This is a Foot-Artillery Short-Sword from the period of 1831 to about 1870.
Manufactured at various French arsenals - namely Thiebaut (or Talibot), St. Etienne, and Chatellerault - and are so marked - along with month and year; various inspector's stamps.
Neo-classical in design, based upon the Roman Gladius. Nicknamed coupe-choux, which roughly translates to "cabbage-cutter."
Overall length is ~25-1/8".
Hilt is ~6" in length and is constructed entirely of brass; cross-guard is ~4-1/8" in width; grip is patterned with 26 raised ribs or rings. I have owned one of these with an anchor stamped in the center of the cross-guard; this usually indicates colonial or naval usage and is not a common marking (see image below).
Double-edged, diamond-cross-section blade is ~19-1/8" in length.
The American "Model 1832 Foot Artillery Sword" and the British "Land Transport Corps Privates's Hanger, Model 1855" are very similar.
It has been suggested that the French Model 1831 was used by the Confederacy during the American Civil War; without provenance, however, the rule of thumb is that, "for it to be Confederate, it must say "CS" or "CSA," be from one of the known "Southern" manufacturers, or be typical of what was produced in the South - based upon confirmed known examples - just prior to and during the Civil War."
There are quite a lot of French M1831 Foot Artillery Swords around, so inspect these very closely for alterations and attempts to make them "Union" or "Confederate". The French were very good about profusely marking their weapons. Look for grinding marks in an attempt to remove these. The British swords are also profusely marked although they can occasionally be found with no markings at all.
