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Return to the Varnum House Museum: An Interview with Barbara Weaver

May 6, 2019 By Brian Wallin

It’s been a while since we sat down with Varnum Continentals Vice President and Varnum House Museum Curator Barbara Weaver. A lot has happened at the historic house on the hill. Thanks to an extensive series of renovations funded through both individual donations and the generosity of charitable foundations, the home of General James Mitchell Varnum and his wife Martha “Patty” (Child) Varnum, the house has been restored virtually to its appearance during the period when the Varnums called it their home.

Recently, we talked with Barbara about the projects she has overseen and what the future holds for the house at 57 Peirce Street.

Varnum News: The Varnum House was designed and constructed by John Reynolds in 1773, considered to be East Greenwich’s most important 18^th century architect and builder. His design for the General replicated the popular Georgian style of the period. What were some of the key elements he employed? Varnum himself was certainly a well-educated and knowledgeable man of his time. Would he have offered input to Reynolds?

Barbara Weaver, Varnum House Curator and Varnum Continentals Vice President

Barbara Weaver: It is quite possible that the house reflected Varnum’s personal taste. Reynolds had already built a couple of homes in town: the Eldredge House at the corner of Peirce and Division Streets and the Whitmarsh home at 294 Main Street, also known as the “Brick House”. These are known as Georgian style, and were a very common design in the colonial period between 1730 and 1776.

Varnum News: Why did Varnum choose to build the house in its location? There would have been other suitable lots available

Barbara Weaver: The house was built across from the Kent County Courthouse, which was very convenient since Varnum was a prominent lawyer at the courthouse. The building was frequented by the most influential leaders of the colony and was also one of the locations where the colonial general assembly met (the assembly rotated meetings between East Greenwich, Providence, Bristol, Newport, and South Kingstown). He bought the plot from John Peirce for $90.

Varnum News: The house was finished shortly after Varnum left to take part in the Siege of Boston. From that time until he ended his service in the Continental Army, was he able to spend much time in East Greenwich with his wife? She must have been like many other colonial women of the time, left to manage household affairs on her own.

Martha "Patty" Varnum — Martha “Patty” Varnum

Barbara Weaver: Since the Varnums were prominent and very wealthy, there would have been lots of entertaining. Guests were General George Washington, General Nathanael Greene, Marquis de Lafayette, Comte de Rochambeau, Governor William Greene, and many other prominent dignitaries. Although we don’t know exactly when Washington visited, he was in Rhode Island between 1776 and 1781. Lafayette stayed with the Varnum’s on at least one occasion and presented them with the beautiful bowl that is displayed in the second-floor bedroom named in honor of the French military leader.

Varnum News: After service to the state and new federal governments, Varnum was appointed a federal judge in the Ohio territory. He left Rhode Island in late 1788 and on the journey west was taken ill. He died in January of 1789 in Marietta, Ohio at the age of 41. Patty Varnum had remained in Rhode Island, not knowing she would never see her husband again. What happened to her after his death?

Barbara Weaver: The Varnums were a very devoted couple from what we know. He wrote her a very tender letter during his military service and we have the letter on display. They never had children. After her husband’s death, Martha (Patty) Varnum lived at her sister’s home in East Greenwich, RI. She never remarried. The Varnum name was continued on his brother’s side. We have had their descendants visit the house in recent years.

Varnum News: So, take us through the decades up to the 20^th century. What happened to the Varnum House? Through whose ownership did it pass? Were there any major changes during the years?

Barbara Weaver: In 1788, Varnum sold the mansion to the original architect, John Reynolds. There were at least ten owners after that. Clark, Brayton, and Bowen were some of the families that owned Varnum’s mansion in the 1800s. The Trimmer brothers — current Varnum Secretary Mark and Varnum Trustee David — are direct descendants of Dr. William Shaw Bowen, and they serve as docents, as well as members of the Varnum Continentals Historic Military Command.

Varnum News: In 1939, then Varnum Continentals Commander Colonel Howard Allen took steps to acquire the Varnum House. What motivated the purchase?

Varnum House Museum docents in period costume

Barbara Weaver: The property had come up for sale that year. Colonel Allen was responsible for saving the mansion from being sold for building lots. “The Allen Room” on the second floor is named in his memory.

Varnum News: From that time until the turn of the new century, was there any major restoration?

Barbara Weaver: None, to my knowledge. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 but little was done to improve the property. Colonel Allen did arrange to have the kitchen remodeled in memory of his wife. Other than that, only general maintenance was done for many years. You can imagine that a house as old as this requires considerable care.

Varnum News: Recognizing the importance of preserving the House and its history, you and your husband have undertaken and organized a renovation program at the house. Take us through that, please.

Barbara Weaver: In 2015, I became a Vice President of the Varnum Continentals and Curator of The Varnum House Museum. I began doing a thorough cleaning and polishing of the rooms and hallways. Next, my husband Bill, who is also a member of the Varnum Board of Trustees, reviewed every room and the grounds to see what was needed. It seemed that everywhere we looked something needed attention. We identified some key areas of concern. Both the house and carriage house required a complete exterior paint job. The two massive chimneys needed repointing. The second-floor ceilings were in dire condition, with some debris actually coming down. We also continued the renovation of the windows and shutters. Being a historic building, all this work had to be done by tradesmen experienced in such projects. Needless to say, this was an expensive undertaking.

After identifying the importance, Bill and I created a plan and identified a two-year initiative (Editor’s Note: the Varnum Board was simultaneously addressing capital improvements at both the Varnum Memorial Armory and the Varnum House during this period). In the first year, we turned to the Champlin Foundation, who had been generous in the past. We applied for a grant of $69,585 to make the first in a series of critical repairs and upgrades. It was approved and these projects were completed. We were also delighted to receive a number of individual donations in support of small restoration projects.

Along the way, the Varnum trustees and members also pitched in with yearly cleanups of the grounds. Speaking of the grounds, I would be remiss if I did not take special note of and express our sincere gratitude for the commitment of the URI Master Gardeners program. Over the past several years, they created and still maintain a colonial garden.

Hand-painted wallpaper from China (circa 1850s)

The following year, we returned to the Champlin Foundation and they generously responded with a grant of $ 101,745. This has enabled us to restore the circa 1850’s wallpaper, hand painted in China and installed in the early 1900’s in the massive first floor hallway. We have also painted the exterior of the circa 1800 Carriage House at the rear of the property. Our window restoration was also completed under the most recent grant along with the repair of the massive stone wall that surrounds the grounds, which will be completed in the next few months .

At this point, sweat equity deserves a mention. We took furniture out of all the rooms to polish the floors and then polished all the furniture before it was returned to the rooms. Bill and I personally painted several of the rooms. Our docents have also generously stepped up to help, as this was a massive job in itself. Incidentally, I have to add here that I don’t know what we would do without my husband’s generous dedication of his time and talents. No matter what I ask of Bill, he always steps up to the challenge.

Varnum News: During the renovations, did you experience and surprises? Any significant finds?

Barbara Weaver: Yes, we found that many unexpected repairs were needed throughout the entire building. That is where “Yankee Ingenuity” came in handy with Bill’s knowledge of mechanical and structural skills. Having been involved in three other museums, I have a knowledge of period decoration and was able to draw upon that in putting the rooms back into shape.

Varnum News: As you look at the house today, what are the elements of which you are most proud to share with visitors?

William Frecker pianoforte and Lafayette bowl

Barbara Weaver: We are different from so-called “farmhouse” museums in that we have so many very fancy items that would be found in a well-to-do household of this period. These include the “Lafayette bowl”, the circa 1850’s wallpaper (which is a treasure in itself) and a 1797 William Frecker mahogany pianoforte. That instrument is one of only a few existent examples. We also have on display a portrait of Joseph Bradley Varnum (the General’s brother) and portraits of Amy Varnum, (great granddaughter of J.B. Varnum). One very special item is a miniature portrait of Patty Varnum, believed to be the only image of its kind.

Varnum News: You speak of the Varnum House Museum docents with special pride and affection.

Barbara Weaver: Oh, absolutely! Volunteers are the heartbeat of a non-profit organization in any capacity. However, docents, especially our talented and dedicated team, are a treasure. Without them we could not have accomplished all that we have. You usually think of docents as guides. But, our team generously pitches in with cleaning and polishing the rooms. They are available for special events to bring the house and its contents to life for guests. They provide tours to school groups and others. We are fortunate to be able to open the house for regular visiting hours during the summer with the presence of our docents. They dress in reproduction colonial garb, which adds a flair to the tour. In the museum field, we often speak of “keeping history alive”. Our docents are the epitome of that commitment. Using an instructional docents guide developed for the purpose, they have become extremely knowledgeable of the museum house, its contents as well as General Varnum’s life and career.

I have been a member of the Varnum Continentals for some 15 years now. As I mentioned, I worked in three other museums and am knowledgeable of museum workings. Through my activities with the Daughters of the American Revolution over the years, I visited historical sites and attended programs on American history. (Editor’s Note: Barbara has also served as RI State Regent of the DAR). What the Varnum House Museum has that makes it so special is our large and truly dedicated team of docents.

Varnum News: It is said that the preservation of a major historic treasure like the Varnum House is an ongoing process. Do you have any special things you would like to see in the immediate future?

Barbara Weaver: Oh, yes. I have a list. Of course, I am always adding to it. For example, I would like to acquire appropriate framing for the many portraits on the second-floor hallway and also add interpretive signage for the grounds at the museum.

Varnum News: If James Mitchell Varnum and his wife were to return to the house, do you think would they feel in familiar surroundings? What would you say to them as they entered their former home?

Barbara Weaver: Yes, I think they would feel like they were home as we have tried to restore and now preserve the house as close to the original mansion as possible. I am so honored and privileged to act as Curator of this historic gem. We owe a great debt of thanks to the late Colonel H.V. Allen whose foresight made it possible for the building to be acquired for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. If the General and Mrs. Varnum were to walk through the front door, I would love to be able to say, “Welcome home. My team and I have tried to make your beautiful home as comfortable and as much like it as it was when you lived here.”

Varnum members are encouraged to make the community aware of the Varnum House operating schedule. Group tours are available by appointment in June and September. Summer hours for visitors in July and August are Sundays from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

Be sure to mark your calendar for the Varnum House Museum Colonial Yuletide to be held Saturday, December 7, 2019 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm.

The House and grounds are available for special event rentals such as weddings and receptions. For more information, contact: house@varnumcontinentals.org or call 401-884-1776.

[FEATURE ARTICLE] The Doolittle Raid of April 18, 1942 and the Rhode Island Connection

March 31, 2019 By Brian Wallin

A B-25 taking off from USS Hornet (CV-8) for the raid.

Seventy-seven years ago this month, sixteen Mitchell B-25 (Model B) medium bombers were launched from the USS Hornet to attack the Japanese mainland: specifically, the capital city of Tokyo and other locations on the island of Honshu. The daring raid, coming just barely four months after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor was not only revenge for that event, but also intended to boost American morale, which had seen one blow after another in the early months of America’s entry into the conflict.

Lieutenant Colonel James “Jimmy” Doolittle led eighty men, five to a plane, on the one-way mission. Executed on a very tight timeline at the behest of President Roosevelt, who was infuriated by the duplicity of the Japanese and their lightning string of successes in the Pacific. The raid itself was the brainchild of Navy Captain Francis “Frog” Low, a senior member of the staff of Navy Commander in Chief Admiral Ernest King. It quickly got the blessing of the other chiefs of staff, Army General George Marshall and the Army Air Corps General Henry “Hap” Arnold.

When approached with the idea, Colonel Doolittle embraced it enthusiastically. If there was anyone who could carry off the mission, it was Jimmy Doolittle who had proven himself as during and after the First World War in combat and as an air racer and test pilot. The mission was officially designated “The 1st Special Aviation Project”. Twenty-four crews were quickly selected from various squadrons around the country and sent to Eglin Auxiliary Field in Florida. They were told they were to participate in a dangerous and secret mission and it was strictly on a volunteer basis. None backed away from the challenge.

They immediately began training to take off from a painted section of the field measured to the length of an aircraft carrier flight deck (although they were not told why they were taking off in such a short distance). They also practiced low level and night flying (without the benefit of radar), and over-water navigation: all of this within a matter of weeks. A number of modifications were made to the planes to maximize their fuel efficiency. In late March, sixteen aircraft were selected for the mission and flown to California at tree-top level) for final modifications.

"Mark Twain" Bomb Sight — “Mark Twain” Bomb Sight

The planes had been stripped of as much weight as possible to allow for the extra fuel needed. The bottom turret was removed. Tail guns and were removed and replaced by a pair of black-painted broom handles to confuse potential enemy attacks from the rear. The plane’s top turret and nose guns were left in place for defensive purposes. The top-secret Norden bombsight was taken out and a simple two-piece aluminum device nicknamed the “Mark Twain” was put in its place. Extra fuel was carried in a rubber bladder in the fuselage.

Originally, only 15 planes were designated for the mission. A 16th was added to demonstrate that a heavily loaded medium bomber could, indeed, take off from the limited length of an aircraft carrier flight deck. Instead, the 16th plane as added to the mission force at the last minute.

In San Francisco, a Navy yard crane lifted the bombers aboard the USS Hornet on 1 April and, accompanied by the cruiser Nashville, the carrier and the sixteen aircraft set sail on their mission into history. They were joined at sea by the carrier Enterprise, the cruisers Salt Lake City and Northampton, four destroyers and a tanker. The Navy units would be under tactical command of Admiral William Halsey aboard Enterprise. Once underway, the men and those aboard the task force ships learned for the first time the nature of their mission.

This seems like a good point to introduce the Rhode Island connection: the sole Doolittle raider from the Hope State. He was twenty-six-year-old Omar Adelard Duquette (sometimes spelled ‘Omer’ in records) of the village of Phoenix in West Warwick. Born 26 January 1916, Omar had joined the Army in 1938 after two years of high school. Initially trained at Fort Slocum in New York, he was assigned to the Army Air Corps as a mechanic and briefly served in the Canal Zone before being transferred to the 37^th Bomb Squadron at Pendleton, Oregon, among the units from which the Raider crews were drawn.

Staff Sgt. Duquette was a member of the crew of Plane #12 (the planes were numbered in order of takeoff). Their aircraft, “Fickle Finger of Fate”, under command of Lt. William M. Bower, was assigned to bomb Yokohama. Duquette, a flight engineer, was cross-trained as a gunner for the mission. Once aboard the carrier, the crews and the accompanying Army Air Corps service personnel armed the planes with four 500-pound bombs, especially designed for the mission. Three were high-explosive and one carried a bundle of incendiaries (Japan’s cities were notoriously fire-prone as would be proven later in the war).

In one of the mission photos taken aboard Hornet, Lt. Col. Doolittle is seen attaching Japanese “friendship” medals that had been awarded to U.S. servicemen before the war. They would be returned with a vengeance. Things were going to plan when suddenly at 7:38am on 18 April, about 650 miles from the Japanese mainland the task force was sighted by a radio-equipped enemy picket boat. Although the craft was quickly sunk (and several crewmen captured), it was believed a radio warning had been transmitted. Col. Doolittle and Hornet skipper Captain Marc Mitscher made the decision to launch immediately although it would add some 200 miles to the flight. The original mission plan called for the planes to fly on to pre-selected fields in China, as returning to land on the carrier deck was not an option. Now, with the additional miles, the mission would be a close call.

Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle wires a Japanese medal to a bomb, for "return" to its originators. — Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle wires a Japanese medal to a bomb, for “return” to its originators.

Doolittle took off first, with just over 460 feet of open deck (considerably less than the normal takeoff run for a B-25). He was followed one-by-one by the remaining fifteen planes. Omar Duquette and his fellow crewmen aboard Plane 12 were among the last to leave the carrier (and at least had a little longer takeoff run). Although they had practiced the maneuver many times on shore, this was the first (and only) carrier takeoff they would make.

Around noon, the planes began to arrive over Japan. They split off and flying about 1,500 feet above ground attacked military targets in Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka (site of a main Japanese naval base), Nagoya, Kobe, and Osaka. Ironically, shortly before the planes arrived, there had been a false air raid alarm in Tokyo. They encountered scattered anti-aircraft fire and a few Japanese fighter planes (three enemy planes were claimed by the American flyers). The B-25s also used their nose guns to strafe ground targets. Fifty people were killed in the raid, which did relatively minor damage but gave a huge boost to American morale and leveled an intense embarrassment on the Japanese military. It also gave impetus to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto to undertake the Midway attack several months later.

Following the brief raid, fifteen planes, among them the “Fickle Finger of Fate” headed for the China coast. One plane, low on fuel, diverted to a field in the Soviet Union (40 miles north of Vladivostok) where its crew was interned (as Russia had not entered the war against Japan). Eventually, that crew managed a return to the U.S. by a circuitous route with the tacit approval of the Russians who did not want to violate their neutrality with Japan at the time.

The original plan had called for the Navy to alert the Chinese of the approaching B-25’s but the message was never sent for fear of further alerting the enemy. The task force immediately turned back for home after the mission launch. The raiders flew on aided by a tail wind but encountering bad weather on the Chinese coast. Thirteen hours after leaving the Hornet, the planes arrived over China and either crash-landed or their crews bailed out one by one. Two planes went missing.

The Japanese captured eight crewmen in China and later executed three of them. Eventually, fourteen five-man crews made it to safety and returned to the U.S. or to American forces. One airman was killed in action when he bailed out of his plane. The Japanese killed some 250,000 Chinese in retaliation for aiding the aircrews.

When Lt. Bower brought the “Fickle Finger of Fate” over Yokohama, he and his crew dropped their bombs on the naval dockyards and an oil refinery and then high-tailed it for China. They encountered bad weather and headwinds precluding any possibility of reaching their intended touchdown point and so Bower ordered the crew to bail out. He met up on the ground with Omar Douquette and the rest of his crew and later with other raiders. Together they began the long journey home. All of the crewmen received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the second highest medal for valor. Douquette’s citation reads:

“The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926 (ed., note: the year the award was created) takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Sergeant Omer Adelard Douquette (ASN: 6143447), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement as Engineer/Gunner of a B-25 Bomber of the 1^st Special Aviation Project (Doolittle Raider Force), while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on 18 April 1942. Sergeant Douquette with 79 other officers and enlisted men volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on himself and the military service.”

Douquette, who was unmarried, chose not to return to the U.S. after the mission and he transferred into the 341^st Bombardment Group, Medium based at Karachi, India. He was returning from a secret mission over (Lashio) Burma when his plane crashed into a mountain. He was killed on 3 June 1942 just six weeks after the Tokyo raid. His remains were never recovered. Douquette is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in Taquig City, Philippines.

Omar Douquette is also remembered in his hometown of West Warwick, RI. If you go to Phoenix Square, in a little triangular park, a bronze plaque stands in his honor and also contains the names of other local men who died in the war. General Doolittle attended the dedication of the monument. The local AMVETS post was also named for Douquette. In 2007, he was inducted into the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame.

The Tokyo Raid was the longest mission (some 2,250 nautical miles) ever flown by the B-25 medium bomber. Doolittle returned to the United States expecting to be court-marshaled because he had lost all the aircraft. Instead, he received the Medal of Honor and a promotion to brigadier general. Doolittle, of course, went on to many more accomplishments during and after the war. He passed away in 1993 at age 96. Over the years, the Tokyo Raiders gathered for periodic reunions and to drink a ceremonial toast to their comrades. One by one, their numbers dwindled. The last surviving Raider, Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Cole, who served as Doolittle’s co-pilot on the mission, died on 8 April 2019 at the age of 103.

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[FEATURE ARTICLE] General George Patton: Master of the Sword

March 3, 2019 By Brian Wallin

There are few military exercises as thrilling as the charge of a cavalry unit, sabers flashing as they face off against the enemy. Of course, with today’s advanced military weaponry, the saber has been relegated to ceremonial use.

26th Cavalry Regiment charge on the Bataan Peninsula in World War II

However, as recently as the early days of World War II, you could have witnessed a cavalry charge. Two such events, considered to have been the last of them, took place in 1942. In January, the US 26^th Cavalry mounted a charge and scattered a group of Japanese troops in a skirmish on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines (later, the starving cavalrymen were forced to eat their horses as they fought against superior enemy forces). On August 23 (or 24), a unit of Italian cavalry using sabers and hand grenades conducted a successful charge against Soviet troops armed with machine guns and mortars in a battle along the Don River.

Patton swords at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum

In the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum collection, we have an outstanding representation of American and foreign saber evolution. Among them is the last American design: the M1913 Army model, designed and advocated by none other than General (at the time, Lieutenant) George S. Patton, Jr. His design in the strict sense is a sword and not a saber since it employs a straight, rather than curved blade. It was based on the British M1908 weapon. Patton’s relatively lightweight saber uses a large, basket-shaped hilt and a double-edged straight blade designed for thrusting at an opponent, rather than the slashing motion used in a traditional saber attack.

In the early 20^th century, the Army had decided to replace the cavalry saber that had been in use since 1861. At the time, Patton, a passionate believer in the power of the saber, was “Master of the Sword” at the Mounted Service School at Fort Riley, Kansas. A highly accomplished swordsman who had competed in the Olympics and trained in Europe where he perfected his aggressive thrust attack pattern, Patton was known among his peers as “Saber George”. On his return from training with the best fencing master in Europe, Monsieur Clery, Patton told the Army’s Adjutant General,

The whole French system of mounted saber fencing is concentrated in the word, “attack!”

That one word would become synonymous with Patton’s entire Army service.

U.S. Army 1914 Saber Exercise written by Patton while "Master of the Sword" at Fort Riley. — U.S. Army 1914 Saber Exercise written by Patton while “Master of the Sword” at Fort Riley.

While at Fort Riley, Patton designed a radical new weapon and prepared a detailed training manual for its mounted and dismounted use. The official manual he authored in 1914 outlined both mounted and dismounted saber techniques emphasizing the aggressive “cut and thrust” attack. With his typical assertive style, he managed to have his saber approved for general issue.

Quoting from then Lieutenant Patton’s report:

In the Peninsula War the English nearly always used the sword for cutting. The French dragoons, on the contrary, used only the point which, with their long straight swords caused almost always a fatal wound. This made the English protest that the French did not fight fair. Marshal Saxe wished to arm the French cavalry with a blade of a triangular cross section so as to make the use of the point obligatory. At Wagram, when the cavalry of the guard passed in review before a charge, Napoleon called to them, “Don’t cut! The point! The point!”

The saber commonly used by US Cavalry units up until the acceptance of Patton’s saber was the M1906, which had changed little from the curved weapons carried by US cavalry units in the U.S. Civil, Western Indian, and Spanish-American Wars. The Varnum Memorial Armory Museum’s Lounge is also home to a Model 1872 officer’s saber, which is representative of the style of weapon that preceded the implementation of Patton’s design.

But his new weapon did not have a long use. At the beginning of the American involvement in World War I, several U.S. cavalry units armed with the M1913 were sent to the front, but they were held back. Horse-mounted troops were easy prey for enemy troops equipped with Gewehr 98 rifles and MG08 machine guns (examples of both are also in the Varnum collection). Those cavalrymen who saw combat did so dismounted, using their horses only to travel.

General George Patton: Master of the Sword

Although an avid swordsman, Patton readily recognized that warfare was rapidly changing and he adapted his style of “move forward and attack” to his use of tanks in battle, a technique that became his trademark combat style in World War II. Patton had gone to war as an aide to General John J. Pershing with whom he had also fought in the pre-war punitive action against Mexican outlaws. The fiery Patton was not interested in a rear echelon position and was able to secure a role in organizing the Army’s tank warfare program. Wounded in action, he successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of the tank in battle and ended the war as a Lieutenant Colonel. Typical of Patton, he visualized the future role of armor in warfare and continued to advocate for its use between the two world wars. (On a side note, Patton joined with Dwight D. Eisenhower in the early development of tank warfare during and after World War I.

The Patton Saber in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum collection is 44 inches overall, with a 35-inch blade and weighs 2.5 pounds. The blade is two-edged, straight and tapered, made of forged steel the front edge running the whole length of the blade and double-edged for half its length. It has bloodletting grooves running down each side of the blade to within 4.75 inches of the point. The grips are hard black rubber. The basket guard is sheet steel. The entire weapon weights about two pounds. The hickory wood scabbard is covered with rawhide and then waterproofed olive drab canvas, woven to eliminate a seam. Considering the weight of the bell and grip assembly, it is balanced much closer to the hand than the typical weapon associated with the name “cavalry saber”, reinforcing Patton’s intention that it was to be used to thrust, rather than slash at an opponent. However, he never had the opportunity to use his weapon in battle.

In 1934, the Adjutant General’s office discontinued issuing the saber to the cavalry. Its days as a military weapon were over. Despite strong lobbying by many supporters including Patton, who tried valiantly in 1938 to keep the weapon in use, the decision was made just prior to the start of World War II to place the majority of sabers in storage and use them only for ceremonial purposes. In 1941, the Springfield Armory, where many sabers had been manufactured, was gearing up for massive production of the Army’s M1 Garand rifle.

Patton went on to polish his reputation as a commander who transferred his assertive saber technique to the fast-moving armored warfare through the course of World War Two. He replaced his saber with his trademark ivory handled pistols. Always at the head of his commands, Patton was instrumental in giving the Army Armor its nickname of “hell on wheels.”

Today, in the hands of a trained expert, the saber still presents a powerful reminder of its role in war. Today, the title “Master of the Sword” still exists. At the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the head of the Department of Physical Education who is responsible for both an academic and non-academic physical program carries the title. Patton held the title at Fort Riley simultaneously to the officer assigned to the role at West Point where the “Master” or MOSH as he (or she) is known, has existed since the academy’s first Swordmaster, Pierre Thomas, was appointed in 1814. And, yes, a woman has held the position” Col. Maureen LeBoeuf who served between 1997-2004.

The entire Varnum Armory collection of swords and sabers, including the Patton Saber, can still excite the imagination, calling to mind the skill and training required to successfully use these weapons in combat.

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[FEATURE ARTICLE] Young Charley Baker of Wickford: North Kingstown’s First American Civil War Killed in Action

February 3, 2019 By Brian Wallin

Young Charley Baker of Wickford: Rhode Island’s First Civil War KIA

In August 2015, we shared the story of the first North Kingstowner to fall in combat in the American Civil War during the March 14, 1862 Battle of New Bern (also spelled as New Berne) in North Carolina. With the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum’s recent acquisition of artifacts relating to that battle, it seems like a good time to retell the story of young Charley Baker and include a little about another North Kingstown man who died in that same encounter with North Carolina Confederate forces.

In a quiet corner of North Kingstown’s Elm Grove Cemetery is the Baker family plot. Among those buried under a simple, moss-encrusted marker is Charles Cahoon Baker, who is said to be the first North Kingstown resident to die in battle during the U.S. Civil War. Charley was a member of Company H, 4th Rhode Island Infantry Regiment part of the forces under command of then Col. Ambrose Burnside sent to capture the important fortifications that guarded key transportation lines used by Confederate forces. While Charley was not the first Rhode Islander to die in the war, his story is eminently representative of the horror of battle and the sadness of its aftermath.

Charley Baker was born in Wickford in 1845, the third of nine children of David Sherman Baker and Mary Cahoon Waite Baker. He grew up in the family homestead at 50 Pleasant Street (the house, still standing, was built in 1785 by Benjamin Lawton Packer and sold to Charley’s grandfather in the 1830s). When Charley’s mother and father started growing their large family, the house quickly was expanded and took on its present appearance around the time of the American Civil War.

Charlie Baker's Grave in North Kingstown’s Elm Grove Cemetery — Charlie Baker’s Grave in North Kingstown’s Elm Grove Cemetery

The Bakers were prominent local residents, members of the First Baptist Church and a family of strong patriotic principles. No one was surprised when Charley, who had just turned 17, was among those young men who rushed to Providence, RI, to volunteer as a private in the Grand Army of the Republic in September of 1861. Charley and his fellow volunteers left Rhode Island for Washington, DC on October 2. After training, they were attached to the Army of the Potomac and in early January of 1862, under the command of General Ambrose Burnside, they were sent to North Carolina, seeing service at the Battle of Roanoke Island before being sent on to New Bern.

Let’s go back to that cold, damp and dark morning on the last day of young Charley’s life. He woke from a likely fitful sleep after having landed with his comrades and marching through rain and mud to a campsite outside the Confederate-held Fort Thompson outside the city of New Bern. Shortly after dawn, gunfire broke out. Colonel Isaac Rodman, a well-known Rhode Island banker and politician who later died at the Battle of Antietam, ordered his 4^th Regiment, including Charley’s Company H, into a breech in the Rebel lines.

Corporal George Allen, in a privately published 1887 book “Forty-six Months with the Fourth Rhode Island Volunteers”, recounts the action that took young Charley’s life on the morning of March 14. Union troops had launched an unsuccessful assault on Fort Thompson. Colonel Rodman, seeing the troops fall back, took it on himself to rally the 4^th Rhode Island to charge again. In Allen’s words:

Our colonel immediately decided to advance the regiment without orders, taking the responsibility of the movement on his own shoulders; and dispatching an aide to General Parke to inform him of what he was about to do, gave the order, ‘Fourth Rhode Island fall in’. The boys were ready for the work. Moving by the right flank for a short distance to a slight rise of ground, and then right by files into line, they advanced at a quick step on the rebel line. Shot and shell, grape and minie-balls greeted their approach, and the men began to drop before the murderous fire; yet never swerving from their onward course, they steadily advanced, loading and firing as fast as possible, till within a hundred yards of the works, when with a cheer, they charged home, and planting their colors on the ramparts, swarmed over the breast-works. A short, fierce struggle, and the first was ours.

Battle of New Bern in Harper's Weekly (5 April 1862) — Battle of New Bern in Harper’s Weekly (5 April 1862)

Sadly, Charley Baker was not among those who made it to the fort. As he ran through the breech in the line, his last experience was likely a blinding flash and his war was over. He became the first of some 90 Rhode Islanders to die in that battle. Union losses also included 380 wounded and 1 missing. Confederate losses: 64 killed, 101 wounded, 413 captured or missing.

As was the custom whenever possible, Charley’s remains were recovered and his body was brought back to Rhode Island 6 weeks after the battle. On April 26^th, many in the town of Wickford gathered at the First Baptist Church to mourn with the Baker family and also with members of the family of 32-year old Sgt. George H. Church, Jr., another North Kingstown man who died during at New Bern. His body was returned for burial along with that of Private Baker. George was the only surviving child of Dr. George Church and his and his wife Maria Burnham Church. A son named Samuel had died just short of one year of age in 1828.

The Church family grave obelisk has these words in tribute beneath George Junior’s name:

Rebellion raged throughout the land. Our son went forth with sword in hand. He nobly fought. He nobly fell. And yet we hope with weeping eyes, this body glorious will arise. Then safe in heaven we’ll meet our son in robes of white, and armor on.

The funeral service for the two men was described as the largest of its kind in the town’s memory. The procession from the church to the Oak Grove Cemetery on Tower Hill Road was nearly a mile in length. The caskets were carried on carriages from the Narragansett (Fire) Engine Company, of which both men had been volunteer members. The two soldiers were laid to rest in their respective family burial sites.

In her book, “Wickford Memories”, author Anita S. Hinkley writes:

“Charles Baker was one of my father’s older brothers and he was the first casualty of the Civil War from Rhode Island. Every Decoration Day we go to the Cemetery and put flowers on his grave. My grandmother never went. She and her only daughter, Abby, sat at home and look at Charlie’s few possessions and grieved as only women can who have lost their best.”

(Author’s Note: Actually, the first Rhode Islander to die in the U.S. Civil War was Pvt. Henry C. Davis of Woonsocket, RI. A member of Co K, 1st Rhode Island Detached Militia, he died of typhoid at Camp Sprague in Washington on June 16, 1861, 5 weeks before the First Battle of Bull Run. He was buried in St. James Cemetery in Woonsocket, RI).

One hundred and fifty seven years ago in March of 1863, a young man from North Kingstown, RI, along with a fellow soldier from the same town, gave his life in a brief and violent moment in the honorable service of his country. They were among more than two thousand Rhode Islanders to die in the Civil War. The motto of the Varnums, “To Encourage Patriotism”, reflects their memory and all who have gallantly served our nation through the years.

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[FEATURE ARTICLE] Samuel Colt and His Legendary Model 1860 Army Revolver

January 1, 2019 By Brian Wallin

Until the 19th century was well along, handguns were limited to single-shot weapons. In 1836, a 22-year old Hartford, Connecticut man, Samuel Colt, came up with a concept for controlled rotation of a firearm that would allow multiple rounds to be fired without reloading. Colt, the son of a textile manufacturer, developed a fascination for mechanical devices while visiting his father’s mill. After being expelled from Amherst Academy for high-jinx involving a fire at the school, Colt went to sea to study navigation.

It was during his time on the water that he had an epiphany watching the helmsman spin the ship’s wheel. He made a wooden cylinder, locking pin, and hammer and determined that this could be rotated to allow a pistol to fire multiple times. On return from his ocean adventures, Samuel’s father financed his initial business ventures, but pulled the plug after his son’s initial failures. Colt then traveled around the U.S. and Canada demonstrating the use of nitrous oxide and providing fireworks shows. Eventually, he earned enough money as a showman to hire some experienced gunsmiths and to put his innovative ideas into a finished product. On February 25, 1836, he received a patent for a revolving cylinder pistol that, according to the documentation, enabled improved “facility in loading”, gave more stability to the user through “the weight and location of the cylinder,” and enhanced “rapidity in the succession of discharges.”

With that, Samuel Colt was on his way to lasting fame. But, the journey would take a few twists along the way. In 1836, with more financial help from his father, Colt opened Colt’s Patent Arms Manufacturing Company in Paterson, New Jersey and began turning out handguns and rifles, all incorporating the revolving cylinder concept. He failed at gaining a government contract for his weapons, deemed too advanced for the time. Although he did manage some sales, Colt was forced to give up control of the company when it went into financial distress.

The Mexican-American War proved to be Colt’s turning point. He was awarded a government contract for 1,000 revolvers and 200 thousand rounds of a tinfoil ammunition cartridge he had perfected. He had returned to his native Hartford, CT, and by 1855 built a new factory on the banks of the Connecticut River. The building still stands as a national historic landmark.

Under the management of an exceptionally talented engineer, Elisha K. Root, Colt’s company developed a means to produce interchangeable parts for its weapons, greatly increasing their attractiveness to buyers here and overseas. Soon, the Hartford plant was turning out 150 weapons a day. Around this time, the winds of war were blowing stronger by the day. Colt had been doing business south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but when war broke out in April of 1861, he immediately turned his attention to the needs of the Union forces. One of the wealthiest men in America by that time, Colt outfitted an entire volunteer regiment from his home state, the 1^St Regiment Colt’s Revolving Rifles of Connecticut (and along the way was commissioned a colonel, a rank that he greatly prized).

Two Colt Percussion Revolvers: (top) Colt Model 1860 Army Percussion Revolver, and (bottom) Colt Model 1851 Navy

Among the most popular of his revolvers were two mainstays of the Union military, the .36 caliber Model 1851 Navy revolver with its familiar octagonal barrel (replaced by a round barrel version in 1861) and the famed .44 caliber Model 1860 Army revolver. The Varnum Memorial Armory Museum has a fine example of the latter weapon. The Model 1851 was used by both the Army and Navy and a fair number wound up in the hands of the Confederacy, either purchased before the war, carried by men who took their weapons with them when they switched their allegiance from North to South or captured during battle. Incidentally, according to American Civil War historian and author Rob Grandchamp, Rhode Island’s Governor William Sprague gave Col. Zenas Bliss of the 7^th Rhode Island Volunteers a Colt Navy pistol, but it was lost during the Battle of Fredericksburg.

For this article, the writer will devote attention to the Model 1860 as it not only played a major role in the American Civil War, but it would eventually evolve into the famed Model 1873 Peacemaker, “the gun that won the West”. The Model 1860 was carried by army infantry, cavalry, and artillerymen as well as by navy men, although officers in both services usually carried smaller sidearms.

Its single-action requires the hammer to be cocked for each firing. The .44 caliber Model 1860 uses the same size frame as the lighter .36 caliber Navy Model 1851. The Model 1860 also has a longer cylinder and a distinctive “creeping” loading lever, using pins that engage notches in the barrel to provide added strength. Colt first introduced this feature in an1855 side hammer revolver.

.44 caliber Model 1860 Army revolver at the Varnum Armory

More than 200-thousand Model 1860s were built between 1860 and 1873, making it the most widely used revolver of the Civil War (a major fire in 1864 put the Hartford factory out of business for the duration although it was returned to service later). The Union Army purchased the bulk of the factory’s output (some 129,730 pieces). The Varnum Continental’s Model 1860 carries the serial number 111432, indicating that it was made in 1863. Armory Vice President and Museum Curator Patrick Donovan obtained the Colt through Skinner Auctions along with a holster in excellent condition.

The weapon accommodates a 0.454-inch diameter round, spherical lead ball or conical-tipped bullet propelled by a 30-grain black powder charge in a paper cylinder. Soldiers preferred the latter as it could be loaded more rapidly. The paper cartridge and bullet were placed in the front of each chamber and seated with a loading lever ram. A percussion cap was placed onto a raised aperture, a nipple, at the back end of the chamber. Repeat the process five more times and the gun was fully armed.

The small copper percussion cap, when struck by the hammer, ignites the charge. The projectile, depending on the load, has a muzzle velocity of about 900 feet per second with an effective range of 75 to 100 yards. The Varnum’s Model 1860 has walnut grips, although there some were produced with more ornate grips, including ivory. Colt employed talented engravers who would also produce ornate designs on the gun’s metal finish. The standard model was unadorned.

The Model 1860’s frame did not have a top strap (a strengthening feature placed above the cylinder). Instead, its lower frame and a massive fixed cylinder pin provided the necessary strength. This feature required that the barrel be removed to also remove the cylinder. This concept made the Model 1860 slimmer and lighter than its closest competitor, the Remington Model 1858. Colt’s pistol could also be used with a detachable shoulder stock.

When originally produced, the Model 1860 cost approximately $20 per revolver, or in today’s valuation, more than $600. This was rather expensive during the 1860s, both for the United States Army and private citizens. Colt was criticized for the price, and by 1865 the revolver was reduced to $14.50. Throughout his life, Colt assertively protected his patents and business interests and was often unfavorably noted for his excessive promotional activities.

Colt's Hartford mansion known as Armsmear — Colt’s Hartford mansion known as Armsmear

Although he was widely recognized as a highly successful industrialist and inventor, Colt would see neither the full fruits of his labors nor the end of the Civil War. On January 10, 1862, at the age of 47, he died of chronic rheumatism (gout) at his Hartford mansion known as Armsmear. He is buried under a massive memorial in Hartford’s Cedar Hill Cemetery (also the final resting place of famed Rhode Island aviation pioneer Edson Gallaudet). During Colt’s lifetime, his company had turned out more than 400-thousand firearms in a wide variety of styles. His company went public in 1901 and it gained further worldwide fame with its Model 1911 .45 caliber automatic pistol. The company remains in business today, having produced more than 30 million firearms since it was founded.

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	“War As I Knew It” by George S. Patton
	“Saber Exercise 1914” by Lt. George S. Patton Jr.
	“Diary of the Instructor in Swordsmanship” by George S. Patton Jr.
	“George S. Patton: An Outstanding General. The Entire Life Story. Biography, Facts & Quotes” by The History Hour
	“George S. Patton: On Guts, Glory, and Winning” by Gary L. Bloomfield
	“Patton: The Man Behind the Legend, 1885-1945” by Martin Blumenson
	“Patton: Blood, Guts, and Prayer” by Michael Keane
	“Patton: Ordeal and Triumph“ by Ladislas Farago
	“I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II Alongside One of the U.S. Army’s Greatest Generals” by Robert L. Wise

Return to the Varnum House Museum: An Interview with Barbara Weaver

[FEATURE ARTICLE] The Doolittle Raid of April 18, 1942 and the Rhode Island Connection

[FEATURE ARTICLE] General George Patton: Master of the Sword

RECOMMENDED READING

[FEATURE ARTICLE] Young Charley Baker of Wickford: North Kingstown’s First American Civil War Killed in Action

[FEATURE ARTICLE] Samuel Colt and His Legendary Model 1860 Army Revolver

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