Contributed by Maine Historical Society
Description
On May 21,1862, Capt. Thomas W. Hyde (1841-1899) of Bath, in the 7th Maine Regiment, Co. D sent his friend John Marshall Brown (1838-1907) of Portland a cigar and an accompanying letter that explained its origins.
Hyde was stationed near Richmond, Virginia. He wrote that a soldier in the regiment made the cigar from tobacco he obtained while on picket duty. The solider took it from the Gaines Estate (Gaines Mill) near the Chickahominy River, a few miles outside Richmond, Virginia. Hyde wrote, "The men make large numbers of them and we call them the Chickahominy brand." He said the tobacco was the best in Virginia.
Hyde and Brown's military careers took similar paths. Both graduates of Bowdoin College, they enlisted as officers in the 7th Maine in 1861 and 20th Maine in 1862, respectively. Both men were promoted into administrative roles within the Army of the Potomac, and later each commanded Maine regiments--Hyde with the 1st Maine Veterans and Brown the 32nd Maine Volunteers.
Present at several key American Civil War battles, Hyde received a Medal of Honor for his service at Antietam. After the war, he was brevetted first as a brigadier general, and later major general in 1869. In his post-war career he founded what would become Bath Iron Works.
Transcription
About This Item
- Title: Thomas W. Hyde letter about cigar, Richmond, Va., 1862
- Creator: Thomas W. Hyde
- Creation Date: 1862-05-21
- Subject Date: 1862
-
Locations:
- Richmond, VA
- Portland, Cumberland County, ME
- Media: Ink on paper
- Dimensions: 24.8 cm x 19.5 cm
- Local Code: 2002.239.001b
- Collection: John Marshall Brown collection
- Object Type: Text
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Chickahominy River (Va.)
- Cigars
- Military service--1860-1870
- Seizures--Virginia--Richmond
- United States--Civil War, 1861-1865
- United States. Army. Maine Infantry Regiment, 7th (1861-1864). Company D
- War destruction & pillage--Virginia--Richmond
People
Other Keywords
For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Historical Society485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website
Use of this Item is not restricted by copyright and/or related rights, but the holding organization is contractually obligated to limit use. For more information, please contact the contributing organization. However, watermarked Maine Memory Network images may be used for educational purposes.
More to Consider
Item 84253
Civil War cigar relic, Richmond, Va, 1862
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