Edged weapons and gear of 1812

[mmutarelli]

I'm a gun and knife builder here in NC. I am trying to find out what sort of belt knives the soldiers and the Militia/Kentuckians would have carried during the war. Were D-guard bowies popular back then? I live outside Ft Bragg and legend has it that the Kennedy Family in my county shipped rifles to General Jackson down in NOLA for the battle. None ever were recovered. However, there were mention of these in Jackson's diary and there is a hand written letter from David Kennedy to the War Dept., offering to build rifles. I want to try to build a garniture of pistol, rifle and belt knife. I plan on using some local black walnut for the stock, fabricating the ramrod pipes and trigger guard myself. Just have to figure out some of the gear and the blades the guys may have carried.

MM

 

[Artificer]

Did you perhaps post this in the wrong forum?

Bowie knives are generally from the mid 1830's onward and well beyond the War of 1812.

Gus

 

[ajbennettnc]

I know this is an old post, and about knives, but I've got an early 19th century unsigned but attributable Kennedy rifle if you need stock and furniture dimensions or tracing. I'm also just a little ways west of you (Stanly county.)