Early in the French Revolutionary Wars, a young British Captain, John Gaspard Le Marchant, was serving as the Brigade Major for the 2nd Dragoon Guards during the British Expeditionary action in Flanders. There, he noted that the Pattern 1788 swords used by the British cavalry were over-long, heavy, and unwieldy, and sought to design a better sword for British Cavalry Use. 

Taking design inspirations from Indian Tulwars, Hungarian Szbalas, and the Turkish Kilij, Le Marchant designed what later became known and adopted as the Pattern 1796 Light Cavalry Saber. Originally intended for adoption by the entire British Cavalry, the Pattern 1796 ended up being issued only to the light cavalry after a Board of General Officers decision for the heavy cavalry to continue using the longer and heavier straight swords. 

The Pattern 1796 features the gradually widening hatchet tip found on many Tulwars, as opposed to the stepped hatchet tip found on Szbalas and Kilij. This brings the balance forward, which does make the blade slightly less wieldy, but gives it brutal cutting power for a relatively low weight, which allegedly prompted unofficial, and unconfirmed, complaints from the French officers that encountered it due to how effective it was. 

This Cold Steel take on the Pattern 1796 comes with a 1055 high carbon steel blade with a spring temper on it and has a full steel scabbard which protects the blade from damage and, unofficially, serves as a parrying/blocking tool and a bludgeon in emergencies.

Specs:
Overall Length: 37 3/4"
Handle Length: 4 3/4"
Blade Length: 33"
Blade Steel: 1055 High Carbon with a spring temper
Blade Thickness: 5/16"
Weight: 2lbs 2.2oz