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13.5 inch blade, why is it call a Carolina side knife?

Good looking knife!

The Confederacy wasn't known for issuing much equipment. Solders would take existing swords of various kinds, and cut them down to be close range fighting knives. They were more maneuverable and comfortable to carry as opposed to the long calvary swords which Yankees used on horseback. Yankees would refer to it as a cutlass, Confederates called them side knives.

there u go