Civil War sword with N.B. ties now on display at Loyalist House

The sword that belonged to Dr. John F. Stevenson, from Saint Andrews, N.B., is pictured in a museum display with other items and documents.

There is a new addition on display at Loyalist House in Saint John, N.B., and it has ties to a New Brunswicker who served in the American Civil War.

The blade of Dr. John F. Stevenson, who was born in Saint Andrews, N.B., is now part of the New Brunswick Historical Society’s collection after being purchased from a collector for $6,200 dollars. The money was raised by the greater community through a GoFundMe campaign and the display case was donated by the Canadian Museum of History.

“It's a tangible piece of history that connects New Brunswick and Canadian history to North American history and the American Civil War,” said New Brunswick Historical Society Vice-President Troy Middleton. “A lot of people that come into (Loyalist House) have no idea that Atlantic Canadians took part in the American Civil War.”

Dr. Stevenson went to medical school at Harvard and returned home to Saint Andrews after graduating in 1861 Middleton said. He began practicing medicine in his hometown before joining a local militia group. A few years later, he offered his service to the United States government as a doctor and was assigned to the 29th Connecticut Infantry.

Dr. Stevenson’s unit was raised after emancipation. All the enlisted men were African Americans but there were others from Canada who joined their effort.

“Once Mr. Wright and I started the campaign to raise the money to bring the sword home, I started researching the 29th Connecticut,” Middleton said. “I found 29 black Canadians that joined the 29th Connecticut, and out of that 29, three from New Brunswick and one from Nova Scotia.”

Middleton said the sword has made a buzz since they made arrangements to return it to New Brunswick in January and he expects a lot of interest in the ceremonial blade once Loyalist House opens later in the New Year.

Local Historian Harold Wright said when Middleton approached him about acquiring the sword he knew it was a no-brainer. He said artifacts from the Civil War are very rare an, and the connection to New Brunswick gives him goosebumps.

“The fact that (the sword) is named and we can tell the story of the artifact on top of the fact that he's buried in Saint Andrews so we can visit his grave to help tell the story makes it unique,” Wright said.

Middleton, who is also the President of the 20th Maine Co., a non-profit group who search for Atlantic Canadians who served in the American Civil War, said a graveside ceremony involving the sword will be held in the spring at Dr. Stevenson’s grave in Saint Andrews.

Wright said the people of the greater Saint John area take pride in their heritage and he is thankful to everyone who helped bring the sword home.

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.