Knife found in wall...help identify please

Most "pig stickers" I've seen are about 8" long w/ double-edged blades.

Most "sword canes" I've seen, the blade is not as wide as the handle.

It does not appear to be any sort of woodworking tool.

It looks like a dirk / short sword -- most likely had a leather sheath which covered a portion of the handle. Short swords were popular with artillery crews on both sides of the Civil War.
 
To me it looks like a knife made for self defense. I understand that it was quite common to carry a longish thin blade for stabbing in those days, although it was usually some type of sword-cane.
 
Cool find, I just had to say Hi, I'm from Chelmsford myself. I'll send a pic to my dad, he is an antique dealer in the area. He might be able to find something out (at the very least, he and his friends will think this is interesting). -john
 
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