Knotts Island, North Carolina, circa 1900, carved and painted wood.

Length 16.5 in.

Waterfield grew up on the Morse Point Farm raising cattle and market hunting. He became folk legend as he loved to fight. He kept a pistol strapped to his shoulder and brass knuckles were always handy. One of his first encounters occurred dung the Civil War. The Northern troops usually pillaged Southern farms by taking livestock and valuables. Malachi shot it out with the soldiers when they came to his farm and killed three. He was wounded, but escaped down to Indian Creek in a sail skiff.

Old gunning paint, tight age checks on back.