Latest news with #NewBrunswickMilitaryHistoryMuseum
CBC
25-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Civil War-era sword that belonged to N.B. veteran brought back to Saint Andrews
A sword from the American Civil War era that belonged to a New Brunswick veteran has made it home. A repatriation ceremony for John S. Stevenson's ceremonial sword was held in Saint Andrews, N.B., on Saturday in conjunction with a graveside service to recognize four Civil War soldiers. Stevenson, who was born in Saint Andrews in the 1830s, was a doctor who completed his studies at Harvard University. During the war from 1861 to 1865, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving as a surgeon in the medical corps for the 29th Connecticut. "It's kind of a little-known fact of history that quite a few New Brunswickers actually fought in the American Civil War," said David Hughes, manager of the New Brunswick Military History Museum in Oromocto. Stevenson fell ill while serving in Texas and died shortly after in New York. His body was returned to Saint Andrews for burial but his sword did not make it back to New Brunswick. Early last year, Quispamsis historian Troy Middleton stumbled upon an online listing that offered the sword for sale and was able to confirm it had belonged to Stevenson. Ontario collector Robert Low was asking for $8,000 to $8,500 for the sword but agreed to sell it for a bargain price of $6,200 because he knew of its New Brunswick connections. "When I told him who I was, what we were trying to do and, you know, we're from New Brunswick, he actually lowered the price quite a bit and gave us the opportunity to raise the money," Middleton said. The money was raised in about three months through the New Brunswick Historical Society by way of donations and fundraiser events, he said, and the sword was put on display at the Loyalist House museum in Saint John last summer after the transaction was completed in May. "The Canadian Museum of History heard about us and … they ultimately donated the, you know, a beautiful cabinet for us to put it in to display it. I couldn't be happier," said Middleton. This fall, Stevenson's sword will be part of a larger display about New Brunswickers in the Civil War that will be exhibited at the New Brunswick Military History Museum. Hughes called the sword "an important artifact," and encouraged people to visit the fall exhibition.
CBC
13-02-2025
- General
- CBC
Love letters and sweetheart pins: The romantic side of military history
Before there were stuffed bears holding chocolate boxes, there were more personal expressions of love in the handwritten letters and small trinkets given to sweethearts, a common practice among soldiers. "I would rather die then to have anything happen between us," said a 1946 letter, sent from New Brunswick to Amsterdam. "I am looking for the day when there will be a telegram for me saying you are on your way to Canada for I can never be happy again until we are together even if it had to be 100 years from now." Those lines are from a letter sent 78 years ago by a Second World War gunner from New Brunswick to his Dutch war bride. Sidney Smith, from Moores Mills, near St. Stephen, wrote to his sweetheart Selma in Amsterdam right before he was demobilized from the military, said David Hughes, manager of the New Brunswick Military History Museum. The letter expressed Smith's loneliness and longing as he went to bed alone each night, wishing Selma could be with him. Another letter from that same year talked about a recent purchase of a brand new $30 mattress and box spring for the two to one day sleep on together. "It was worth it," he wrote of the price. "I don't like to buy very much until you are here for I want to get things that you want." WATCH | Jewelry for soldiers' sweethearts: Sweetheart pins: Soldiers' gifts of love 4 hours ago Duration 4:41 Hughes said such romantic gestures were common in military romances, including in the form of what were known as sweetheart pins. "Sweetheart pins were, and still are, gifts that are traditionally given from a soldier to his wife or sweetheart," said Hughes. "They're generally miniature versions of the soldier's unit badge or shoulder title or some other kind of military identifier, usually done in miniature, often times done in gold or silver, sometimes decorated with enamel to make it more colourful. "It's just a symbol of affection and belonging … from the soldier to his sweetheart." In Canada, Hughes said these were most common during the First World War, but they were also given during the Second World War and even in modern day. Hughes said he gave a silver miniature of the Royal Canadian Regiment cap badge to his sweetheart, as well as a set of gold dog tags he had made when he was on a peacekeeping mission in Cyprus. "It was a big moment for me," he said. "Hopefully my sweetheart thought so as well." As for Sydney Smith and the woman he was pining for, Selma later came to Canada where the couple lived a happy life together.
