The sword is likely of German or French origin, and it is a tentative match for swords used in the United States in the period after the war of 1812 — meaning the engravings could have been added by Rountree after the fact. The sword is shorter and lighter than one might anticipate. This nimble design was characteristic of cavalry swords: the length and curved blade made it easier to pull from its scabbard from a saddle position, and the light weight allowed for the soldier to maneuver the piece from side to side during battle. Although they may simply indicate typical wear and tear accumulated during this sword’s long lifespan, the good number of chips on the edge of the blade indicate the sword may have been used in combat — marks that represent the bodies of fleeing Native American during one of several massacres that define the fighting of the Black Hawk War.

The sword is notable for its unique preservation, including, rarely, a still very much intact leather scabbard. The scabbard features two metal loops which would have been used to fasten the blade to a belt; as well as a “chape,” — like a metal cap that protects the tip of the blade from piercing through. At the top of the scabbard, on the metal “throat band” is an engraving that reads, “John Rountree, Black Hawk War, 1832.”  In the height of its glory, when it was carried to war by Rountree in 1832, the metal of the sword would have been polished to a brilliant silver shine, and the blade would have been kept razor sharp — probably by one of the three enslaved persons who were kept in bondage by Rountree. The weapon in its prime would have been even more beautiful and would have held even more military allure than the weapon does in its present condition.