Man Brings Sword to Emmaus for Appraisal

Clifford Warfield of Cetronia arrived at in August for an held by the . He brought with him a sword from the Civil War.

When Charles Moyer, auctioneer and appraiser for Alderfer’s Auction and Appraisal, Hatfield, took a look at it, he told Warfield it was a musician’s sword carried by the fifers, buglers and drummers during the Civil War.   

Moyer said it probably didn’t see any action, since musicians rarely fought in the war. They were too busy sending messages and orders among the men.  Because there was no way to communicate with the soldiers verbally, these fifers, drummers and buglers sent messages and orders through their music.

The sword had an inspector’s stamp on it dating it to 1864, was in good condition and was probably a Union sword, said Moyer. Warfield also had the scabbard to hold the sword by the soldier’s side.

Moyer appraised it at $300-400.

Warfield, who was “pleased with the estimate,” said he got it from the grandfather of his second cousin and plans to pass it down to the next generation in his family.