A New York native by the name of Amelia Blythe had moved to Ottawa, Canada, in 1963 and donated the sword to the 763 Communications Regt. of the Canadian Army, now the 33 Signal Regt..
Caroline Sloan, of Portland, Oregon, the colonel's great-great granddaughter. Her father, Edward Sloan graduated from the Citadel in 1950 and started his own search for the sword. He got a precise description of the sword and began distributing it and received responses. Then came the internet.
For a generation, the sword had been on display inside the Mess at Wallis House, a landmark building in Ottawa that eventually fell into disrepair. The sword's nameplate read "The Cadets of the Arsenal Academy to Capt. C.C. Tew, November 25, 1858." The regiment had the sword and other items appraised in 2009 when they were moving to a new home.
Genuine Civil War swords like it sell for between $20,000 to $30,000, but its connection to Charles Tew made it even more valuable.
Michael Martin,chairman of the 33 Signal Regt. Foundation worked to have it "alienated" from Canada as not having any value to the country. This was necessary before it could be returned.
--Old Secesh
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