museums but I have never seen one like this one!See George Neumann’s very fine book Swords& Blades of the American Revolution, pages 221 & 222, figures 124Pa& 125 PA for spontoons similar to this one. It comes with a Donald familycollection letter & a certificate of historical accuracy.the Hessian Knyphausen Regiment. Seethe Hessian Knyphausen Regiment sword also captured at the Donald House during this same battle & from the Donald Collection also, listed separately.