In 1873, a traveler aboard a boat in New York met a man, J.W. Bean, from New Hampshire and talked about the Civil War. The traveler knew Col, Charles Tew and mentioned the story of Tew;s father going to Dry Totugas near Key West while looking for the sword.
Bean had been at the Battle of Antietam and had come across Col. Tew's body. he had the silver cup and then returned it to Tew's family.
That cup was given by Caroline Sloan's mother to her son, Charles Courtenay Sloan. She said she had polished it as the family intends to make the trip to the Citadel to loan it for a year. She kind of thinks her son will eventually loan it to the school on a permanent basis.
--A great Story. --Old Secesh
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
Showing posts with label Tew Charles Courtenay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tew Charles Courtenay. Show all posts
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Canada Returns Col. Tew's Sword-- Part 5: Coming Home
Michael martin had much difficulty "alienating" Col. Charles Tew's sword, but stayed true to his purpose and this past March got the go ahead to return the sword.
Not much is known for sure about how the sword got from the Antietam battlefield to the Blythe family. But evidence shows that it was likely acquired by Captain Francis J. Sauter of the 55th Ohio who might have had it shipped home before he was killed at the Battle of Chancellorsville in March 1863.
On Wednesday, the Citadel will send 9 cadets, 4 faculty members and other supporters to the Antietam battlefield to receive the sword from Canada.
The sword will eventually go to the Citadel's Daniel Library for display where it will be reunited with Tew's silver cup. The library also has Tew's diploma, some of his letters and other documents.
--Old Secesh
Not much is known for sure about how the sword got from the Antietam battlefield to the Blythe family. But evidence shows that it was likely acquired by Captain Francis J. Sauter of the 55th Ohio who might have had it shipped home before he was killed at the Battle of Chancellorsville in March 1863.
On Wednesday, the Citadel will send 9 cadets, 4 faculty members and other supporters to the Antietam battlefield to receive the sword from Canada.
The sword will eventually go to the Citadel's Daniel Library for display where it will be reunited with Tew's silver cup. The library also has Tew's diploma, some of his letters and other documents.
--Old Secesh
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Canada Returns Col. Tew's Sword to Citadel-- Part 4: Sword in Canada
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
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
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Canada Returns Col. Tew's Sword to the Citadel-- Part 3: Searching for the Sword
The Citadel had a cadet and 25 alumni at the Battle of Antietam in 1862. Two were killed and four wounded.
Charles Tew was shot in the head and among the hundreds of Confederates buried in mass graves. Their bodies were eventually relocated to cemeteries in Maryland and West Virginia. His final resting place is unknown and age at death was 34.
After the war, his father began searching for the sword, cup and pocket watch his son had with him at his death. All they knew was that he was shot along the Sunken Road.
Sometime in 1870, his father got a letter from Ohio saying the sword was hanging at the Odd fellows Hall in Norwalk. A family friend went there, but it was gone.
Then, there was nothing new for 145 years.
--Old Secesh
Charles Tew was shot in the head and among the hundreds of Confederates buried in mass graves. Their bodies were eventually relocated to cemeteries in Maryland and West Virginia. His final resting place is unknown and age at death was 34.
After the war, his father began searching for the sword, cup and pocket watch his son had with him at his death. All they knew was that he was shot along the Sunken Road.
Sometime in 1870, his father got a letter from Ohio saying the sword was hanging at the Odd fellows Hall in Norwalk. A family friend went there, but it was gone.
Then, there was nothing new for 145 years.
--Old Secesh
Monday, December 28, 2015
Canada to Return Col. Tew's Long-Lost Sword-- Part 2: Military Academies
The return of Col. Charles Tew's sword to the Citadel will be celebrated with three days of activities.
Col. Charles Courtenay Tew was a Charleston native and among the Citadel's first 26 cadets, reporting to the school in 1843. He graduated in 1846 and later taught at the Arsenal, a Columbia, S.C. military school that was the Citadel's sister institution.
The cadets there gave him the sword when he left to establish the Hillsborough Military Academy in North Carolina.
During the Civil War, Col. Tew led the 2nd North Carolina and carried the sword along with him, along with a silver cup given him by the Hillsborough cadets. Later, he decided that he could be of more use to the Confederacy by returning to teaching and submitted his resignation. before it was accepted, there came the Battle of Antietam.
--Old Secesh
Col. Charles Courtenay Tew was a Charleston native and among the Citadel's first 26 cadets, reporting to the school in 1843. He graduated in 1846 and later taught at the Arsenal, a Columbia, S.C. military school that was the Citadel's sister institution.
The cadets there gave him the sword when he left to establish the Hillsborough Military Academy in North Carolina.
During the Civil War, Col. Tew led the 2nd North Carolina and carried the sword along with him, along with a silver cup given him by the Hillsborough cadets. Later, he decided that he could be of more use to the Confederacy by returning to teaching and submitted his resignation. before it was accepted, there came the Battle of Antietam.
--Old Secesh
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Canada to Return Colonel Tew's (CSA) Long-Lost Sword to the Citadel-- Part 1: A Sword With Many Connections
From the September 13, 2015, Charleston (SC) Post & Courier "Canada to return Civil War commander's lost sword to the Citadel" by Robert Behre.
"A single sword unites the Citadel with the South Carolina's Governor's Mansion, the 33 Signal Regt. of the Canadian Army and the single bloodiest day in U.S. military history."
And, it's coming home soon.
Confederate Colonel Charles Courtenay Tew was killed at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. His sword was lost and his descendants have been searching for it ever since.
Charles Tew was the Citadel's first valedictorian and the first president of its alumni association. The sword was given to him by the cadets at the Arsenal, a Columbia, S.C., military academy that was the Citadel's sister institution. The Arsenal was burned by Sherman's troops in the closing days of the war and never reopened. Its sole surviving building is the state's Governor's Mansion.
--Old Secesh
"A single sword unites the Citadel with the South Carolina's Governor's Mansion, the 33 Signal Regt. of the Canadian Army and the single bloodiest day in U.S. military history."
And, it's coming home soon.
Confederate Colonel Charles Courtenay Tew was killed at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. His sword was lost and his descendants have been searching for it ever since.
Charles Tew was the Citadel's first valedictorian and the first president of its alumni association. The sword was given to him by the cadets at the Arsenal, a Columbia, S.C., military academy that was the Citadel's sister institution. The Arsenal was burned by Sherman's troops in the closing days of the war and never reopened. Its sole surviving building is the state's Governor's Mansion.
--Old Secesh
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