DEAD MEN'S GUNS

Dead Men’s Guns and Other Patton Stuff

The M1909 Colt .45 that once belonged to General Julio Cardenas, the head of Villa's bodyguard. Cardenas was Captain of the "Doradoes" the Golden Ones, the "bodyguard" for Francisco Villa. In accordance with typical Mexican Revolutionary decorum, he was called "General" Cardenas. General Cardenas and another Villista were killed by 2LT Patton using the single-action Colt he had purchased in March, 1915.

The M1909 Colt was taken from Cardenas’ body by Patton,

a nice new pistol for which the Colt Revolving Arms Co. has no records.

Cardenas' spurs, another "battlefield" pick up.

This broom-handle Mauser pistol taken from a dead German officer in 1918.

The saddle of Colonel George S. Patton, Commander of the 22nd Virginia Infantry, which was modified in the late 1800s with "new" stirrups. The saddle was commercially made in Philadelphia just prior to the Civil War.

All photographs courtesy of the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor, Ft Knox, KY.

MORE PATTON PISTOLS

The Remington single shot was Patton's very first pistol - gotten around 1902.

The 1905 was Patton's first automatic pistol purchase.

The Colt .45 belonged to a good friend of Patton's in the 15th Cavalry during the expedition to Mexico. When he died (about 1925), he left it to Patton in his will.

The Walther PP was a presentation to Patton from the 90th Division - one of two they gave him (a "pair") - the other is at VMI. The 90th Division had captured a Walther factory and had a pistol engraved for every General officer in the Third Army. Patton was the only one to get two.

The Tokarev was a presentation from the Russian General that Patton drank under the table in May of 1945. The inscription basically thanks Patton for helping beat those *#%&@ Germans and was presented at Amstettin GE.

The little colt needs no explanation - the grips have the stars of a General and "GSP" in the grips. They are made from US silver quarters.

Patton's .38 cal Colt used for the Olympics of 1912.

All photographs courtesy of the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor, Ft Knox, KY.